Giving out a job offer on the spot is a new strategy that employers are using to stay competitive as the war for talent heats up. Depending on your organization’s hiring needs, an immediate job offer at the end of an interview can win over top talent in your industry. However, this hiring tactic isn’t for everyone. Below you’ll find the pros and cons of extending a job offer on the spot:

Pro: The candidate will feel valued

Job seekers want to join organizations where they feel like the first choice for the job. If you extend an offer on the spot, you’ll showcase how much you value the candidate. It can even make your job offer stand out since it can take many organizations up to 36 days to hire someone.

Con: It might be off-putting to the candidate

If your candidate has been on the job market for some time, they know a job offer on the spot isn’t typically the norm. It also might make them question if the organization is desperate to fill the role —leading them to feel less inclined to pursue the opportunity. To avoid a candidate’s hesitation, reiterate how great of a fit they are for the role and give them a few days to decide on the offer.

Pro: It speeds up the entire hiring process

If you need your new hire to start as soon as possible, offering them the job on the spot can help speed up the process. On average, it can take two to three days for a candidate to make a decision. Assuming the prospective hire needs to give notice to their current employer, this could result in three weeks passing from their acceptance to their start date! If you found the perfect candidate to fill a vacant position and time is limited for your organization, offering a job on the spot might be the most efficient solution.

Con: It might not give you enough time to consider other candidates

The candidate you are considering may have the right skills for the job, but an interview may not give you enough time to know if you should give them the offer. It may take more time than you think before you can be confident your candidate is the right fit and you may need to see a few candidates to be certain of your choice. However, it’s all about balance! Take too long to extend an offer, and you risk losing a top applicant to a competitor.

There are many factors you’ll need to consider if you want to offer a job on the spot. If you know the candidate is perfect for the role, don’t be afraid to give them an offer. If you have any doubts, take your time to consider other candidates or ask them back for another interview. The most important consideration to remember is to trust your intuition. If you don’t, you could be making a vital hiring mistake.

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