LET’S MAKE A DEAL!
Published on 28 Jan 2006 at 11:39 am.
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Have you ever felt like the host of the TV Show “Let’s Make a Deal?” Yesterday, we closed a very “interesting” placement that I hope can help you, if you ever face a similar situation.
My recruiter interviewed this candidate, determined the “real reason” he was considering a change (by asking him the five things he’d change about his current job), determined his current compensation package (including base,bonuses, cost of benefits etc.), closed him to the NO on money, and identified what was “most important” to this candidate in order for him to go through the trauma of a job change. She then booked a send out for him with one of our best clients for the “exact” job he had described as his dream job! She also knew the salary being offered was well above his “desired” salary amount. Sounds like an easy close, doesn’t it?
Remember for a minute - we deal with human beings on both sides of our sale!
The initial interview went so well, the candidate met everyone in the hiring process on the same day. The feedback from both the candidate and the client was excellent. Throughout the entire process, my recruiter kept developing rapport with this candidate and continually closed him to the NO on money. After being interviewed he realized he was earning $2,500 more than he had quoted. We informed our client and although there was some “irritation” that he did not know what he was earning, they loved the candidate so they changed the current salary amount on his application form and continued with their background check.The offer is made, it is $3,000 higher than anticipated. The candidate is pre-closed at the lower salary amount and then the offer is extended and accepted! The client is called and then the candidate calls the client to accept the offer. Everyone is celebrating and we’re on to the next Hot Job Order!
Then the phone rings early the next morning….and the drama begins!
It seems our candidate did not really KNOW what he was earning and now that he had figured it out, he wanted us to go back and re-negotiate his salary. Remember, we had already increased his salary after the interview!
My recruiter wanted to “walk away” from the deal because we all knew if we approached our client for a second time on salary - the would withdraw the effort. (We had candidate #2 and candidate #3 as well - but our client really wanted to hire their first choice).
Remember, our responsibility as a recruiter is not to AGREE or DISAGREE with our candidates or clients. it is to figure out what we have to do to get to the point where our clients hire our candidates and our candidates accept the offers they are extended!
There are some important lessons to be learned here…
First of all, if there is any “confusion” or red flags when it comes to their compensation, ask for a copy of their last year W-2 form! It’s interesting how clear things become when you ask for proof.
If your candidate received a raise “recently”, they did not earn that salary for the entire year….you need to calculate their last year’s earnings at the REAL salary they earned.
After getting involved personally, I realized his wife wanted him to earn more money, which is why he had asked us to re-negotiate his salary “after the offer was extended!” When I asked for a copy of his w-2 form, it has mysterically disappeared.
At this point it is vitally important to go back to what was most important to this candidate and tie those wants and desires into the reality of what your client is offering.
We explained how going back to our client to re-negotiate was not in his best interest! We also told him we
“take our direction” from him and could pull him from the process, because we had both back-up candidates.
After suggesting he use the “Benjamin Franklin” close..listing pros in one column and cons in the other, he called and without hesitation accepted the offer and apologized for his request.
The “right things we did”…
1. Not going back to re-negotiate the salary
2.Ecplaining to the candidate the WIIFM if he accepted the current offer
3. Tied his “desires and needs” into what our client was offering
4. Let him know “we take our direction from him” - empowering him to make the final decision
5. Found out the “REAL REASON” he came back to re-negotiate
6. Not throwing our hands up, getting irritated and walking away from this candidate
out of frustration (knowing our client really wanted to hire THIS candidate)
Remember the CLOSING process is occuring throughout the entire placement process. Even if you have conducted a thorough interview, pre-closed your candidate and found their dream job - things happen! Now is when the rubber meets the road and you become the expert negotiator NOT Monty Hall! Asking for a copy of last year’s w-2 form is the best way to verify the REAL current salary! Here’s to closing all your offers!
Barb Bruno
