Let’s set the scene. You’ve canvased the market, conducted rounds of interviews, meet and greets, testing, you name it. After all of this you’re finally feeling certain that you’ve found ‘the one’ – someone you can’t wait to have join your team. Now it’s time to make it official.

So, how do you make sure your offer wins the day? If you’ve been wowed by your star candidate, chances are other employers have too so it’s entirely possible they’ll have other offers to consider along with yours (they may also receive a counter-offer from their current employer).

Like any good wooing process, high touch communication and a human centered approach is the way to go. Below are a few things to consider when you’re ready to pop the question:

• Start by letting your star candidate know that they are the preferred candidate. At this point you’ll be heading toward reference / background checks so stay in close contact with updates as this part of the process is completed.
  
• Here in New Zealand, it’s common practice to make a verbal offer subject to satisfactory reference checks. At this point, talk through with your future employee: here’s what we’re offering you, and here’s what we expect in return. Here’s what we love about you, and here’s what we believe we can do to grow and nurture your career. Here’s what we have in place now, and here’s what we hope to offer in the future as the company progresses. This will give your potential new hire plenty of time to consider your offer and think through any questions, while you complete background checks.
  
• Once reference and any other checks are completed (providing they tick all your boxes!), let the candidate know you’ll be making a formal offer. Minimise the timeline between this conversation and sending the offer letter and individual employment agreement (at Kin we recommend within 24 hours) – keep the excitement and wooing going!
  
• They said yes! When a candidate accepts an offer, it’s a big moment for both parties. We have clients who send out welcome / congratulations cards, some send a bottle of bubbles to mark the moment - both are lovely touches. Celebrations aside, more practical things like tech set up, systems access, setting up a workspace etc. need to be coordinated so that your new employee’s first day with you is a symphony.
  
• There is generally a bit of a gap between when an employee signs your contract and when they start – usually four weeks but sometimes for executives, up to three months. It’s important to continue your engagement and start to include them in your business rituals (of course they’re not obliged to come along as they are not yet your employee but it’s nice to be inclusive). We have clients who invite their new hire in for a morning tea or Friday drinks the week before they start to make that first day feel more familiar.

With this employee centered mindset and a human touch every step along the way, we’re certain your preferred candidate will turn into your new employee.