Hey Everyone,
Iโve been traveling, so this post is shorter than usual.1 Maybe thatโs a good thing? Let me know if you think so.
Ben
๐ Urgency isn't Desperation ๐
A surprising trend that one of my colleagues noticed recently: Many of our clients (companies needing to hire) were reluctant to schedule interviews quickly. These companies have an immediate need for talent, so why are they undermining their own success?
Transparency and preparation beget speed
From our conversations, we know that most companies resist moving quickly during the interviewing process because they donโt want to appear too desperate or aggressive. In my view, this is a highly irrational fear.ย
If you believe that moving fast weakens your negotiating position because you look desperate, that problem goes away if you provide a salary range when posting the role. Thereโs nothing to negotiate; everyone went into the process with similar expectations.
Bonus points if you can provide legitimate reasons for why youโre moving quickly. The defining characteristic of desperate people is that they make decisions based on emotion. But if you have developed clear, predefined criteria and a candidate meets those criteria, then youโre operating logically. Your speed reflects your thoughtfulness and preparation. If anything, youโll be more appealing to candidates.
In addition to creating a bad candidate experience, lacking urgency is risky. 62% of job seekers lose interest if they havenโt heard back within two weeks of the initial interview.
So, if youโre prepared, there is no reason to resist moving quickly. However, if you resist setting up that interview or extending that offer, itโs best to ask yourself why.
This post is also a great excuse to include one of my favorite scenes from one of my favorite movies, Point Break. Not sorry.