Close and Offer Process

Overview

When it comes to closing candidates you’ve selected for hire, there are several practices you can follow to improve the chances of getting an accepted offer. Government hiring often takes longer than private sector hiring, so you may be competing with other offers that move more quickly. Communication with the candidate at all stages of the hiring process, especially at the offer stage, is key to ensure they are engaged and excited about your opportunity.

Best Practices When Closing an Offer

• Move quickly: delays can cause candidates to lose interest or accept other offers

• "Sell" the opportunity: highlight the work and/or mission, the culture, and potential for growth

• Communicate clearly: be transparent about what’s next and what to expect

• Be responsive: be timely in answering candidates questions, or in addressing any concerns they may have. Make sure to answer the question that they're really asking

Conduct Background and Reference Checks

Checking a candidate’s references is generally the last step in the hiring process and is sometimes considered a formality, but it provides another chance to learn more about a candidate's professional experience and skills. Here are 10 tips to get the most out of a reference check:

1. Inform candidates about reference checks to encourage honesty

2. Ask for at least 3 references that include a mix of peers, former direct supervisors or direct reports (ideally one of each)

3. Arrange a call with references to ensure undivided attention

4. Brief references on your role and the candidate’s prospective position for context

5. Prepare role-specific questions in advance to streamline the conversation

6. Use open-ended questions to elicit comprehensive insights

7. Quickly confirm basic facts at the start to focus on more substantial inquiries

8. Tailor inquiries to assess the candidate’s fit for the specific job duties

9. Reference candidates' interview responses to inform deeper questions

10. Record calls (with consent) for detailed reviews later

Reference check template

The questions in this reference check template should be tailored to the requirements of the role and the candidate’s qualifications.

7KB

Reference Check Template [Talent Toolkit].docx

NOTE: If you are using a third party to conduct background checks, you need to ensure compliance with the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), which includes getting the candidate's consent and providing certain disclosures.

Extending and Negotiating Offers

Connect with your HR partners to understand the offer process. Typically, Hiring Managers will refer selections to HR who will oversee the official offer process. In-demand technology and digital service professionals may have expectations about this part of the process that stem from their experience navigating a highly competitive market.

It is important to align their expectations with the organization’s established offer and negotiation protocols. For additional guidance, refer to the additional guidance in the Communicating Compensation to Candidates, Compensation Negotiation section.

Congrats! You probably just finished hiring a lot of amazing new tech talent, so you deserve a break. Go for a nice walk or watch 30 minutes of cute puppies, and then come right back for more Talent Toolkit content!