Three steps to a successful offer presentation
- Schedule 20 minutes to deliver the offer – Don’t just call up a candidate and deliver a verbal offer during the middle of their busy day. Remember, this is a formal offer of employment from your firm (or your client’s firm). Schedule a time to present the offer to them. Make sure they are at a location where they can listen and talk freely, as well as take notes. Ideally, if they are local, I would recommend scheduling a meeting in person to deliver the offer! But minimally, schedule a 20-minute block of time that is 100% dedicated to learning about a life changing offer from your firm.
- Make sure they have a pen and paper to take notes – Before you start discussing the offer, confirm they have a pen and paper handy to take notes. You want to make sure they completely understand the offer from your discussion. If you’re like most firms, once a verbal offer is presented, you will send the hard copy in the mail. Again, if you can meet in person – even better. Discuss the offer, have them take notes and then present the written offer in person.
- Discuss Non-Monetary Selling points of the offer FIRST. When presenting offers, most recruiters only discuss the monetary components of the offer. In a recent blog post, “Don’t forget the reason we are here in the first place,” we discuss the significance of reconfirming the non-monetary selling points of the position (chance to work with new technology, large scope of responsibility, promotion, less travel, etc.) BEFORE you discuss the monetary components (salary, bonus, vacation, benefits, etc.). The majority of people change jobs for non-monetary reasons. But instinctively, they will try and NEGOTIATE the monetary parts of the offer. If you get them excited about the non-monetary components of the offer, you can control the offer/negotiation.
- Make sure they have their calendar handy: Once you have presented the offer, you have the opportunity to pre-close by discussing the following dates:
- Set a time to answer any questions once they receive the written offer
- Date they will put in their notice
- Start Date
- Set up any appointments between resignation and start date (fill out benefits, background check, meet with hiring manager for lunch, etc.)
Make sure you put these dates in your calendar, as well to continue to follow up and support them during the process.
Changing jobs is one of the top 4 most stressful things a person can do! It is also a big commitment we are making on behalf of our company (or client). It is your job to manage this part of the recruitment process with the respect and attention it deserves.
Your candidates will appreciate the formal nature by which you conduct this step and most importantly – - you will be less susceptible to a counteroffer.