Job Offer Deadlines

A close up of a paper with the word deadline written on it

When offering a job to a candidate, do you give them a deadline to get back to you with a decision? If not, perhaps you should consider doing so.

It’s courteous to give your top choice candidate some time to consider your offer. Perhaps they’re already interviewing for another position, or, they have a significant other they need to discuss the offer with, especially if relocation is involved.

How long is customary to give the candidate to decide? One week, according to zenefits.com. This time frame allows enough time to reflect on the offer without keeping you out of the interview cycle for too long should you get turned down.

There are exceptions to this rule, of course. Zenefits.com adds if you’re seeking to hire an independent contractor to take on a temporary job, you might not be able to wait a week for an answer. Likewise, you may have a candidate in an unusual situation that needs some extra time to get back to you.

What deadlines do you usually set when interviewing candidates? If you don’t have a system in place, give me a call. My team and I can help you get the right candidates in the right amount of time. I’ll let you know how we have earned a 93 percent success rate in bringing our clients qualified candidates.

 

Sincerely,

Jeffrey Audette