making an offer

"Once you have chosen the successful candidate, make the offer as soon as possible. A delay may cause you to lose the best applicant".

Carefully consider your offer of employment, which should be fair to the candidate, mindful of their current salary, in line with their expectations and current industry standards. Remember that applicants may have other offers on the table so no matter how keen they are on your opportunity don’t be surprised if they need time to consider their options.

Ensure that all details of the offer are clarified and all aspects of the salary and benefits package clear so that these can be relayed in full to the successful applicant.

Send a copy of the offer by post, this should set out the main terms and conditions of the job and include:

• The applicant’s name
• The job title
• The date employment starts (and ends if it is a contract role)
• The length of the probation period (if applicable)
• Any conditions the offer is subject to
• Any action required by the candidate (such as forwarding proof of ID and Right to Work)
• Ask the candidate to send you a signed copy of the offer to establish the terms on which the offer was made in case of any future disputes.

References - You should look to contact at least two of the applicant’s previous employers, either directly or via your agency to verify that the information that has been given to you is honest and accurate.

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