By Kevin Roth

“We are so excited to offer you the position. We really know how to take care of our employees. You’re going to love it here!”

• I would like to just look everything over. When do I need to get back to you by?

“We would need your final answer by tomorrow or the offer expires.”

• Hmm…

STOP!

Rule #1 of any negotiation-related interaction; have them show their hand before you show yours!

Before just throwing out a hard timeline on an offer, first ask the candidate what they would be comfortable with. That will cement the feeling that you really do value the people you hire and don’t just view them as a replaceable commodity.

Best case scenario, they suggest a response timeline that’s even quicker than you were going to offer.

Worst case scenario, they offer a timeline that’s unrealistic to your needs. But at that point, at least it’s an open conversation for you both to navigate through rather than them feeling backed into a corner.

Don’t let your guard down on candidate experience just because the interviews are done. The final step after the offer is made is when it matters most!