Provisional Blog

You’ve gone through countless resumes, conducted numerous interviews, and now you have a candidate in mind you want to hire. But negotiating with them can get tricky – and if the process is not handled properly, your offer may be rejected. So what can you do to ensure negotiations go smoothly? Here are a few factors to consider:

Salary
Be competitive. Do a little digging and find out what other companies are paying people in similar positions.

In addition, if a candidate is not happy with the initial offer, even if it’s in line with their salary history, ask them why. Perhaps they received an annual bonus that bumped up their salary.

Benefits
Make sure the candidate looks at other benefits, not just the base salary, including health insurance, retirement plans, vacation time, and stock options.

Job Title
Some people could care less about their job title, while for others, it’s a symbol of their success and status.

Relocation
If you need a candidate to relocate, you may want to consider paying for the cost of the move as well as any temporary housing they may need until they get established. Otherwise, the candidate may balk at the idea of relocating – especially if they have a family.

Hours
Being upfront about the number of hours you expect the candidate to work is important, especially if they will need to be available in the evening and on weekends.

Communication
Make the offer in such a way as to focus on the opportunity, not just the compensation. If the candidate was interested in a particular kind of project or work atmosphere, emphasize how well the available position matches that.

If you need help negotiating with a candidate – or help with any other part of the recruiting and hiring process – please contact Provisional. As the premier specialized recruiting and staffing firm serving the Washington and Northern Idaho marketplaces, we know how to find and hire great candidates.