As the labor market heats up, some recruiters are experiencing an increase in candidates reneging on a job offer. Although this is a fairly common phenomenon—a 2019 survey from Robert Half found that 28% of professionals have backed out after accepting a job offer—reneging can be time-consuming and costly for employers. With this in mind, here are a few measures you can build into your recruitment process in order to minimize reneges from entry-level candidates.
Create a stellar candidate experience
Perhaps the best way to prevent reneges is to make your company the first choice for accepted candidates. Crafting an exemplary candidate experience goes a long way in keeping prospective employees engaged and eager to work for your company. Start by planning out recruitment events and marketing materials, then identifying top candidates on platforms like LinkedIn and RippleMatch and reaching out directly. From there, create an interview process that facilitates strong connections with the team and showcases the company culture. And of course, make all communication with candidates timely and personalized.
Ask candidates during the recruitment process about their job search
Most of the time, candidates will be applying for other jobs too and may be at different stages of the recruitment process at multiple companies. Ask candidates to keep you apprised of the progress with other roles they’ve applied for. Depending on the length of your recruitment timeline, you may be able to adjust interviews or offer deadlines rather than lose a talented candidate to a competitor.
Some recruiters may also prefer to know if students are continuing to look for jobs after accepting an offer, or if they are still planning to finish the recruitment process at other companies. Since candidates are often interviewing with multiple companies, timelines for receiving offers may not always match up. If a candidate received an offer from your company, but their first choice is still earlier in the recruitment process, then they may decide to accept your offer in the meantime and renege if their preferred company makes an offer. In this case, you can at least prepare and continue recruiting to fill those spots—especially if you are already hiring multiple candidates for the same role.
Give candidates enough time to evaluate an offer
Never ask job candidates to accept an offer on the spot, even if they seem willing to do so. Give them some time—at least a few days, or even a week—to review a written offer and ask any questions they have before signing on the dotted line. They may want to review benefits, look at the logistics of moving to a new city by the intended start date, or compare offers from multiple employers. If they ask for more time, try to be flexible.
Keep candidates apprised of company updates after they’ve accepted your offer
Don’t fall into the trap of radio silence after receiving a signed offer letter! Send regular emails to accepted candidates to keep them informed on company updates that are related to Gen Z values, such as DEI announcements, professional development opportunities, or updates to remote work policies.
Frequent communication is especially important when there’s a long stretch of time between the offer date and the official start date. You can also encourage hiring managers to reach out to candidates after they’ve accepted the offer in order to welcome them to the team and set expectations for their first week. It keeps your company top-of-mind for future employees and emphasizes that you’re excited to have them.
Make accepted candidates feel like part of the team
Candidates may not feel as invested in the company until they’ve had the opportunity to more fully integrate with current employees. When safe, bring accepted candidates together for an onsite visit to meet the team and start to develop relationships. Plan icebreakers, offer a tour of the company (or even the neighborhood), and host a Q&A or info session with more details about what to expect during the onboarding process.
Even if your company is working remotely, you can implement a lot of these ideas in a virtual environment. Utilize tools like Slack and Zoom to connect accepted candidates with their future teammates. Virtual breakout rooms or apps like Donut are great options for facilitating ongoing conversations. You can hold a webinar or virtual info session for something more formal. You may also wish to send accepted candidates a “welcome packet” with company swag and some WFH goodies.
If this sounds like a lot to keep track of, the RippleMatch CRM enables recruiters to utilize multiple touch points to keep in contact with candidates and build a positive experience from application to start date. Ultimately, maintaining open and honest communication, as well as flexibility in offer acceptance deadlines, is key for both candidates and employers in avoiding reneges.