Don’t Make This Mistake When You Want to Close Top Talent

Last week, I managed a situation where both the candidate and the company were considering stopping the interview process because they didn’t think the other was excited enough. The company was concerned the candidate did not want the job. The candidate was concerned the company didn’t like them.

The irony? They were each other’s first choice.

While companies are constantly assessing if a candidate is adequately passionate about joining their team, I cannot stress enough how important it is for the employer to demonstrate excitement about a candidate’s candidacy as well.

And, don’t forget, actions speak louder than words: Speed is your greatest asset to closing the talent you want.

Recruiting is a lot like dating. If you like someone, you can’t just wait around for weeks to ask them on a second date. if you think a candidate is great, it’s likely another company will too. You need to get yourself in the mix, and you need to do it promptly.

Pro tip: don’t go more than one week (max two) without being in touch with a candidate who is in process for one of your open positions.

Send a quick email even if it’s just to say, “I want you to know I haven’t forgotten about you. Things are crazy on our end, but I will get back to you re next steps as soon as I can”.

At the end of the day, there are so many factors outside of our control that can prevent us from closing the talent we want. You owe it to yourself to manage what is within your control.

So, if you genuinely do like a candidate – make sure they know it!