A recent survey of 3,500 job candidates by the research and consulting firm Gartner found that within a 12-month period, 50% of candidates backed out of the job before starting. Public sector renege rates may be lower, and recruiters have lists to fall back on. However, losing that perfect candidate and having to start over adds to your workload, irritates hiring managers, and may reflect poorly on you.

No organization has a 100% acceptance rate, and some candidates will decline an offer they previously accepted for factors over which you have no control. Recruitment industry experts contend that an acceptable withdrawal rate is 10%. So, let’s look at some things we can do to improve job acceptance rates.

Be upfront about salary range and remote or hybrid work.

Getting candidates to accept your offer starts with being transparent about the expected salary range and whether the position allows for remote or hybrid work. In job announcements, avoid substituting a salary range for “depends on qualifications or experience (DOQ/DOE).” Employers may think using this phrase offers an advantage because it indicates that the organization is willing to negotiate salary. However, it is much more likely that eligible candidates will look elsewhere if no salary is listed or decline an offer if it is less than expected. Similarly, be clear about remote or hybrid work. Even if you think job seekers may prefer one or the other and that you will lose potential candidates, you will be less likely to lose candidates to whom you’ve extended an offer.

Be extra welcoming on the day of candidate interviews.

Most recruiters will admit to being more reserved when working with candidates during testing/interview day to ensure they accomplish everything that needs to be done, to keep the process moving quickly forward, and to avoid the appearance of favoritism. Counter any air of aloofness by planning to offer extra hospitality to candidates: send driving and parking instructions in advance, welcome them by name as they arrive at the interview, offer them water or coffee, tell them where the restrooms are, and give them a temporary name tag or provide a table tent card so interview panelists can address them by name. Hospitality is a small thing that will leave a favorable impression of your agency and leave candidates more inclined to accept job offers.

Ensure the hiring manager knows how to interview someone to get them to accept the job offer.

Hiring managers are likely well-briefed on what they can and cannot ask in an interview, but have you talked with them about how to conduct interviews? Some managers may arrive with commanding attitudes that help them get things done in the field or office but may be off-putting to a job candidate. Remind them to be polite, smile, maintain eye contact, and respect the candidate’s time. They can set the candidate at ease by describing what will occur, e.g., “I’m going to ask you a series of questions which I’d like you to answer to the best of your ability. Please don’t hesitate to ask me to repeat a question if you didn’t hear or understand it.” Instruct the hiring manager to thank the candidates for their time and to let them know when they’ll be in touch.¹

Find out what matters to candidates and point out how your agency can provide them with this.

Most interview questions aim to assess the candidate’s qualifying knowledge, skills, abilities, and experience. At least one question should focus on why they want to work for your agency and what matters to candidates. Do they seek job stability, promotional opportunities, to work for an agency with a good reputation, or the chance to change lives? Ask interview panelists or hiring managers to note what candidates care about. Then, when you or the hiring manager call to make the offer, explain how your organization can provide the things that matter to the candidate.

Stay in touch with the candidate until their start date.

We’ve all had the experience of leaving a job and starting another. When people say goodbye to colleagues, complete projects, or turn in uniforms or keys, they may feel they are losing their identity. These feelings may cause some candidates to decline to take a position after accepting it. Expert recruiters understand the importance of staying in touch with candidates during this unsettling time. Plan to reach out at least once a week until the candidate starts. Request information to print business cards, get car license plate numbers to arrange parking, or provide helpful information about your organization, such as carpooling, ridesharing, transit options, upcoming events, agency newsletters, etc. Anything that will help the candidate create a new sense of identity and belonging with your agency will help them transition to your organization and increase hire rates.

As we acknowledged at the start, no organization will ever achieve 100% acceptance rates, and that may be a good thing. Unfortunately, sometimes candidates are simply practicing interview skills or testing the water to obtain a counteroffer from their current employer. If they didn’t genuinely want to work for your organization, they weren’t the best candidate for your organization. But by following the tips above, you can increase your acceptance rates and get candidates that you want to say yes! to your job offers.

1. To get the candidates they want, suggest hiring managers commit to extending an offer within a couple of days of interviewing candidates. If you have hiring managers who tend to drag their feet, read “How You Can Help Hiring Managers Move More Quickly to a Hiring Decision” for helpful tips and tactics you can use to help managers overcome indecision and procrastination.