11:45 – Candidate Motivation

In this week's 11:45, Zach shared recommendations on preventing candidate turndowns, counter offers, and bust outs by identifying proper candidate motivation early in the recruitment process. The meeting shared insights collected from top producers about strategies that increase success rates beyond the standard 50-50 odds when candidates reach the interview stage. The focus was on prevention rather than intervention when dealing with alternative offers.

Key Takeaways

Proper Candidate Motivation: The most effective prevention strategy is identifying candidates with strong motivations before moving them through the interview process.

• Family-related motivations ranked as the absolute best indicator of candidate commitment
• Career capitalization (advancement-focused) ranked second as a positive motivator
• Money, unemployment, and career dissatisfaction were identified as the weakest motivations

Candidate Assessment Process: Top producers recommend more extensive vetting of candidates before sending them to interviews.

• Test and retest motivation throughout the recruitment process to verify commitment
• Use the provided handout with self-assessment questions for both consultants and candidates
• Implement the "don't kid yourself" principle when evaluating candidate motivations

Communication Strategy: Increased verbal communication with candidates significantly improves trust and reduces counter offer scenarios.

• Replace emails and texts with phone calls whenever possible
• Schedule both planned and impromptu conversations to build rapport
• Help candidates visualize their resignation process after the first interview

Crisis Management: When alternative offers arise, success depends on preparation done during earlier stages.

• Relationship leverage with candidates requires established trust from consistent communication
• Offer renegotiation with clients requires both client desperation and strong trust in the consultant
• Prevention through proper candidate motivation is significantly more effective than intervention