It’s been part of the hiring process for years: the comparison game. You interview a candidate, they knock it out of the park, and what do you do? Thank them for their time, let them know you’ll be in touch, and then bring in 2, 3, 5 or more additional candidates so you have people to compare them to.
That may have worked in the past, but in today’s job market – when candidates hold the cards in terms of the job search – that won’t get the job done. In fact, failing to expedite the job offer creates a major impediment to your hiring process. Here are 4 reasons why waiting to compare candidates against each other is the wrong move at the wrong time.
1) You’re extending the hiring cycle. Clearly, it’s going to take longer to fill the job. That negatively impacts productivity, in several ways. With a job open, essential work is not getting done – unless you’re dumping more work on the employees that remain. Neither option is desirable, and if your existing team becomes frustrated with the added responsibilities (likely without compensation), they may be the next ones headed for the door.
2) Candidates have options. More than half of candidates are considering multiple opportunities; that’s a reality in the current employment market. If you hold off to compare against other potential employees, you run the risk of someone else making an offer first. And that “someone” just might be your competitor locking up the candidate that would have been perfect for your organization.
3) Candidates lose interest. Everyone enjoys feeling wanted; it’s no different with candidates. The longer a company takes to decide on a hire, the less likely they are to feel like the first choice. And if they consider themselves “second fiddle,” and have other opportunities on the table, they won’t stick around to wait for an offer.
4) There may not be a good comparison. The idea of considering multiple people before extending a job offer, on the surface, makes sense. But every hiring manager knows that each candidate brings different abilities to the table: one person could have top-notch skills and experience but fall short on communication, while another might make up for less-developed skills by being an outstanding team player. Apples-to-apples comparisons are hard to find, so why keep trying to make them?
To be clear, an organization needs to be sold on a candidate before offering them a position. That said, it is certainly possible for that to happen after reviewing their resume, conducting an interview, and checking references – without feeling the need to compare them with other candidates first. And in the current hiring environment, the first-mover advantage is critical to landing top talent.
The real question is this: why do you need to consider additional candidates when it feels like you’ve found “the one?” If something is holding you back, chances are this isn’t the right person. In that case, it’s time to reset your decision-making criteria.
Alaant’s experts help great companies through situations like this every day. Can we help yours? Contact us today and let’s get the conversation started!
