As you move through the hiring process, it’s important to keep top candidates engaged. Why? Because in today’s market, you may receive an email or phone call telling you they have accepted a position with another company if you don’t!

Top candidates need to know you are interested in them, or they may take another job before you make your decision.

Here are four steps to keeping them engaged.

Follow Up Within Two Days

After a positive interview, follow up within two days. Make sure an enthusiastic candidate stays that way! Let talent know when you’ll be scheduling the next interview or making a decision.

Notify Your Recruiter When a Candidate Is Under Strong Consideration

It’s a very good idea to notify your recruiter when talent is under strong consideration, even if a decision might not be made immediately. The right recruiter knows just how to keep candidates warm to the opportunity, and will make sure not too much times goes by before sending top candidates an update.

Connect Top Candidates to Selected Hiring Managers

Connect your top candidates to the right hiring managers. The right ones are the most passionate and engaging hiring managers you have — also known as your closers! They are all-stars who will tell great stories and highlight the most exciting parts of working at your company.

When possible, include your closers in interviews and ask them to set up one-on-one conversations with the talent.

Take Top Candidates to Lunch

Once you’ve identified your top candidates, ask a senior team member to take each one for lunch or coffee the day before an offer is made. (If it’s an important position, make it lunch.) This should be a genuine conversation, covering the company’s culture and opportunities for career advancement.

If the lunch happens before making the offer, it will feel like much less of a sales pitch to the candidate, and more like a natural conversation. Then, the day after lunch, offer them the job! See your acceptance rate climb.

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 Gainor Staffing has literally written the book on how to attract top talent. It’s an eBook called “Insider Tips to Source, Impress & Hire Top Talent.”