Counteroffers can be detrimental to the recruitment process for many companies with so many in-demand candidates out there. However, there are steps that can be taken to help retain your sales candidate’s interest in your business.
As recruitment professionals, we are familiar with recruiting sales people in the most efficient way. We can help you make your company appear bigger and better than your competitors, resulting in you hiring the best sales people.
Understandably, you won’t want to put too much pressure on your prospective new starters, but there are ways to subtly hold onto them. Communication is key whilst offering a range of employee benefits to make your company seem the most appealing.
- Directly Ask the Candidate About Counteroffers
You should start as you mean to go on with communication and directly ask your candidate if they would be open to accepting counteroffers. This can be done in a way that doesn’t seem like an ultimatum, but it might also deter them from accepting one. As a rule of thumb, people don’t do well with ultimatums, but they will often honour their commitments if they’ve been prompted to give their word.
- Offer Perks
Nothing is more enticing in the job market than the notion of perks attached to a role. In an industry as competitive as sales, a good salary will not always cut it. To sweeten the job offer, you could offer extra paid holiday, flexible hours, and opportunities to work from home. Such an attractive selection of perks will definitely make someone think twice about accepting a counteroffer.
- Give Time Frames for Accepting/Rejecting Offers
The biggest mistake that an employer can make is to put too much pressure on a prospective employee to make a decision. This will often lead to thoughtless decisions in the heat of the moment that don’t properly reflect how the candidate feels about the job. Instead, employers should provide time frames for a response; this suggests that the employer is eager for a reply, but the candidate is given time to process their thoughts. This makes the candidate feel simultaneously wanted and respected.
- Make the Onboarding Experience Enjoyable
If a new hire has an inadequate onboarding experience, they’re more likely to accept a counteroffer from another company. No one enjoys waiting around so the best practice for onboarding is to commence as soon as possible. Much like a given time frame, this will make your new hire feel wanted and warmly welcomed into the company. Similarly, it gives your new recruit a chance to get a feel for your company’s working atmosphere.
- Communicate Consistently
It’s virtually impossible to know where you stand with someone without properly expressing your views and listening to the views of others. Your candidate will feel particularly valued if you ask about their career goals and do all you can to facilitate them in achieving these. Additionally, this allows you to evaluate whether the candidate’s goals align with the company’s goals. This means you can ensure that the new hire is right for your company and that your company is right for the new hire.
Ultimately, thorough communication allows you to build a professional relationship with your employee which enhances their loyalty to you and your business.
We’re Here to Help
The recruitment of excellent sales people is no easy feat, regardless of whether counteroffers are on the table or not. As experts in recruitment, we can assist you in recruiting the best sales people and maintaining their interest throughout the entire recruitment process.
Contact us to discuss with a member of our specialist team.
