3 Reasons Why Candidates Are Declining Job Offers This Year

There are few things more frustrating for today’s employer than discovering the ideal employee and extending a job offer, only to have that offer turned down.  

Whether you used a specialist recruitment service to narrow your search or you used a service such as ours to post jobs, or you started the process from scratch, dealing with the complexities of today’s competitive career market can be overwhelming.  

The truth is that most hiring managers and recruiters will feel the sting of rejection from an experienced candidate at least once or twice during their search for talent. As the UK’s employment levels skyrocket to a record level, you might find that you struggle to recruit the perfect employee.  

Sometimes, the reasons for a job rejection can be linked back to a few problems within your company or interview process. Here, we will take a look at three reasons why candidates might be declining your job offer, and what you can do about it.  

Reason 1: Problems with Compensation  

Although many modern job candidates are searching for far more than just a paycheck when seeking out the ideal job, compensation still matters. The majority of people want a career that’s going to support the life they believe they deserve.  

Importantly, you need to be equipped to offer salaries that are high enough to tempt your new employees. Ideally, you should consider finding the ideal starting point before you start recruiting. A recruitment specialist can help with this, by providing you with a behind-the-scenes glimpse at the industry.  

If you cannot meet the compensation package being offered by your competitors, you could always consider sweetening the deal with additional workplace perks, such as remote working, gym memberships, and more.  

Reason 2: You Do Not Know How to Sell Your Business 

In a world where businesses are regularly competing with the same range of skills, it is worth noting that your potential candidate will be looking for a job and an environment that suits their needs. You need to be prepared to convince your candidates that your organisation offers incredible opportunities for their future.  

Think about the beginning of your recruitment process, and ask yourself whether the advertisement you created for your position was effective at selling your company. Did your advert offer an intriguing insight into the culture of your organisation? 

It is up to you to take control of what’s being said about your company. If you can, make sure that your workplace looks appealing when candidates approach for an interview; we have written about this before, then you will have a better chance of attracting the employees you want. 

Reason 3: There’s a Problem with Company Culture 

Finally, it is essential to recognise the importance of workplace culture in today’s business environment. When it comes to the commercial sector, everyone from experienced experts to younger graduates is searching for something that can give them an effective work-life balance. This might mean that you need to think about upgrading your current environment and introducing new perks to support healthier solutions for your staff.  

Telecommuting opportunities are a great way to get started, and you can also think about new ways to build company culture by using surveys to find out the thoughts and opinions of your staff. The more you learn about what your workers want, the more you can implement new strategies to make your workplace more appealing.  

Finally, Remember to Learn From Rejection 

If you find that you are struggling to get your preferred candidates to jump at an opportunity to work for your company, then you are going to need to make some changes. First, you need to figure out exactly why you are not attracting the right audience. A quick phone call or email to help you dig a little deeper into the matter could be the perfect way to find out what you might have done wrong.  

Sometimes, the questions you asked, or the way you presented yourself during an interview can be enough to tip the balance and prevent an applicant from pursuing a job with you any further. Asking for feedback about the application and interview process could give you areas to work on in your business.  

If you are unsure how to ask for feedback yourself, you could even ask your professional recruitment agency to do some research on your behalf, giving you actionable points to work from. Though rejection will always be frustrating, learning from the experience could help you to attract even better candidates next time around.