Too Slow or Competitively Low: Job Offer Rejection Trend

Time is changing it's tides, as Job Market is shifting more towards the Candidate Driven. Declining an offer has become a common practice, being observed by All Industry. Employers are not more dependent on Candidates and has to go an Extra Mile to win over the Candidates than vice versa.  Regardless of the efforts being put in, which certainly Doesn't guarantee or even give any firm conviction that they will Join the Organization once Committed. 

In Worse case scenario, many of them Back out at very last moment. While few of them would leave a "Love Note Mail" for Miserable Recruiter; Many would prefer not to Respond Approach and Leave Recruiter with the one most haunting experience of their career. However, small number of Professionals to follow the process and initiates the Back-n-Forth Negotiation Rounds & Counter Offers so as not to start the whole recruitment cycle from the Scratch.

Whether or not it was a competing offer that beat yours, there are a number of reasons why candidates decline job offers. As per my Experience, Let’s review the Top Reasons a Job Seeker is likely to Ditch you. 

1. "THE" Interview Process:
   Companies follow their own Interview Process, however, if that Process is taking a Marathon Lap, it will be easy for them to presume that this is the way things are done here. The Interview Process Experience Includes, Being Treated as Low Budget Retail Customer OR Being late for the Scheduling Interviews OR Answering Calls OR Pending Feedback. This is not it. Also, it’s equally important not to make the hiring process so slow and frustrating that Applicant lose out when he accepts another offer because you don’t seem serious about hiring.
2. Attitude: The Representation of Corporate Environment:
   "Presentation is key to Success" True! but not so true if one fail to carry the correct attitude required. Extra Efforts to Charm the Candidates/Healthy Ego may clash with a very talented job applicant and leave you without that top talent. Also, it gives them right to presume & Leave the first impression for your untold never existed Corporate Environment.
3. Mediocre Offer or Growth:
   No matter what the Market is going through. A Skilled & Talented Applicant is never off the Demand Grid. If the Offered Growth or Pay Scale didn't reach upto the mutually acceptable decision. There are very High chances that Applicant would continue to keep looking or stay in their current job. One has to keep in Mind the basic difference between Desperate/low skilled Candidates & top-tier/in-demand Skilled Professionals.
4. Counter Offer & The Retention Shotgun:
   Retention is a policy that every industry is more emphasizing upon. As it won't only retain the existing Candidate & save the Recruitment Cost but also, gives you a more loyal & hardworking employee post saturation point of Stay. This also blows a big round hole in your Recruitment Cycle. When Organization don’t make a great offer to a great candidate when there is a scope left, he’s likely to get a better offer from competitors, and you lose out because your company undervalued his skills. 
5. The Invincible Relocation Phenomena:
   It's not always upon them to decide if they want to relocate or not, it's their family members who makes significant contribution in the Decision along with, the offered package. If this package isn’t sufficient enough for the cost applicant is going to bare while relocating, it gives an first hand glimpse that it will cost more than what is to be earned. Best way out is to offer competitive package according to Market Standard along with detailed description of the profit & lose involved in this process.
   
6. Offer Convincing Bullets:
   This one stands in contrast with compare to 1st Point mentioned & is surely going to pierce through the positive decision Applicant is about to take. The more you pressure them to respond and/or to accept the offer, more you create the possibilities for them to decide not to leave current job/look for alternative.
7. The Haunting Market Feedback/Review:
   All most every one, would like to go for a review before taking any important decision or a thing to purchase. Candidate does the same. Also, Candidates/Employees who're not treated with respect will may share their experience within known circle & across the online and social media universe.  Scary, right? Well it should’t be! (Unless you have something to hide…;)
8. Work - No Life Balance:
   One of the most effecting factor while determining the job change. Especially for Gen Ys, who really value work-life balance. At times, it surpasses the Offered Package in Company Selection Table.
9. The Most Important "YOU":
   It is often said that "People Leave Managers, Not Companies - Forbes" 

   If they get a not-so-good vibe from you or other people during the interview process, they’ll pick up on it. If they have equal options to choose from-in terms of role and compensation-and they had to wait a half an hour before you opened the door to them, or if you appeared distracted or disinterested, or if you were rude…you’ve just made their decision a lot easier.

10. That's the Way - Deal With IT.
    At times Companies also come across such Applicants who are out there just to Understand the Market Value or to have an Interview experience or to take an counter offer within their current company. In such condition one can't do much about it. It's the way it is and being a Recruiter, one often come across this sort of situation.

Overall, Recruitment is a cycle done with combined efforts. Which includes Stakeholders like, Management, Hiring Managers, Technical Panel & HR.  It is the Only way to make this cycle successful and more productive.