How to Offer Someone a Job So That They Say Yes
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I recently offered an incredible woman a job. Before I picked up my phone to call her with the offer, I jotted some notes for myself. I thought I'd share those notes with you today, with a little extra "behind-the-scenes" thinking.
(The following week, she took the job!)
Be thorough, but do not wait unnecessarily. Someone once told me to "hire slowly, and fire quickly." I take hiring pretty seriously - I have learned the hard way that moving too quickly in hiring can get me into trouble. At the same time, candidates applying to a role with you are likely applying for other roles, too. If you have gotten clear with a thorough process that they are the one you want to hire, go ahead and make the offer.
Always call. Do not make job offers via email unless you are in a situation where you have to hire dozens of people all at once. It is impersonal and will not set you up for success in getting them to take the job (you'll see why below). When they pick up the phone, make your intentions clear right away. The other day, I said to my candidate with a smile on my face, "If you have a minute, I'd like to offer you a job."
Share why they are the right candidate. Explain why you are excited to hire them, including specifics on how they stood out among the pool of candidates. Note what other colleagues involved in the hiring process thought, too.
Share the compensation. Don't wait too long into the conversation to share the salary or hourly rate you are offering. Explain how you got to this number. Ideally, you have used a thoughtful process that incorporates market rate salaries and internal organization equity into creating fair salary offers, and does not take into account the candidate's prior salary (an equitable practice that is starting to become law in some states like California). Also explain, at a high-level, the benefits they might receive like paid time off, healthcare, paid parental leave, cell phone stipend, retirement match, etc. Be sure to follow this up with a written document via email explaining the benefits in more detail.
Ask what questions they have. This is key - you will want to make sure you leave time for them to ask and get their questions answered about the offer, the job, and the organization. You will also get important information about what might hold them back from taking the job - they might ask more about the benefits package if they are worried that it is less than they expected, or they might ask more about the ideal start date if they are concerned about leaving their current organization in the lurch. Follow this conversation with, "Are there any other conversations with anyone here that could help you decide?". They might want to talk with someone you currently manage to learn what it is like to work for you as their boss, or they might want to talk to someone at the organization who is also a working parent to learn how the organizational culture works for young families. Help them get these conversations scheduled so that they have all the information they need to make the decision.
Discuss start date. Ideally, you are flexible on when a new employee could start so that you have the wiggle room you need to hire the right person. I have waited up to four months for the right candidate to start after accepting an offer because they had important projects at their current organization to finish up. I respect that integrity and would want them to treat our organization the same if they one day move on. If you can, give them the space to leave their current work in a good place and with strong relationships. In this initial conversation, let them know how you are thinking about start dates for the position.
Set a date by when they will let you know. Before you get on the phone, pick a date by which you would like them to let you know if they will accept your offer. It depends on the level of the role, but often about a week is a good time period for them to decide. Say something like, "Could you let me know by early next week whether you are able to take the job?"
Congratulate them again. Close up the call by congratulating them again on the offer, reminding them that you are available when they have questions, and letting them know that you hope the two of you can work together soon.
Charm them. Once you have finished your call, consider what you have learned. Do they seem likely to take the job? Is something holding them back? Create a strategy to make them feel even more excited about the role. Some tactics I have used in the past:
Had my current direct reports reach out via email with offers to chat if the candidate had any questions.
Had organizational leaders call or email to share that they have heard great things and hope this person comes to work with us.
Sent them a Priority Mail envelope with a handwritten note and a few pieces of organizational "swag" like a branded notebook and pen.
Reached out to the references that I spoke with during the hiring process for this person to let them know I had made the offer and to pass on my congratulations to the candidate.
Remember that this is a two-way street. Be honest with candidates when they ask questions. Your goal is a new employee who is happy about their role - be sure you are not hiding anything from them during the offer and matriculation process. If they decide not to take the job, remind yourself that it is a good thing in the long-run - it is not in your interest to hire someone who would be unhappy or unsatisfied in the role.
Good luck out there!
Has anyone done anything particularly well when offering you a job? What are your job-offering best practices? Leave them in the comments!
