How to Hire Candidates With Multiple Offers

Hiring top client development leadership in martech and e-Commerce will often mean competing with direct competitors — some of whom may have already made attractive offers to your candidates. When the competition is high, here’s what you can do to stand out against the competition and win over your candidates.

Know the Market Well

Martech professionals have the upper hand right now — perhaps more so than ever. These professionals are staring down bursting pipelines and managing productive teams. Moreover, companies began to bring their tech up to speed during the pandemic, which has dramatically enhanced demand for the client development professionals who serve them, calling for new hires.

• Here are some statistics to consider, as of 2021:
• More than a third of technology professionals were looking for a new job, with client development at pace
• 59% wanted a remote or hybrid position (versus only 17% who wanted full-time office arrangements)
• The average salary for jobs in technology firms had jumped 3.6% (from the end of 2019 to the end of 2020).

Of course, this is only a broad picture. Understanding the exact level of competitiveness in your specific market calls for the consideration of factors such as market segment, offering, geographical location, role, skills, and so forth. Weighing these influences can help you make informed hiring decisions and offers.

Pinpoint Their Wants & Needs

To make a compelling offer, you’ll need to get into the minds of your candidates. Find out the real reason they’re in the market. Here are some questions to consider:

• Do they feel their solution is competitive?
• Do they feel that their leadership team supports sales, success, or alliances properly?
• Do they have the resources they need to succeed, and do they feel that they are truly adding value to their clients?
• Do they have a voice in the product roadmap, as well as autonomy to run their department effectively?
• Are they able to advocate for their clients?
• Have their compensation plans been cut?
• Are they looking for growth opportunities?
• Was there conflict with a manager?

Using these questions to uncover what’s motivating your candidate to leave can help you create leverage to convince them to join your team. It will also determine whether their values align with yours and provide them with a success path.

You might also ask the candidate what would be on their wish list for their next position. It could include more flexible work arrangements, P&L ownership, leadership, an assistant, better advancement opportunities, and any other factors you could present in your offer.

Ask About the Other Offer

When you meet with your candidate, suggest that there be transparency on both sides. Without grilling them, ask questions respectfully about the salary expectations, benefits, and work environment of any other offers they’re considering or have rejected, and what their deciding factors are. Aim to find out where the company ranks in the candidate’s decision criteria, whether the competition range is within their expectations, where they feel they can add the most value, and what the deadline for responding to the existing offer is. The more information you have, the better you’ll be able to make an appropriate offer.

Cultivate a Winning Candidate Experience

Finally, consider the experience your company provides from the very first encounter with your candidate. During the first visit, you can provide a tour, introduce them to team members, discuss the company culture, and encourage questions.

When there are multiple offers on the table, it’s also a good idea to streamline the hiring process. Assess your candidates quickly so you can respond to their interest. Today, the interview plays an even larger role in the process than ever. Being easy to deal with and prompt with communication will win plaudits amongst the greater community and enhance your brand reputation on Glassdoor and beyond.

When you’re ready to make an offer, don’t wait. Even if it’s late in the day, send a note and put the ball back in their court. Let them know you’d appreciate a response by the end of the following day. Continuity in the interview process assures candidate engagement. Avoid lapses in communication with your candidates of three days or more, as they will sow seeds of doubt in your ability to execute as an operator.

The Rosenstein Group takes the complexity out of hiring highly sought after candidates in e-commerce and martech by bringing top talent directly to you, allowing you to streamline the hiring process and find the perfect match. Send us a message to find out more about how we can help fill your open positions.