A Second Peek Behind the Lines

A couple of weeks ago we excerpted an article by a California HR consultant that bore the eyebrow-raising title, "Increasing Offer Acceptance Rates When Your Company Pays Crummy Wages, Part 1 of 2."

Electronic Recruiting Exchange has since published the second installment. It contains Dr. John Sullivan's advice to HR and hiring managers on how to burnish a job offer even if the pay is, to use his word, "crummy."

Sullivan's unusually candid writing style led us to anticipate something juicy – as in, sneaky or worse -- as we said when discussing Part 1. But as it turned out, we found nothing scandalous, or even remotely unethical, anywhere in his two-part article. Still, we think candidates can benefit from hearing what an HR and recruiting guru is advising those who sit across the table from you in the interview process.

In Part 2, Sullivan details a variety of non-salary components that he says can affect an offer's odds of being accepted. They include: Expedited salary review after three or six months instead of the usual 12; delivering the job offer in person, even during an interview, instead of with a phone call; having the CEO appeal directly to the applicant to "join the team"; having prospective co-workers ask the candidate to sign on; appealing to a candidate's family members by sending information, a simple gift, or product sample; and of course, repeatedly stressing things like benefits, relocation assistance, performance bonuses, stock options and the like.

Other perks that could sway a candidate include "a title, working at home, a dress-down atmosphere, the opportunity to work on a 'wow' project, great equipment, rapid learning, the fact that you are a 'green' and socially responsible firm, or that you provide an opportunity to make a difference in people's lives." Drilling down into this area, Sullivan lists more than 30 "non-monetary" elements, grouped into four broad categories (the job itself, flexibility, the manager and the company), that he says can help take the focus off compensation.

So, if you've applied to any lowball employers, or expect to be on the receiving end of an offer from any employer soon, both articles should provide food for thought. Forewarned is forearmed.

Increasing Offer Acceptance Rates When Your Company Pays Crummy Wages, Part 2 of 2 [ERE.net]
Increasing Offer Acceptance Rates When Your Company Pays Crummy Wages, Part 1 of 2 [ERE.net]