Sold! How to Sell Your Company to a Great Candidate

Congratulations—we have some of the lowest unemployment rates in years! This should be great news; however, many hiring managers are panicked. Why? Because securing the top candidates in a record low unemployment climate means competing for the best-of-the-best. PrideStaff Financial explains how you can sell your company and win over those top-notch candidates.

Win them over from day one.

One mistake hiring managers make is assuming they can wait until they make an official offer to win over a candidate. The time to begin working on winning over a candidate is not when you’re at the offer stage; it’s when you first meet them. If you’re running around looking for a way to sweeten the deal after you’ve made an official offer—it’s too late. Unless the candidate has been giving you mixed signals, you should have a fair idea of whether they will accept an offer when you make it because you’ve been persuading them during the entire process. From interview one/introduction one, you should be showing them why your company is the best and most ideal workplace for them.

Keep your ears open.

Candidates will tell you, without even knowing it, what they are looking for. When they mention they need more detail about the benefits package, that’s a hint they might be getting hung up on your perks. Ask your candidate to create a wish list for their next role. Get them to talk about it in front of you and write it all down. Ask them to think about everything from what type of manager they want to work for, to hours, to flexible working arrangements. Before moving on to the second or third interview, make sure you understand what they’ve asked for and it is something you can give.

Don’t come in low.

A mistake many hiring managers make is coming in with a low offer and then trying to back track to sweeten the deal. By then, your top candidate has already walked. Compare your offers with those of other companies in your market, and make sure to offer a candidate what they are worth.

Make them feel comfortable.

Make the company feel personal and familiar to them, as if they are right at home on day one. Let them walk around and get to know staff and see the goings on of day-to-day life at your company. Invite them to a company retreat for part of a day, or a lunch and learn to see how your company functions. Many companies are starting to incorporate a “spend the day with us” campaign when interviewing candidates. Candidates spend a six-hour day at a company they are considering, as if they already work there. Of course, it doesn’t mean they are already doing work, but it does mean that they get to shadow a manager or HR personnel to see what the company culture and day-to-day function is like. You need to sell them on why your company is the best.

PrideStaff Financial is a 5-star diamond award recruiting firm. Our staffing consultants are here to help you navigate the hiring process. Contact us today to learn how we can help you.