Making the Job Offer
If you have successfully narrowed the field down to one candidate, then it’s time to make an offer. If you still have two or three good candidates, offer the position to your first choice but DO NOT tell the other candidates that the job has been filled.
This is important because if your number one choice decides to decline the offer, you want to be able to make an offer to your next best candidate without making that person feel like he or she was your second choice.
If you have two equally qualified and desirable candidates, choose the one who wants the job most and/or the one who has the fewest doubts about leaving his or her current job. This reduces the risk of the candidate changing his mind before starting or leaving soon after he starts.
After you have a signed acceptance, inform the other candidates the position has been filled. If you were filling a senior position, you may want to inform them personally. You want to leave a good impression with those who didn’t get the position. Without lying, leave everyone with the feeling that they were your number two choice. Who knows, your number one choice may not work out, and you want to be able to re-approach your runners-up.