Job Offers: What does the candidate really care about?

The job market is increasingly competitive. To attract the best talent, recruitment processes need to be effective and engaging. But despite these processes being increasingly sophisticated almost half of the job offers that are made continue to be rejected.

What do candidates really want and what mistakes are made by companies when they formulate a job proposal?
The latest study by our partner Indeed (the world’s first job search engine) reveals the key factors taken into account by the candidates in the decision whether to accept or reject a job offer. The survey was conducted online by Harris Poll Inc on over 4000 adults and showed that remuneration is obviously the #1 facto considered by the majority of candidates. But there are other elements that play an important role in the decision making of the candidates.
Here’s a look at the top three items that are evaluated in a job offer.

#1 – Salary and Benefits

Undoubtedly this is the most important element to attract the best talent. In fact 13% of the currently interviewed respondents said they have found themselves in the situation of refusing an offer due to remuneration that did not match the role. 76% of the employed candidates said that a higher wage would have attracted them to a new position.
At this time, the most well-prepared candidates are very much required in the job market and they are aware of it. That is why 28% of people actively looking for work (or still open to evaluate a new job) expect a salary increase of at least 15% before accepting a job change. The weight given to this element is not only of economic nature: these professionals have invested heavily in developing their skills and want to feel empowered by their employer and remuneration is a clear sign of this recognition of value.

#2 – Workplace

When a candidate evaluates a job opportunity, they consider the new workplace carefully. 51% of the job candidates stated that a job opportunity in an attractive location is a key factor in convincing them to seriously evaluate an offer. By contrast, 7% declined an opportunity because the workplace was not in a desirable location. Even as a recruiter or hiring manager it is often important (if not necessary) to search for the right candidate outside of the immediate geographic area.
Remote work could overcome these limits. Economist Tara M. Sinclair (professor at Washington University) argues that “Remote work provides a way to open up different career opportunities without being limited by the physical workplace. It also represents an opportunity for employers who experience difficulty in recruiting the right candidates within their geographical area.”

#3 – Flexible Work

To attract and retain the best talent, employers are gradually adapting to the need for candidates to enjoy greater flexibility in the workplace. According to the Talent Trends research conducted by Randstad SourceRight, remote work has gone up 40% over the past ten years. It is estimated that remote workers will make up 63% of workers in 2018. According to Indeed’s study of “Talent Attraction Study: What Matters to the Modern Candidate,” 50% of candidates who accepted a job offer were attracted to a position because flexible working hours were offered.
“One of the most important changes in the job market over the last 20 years has been a progression from a ‘living to work’ to ‘work to live’ mentality,” says Barb Bidan, Global Talent Acquisition, Vice President at Indeed. “The best talent will simply require the best for themselves and will gravitate towards companies with the stated mission of respecting employees as individuals all over the world, and not just limited to their role in the company.”
Employers who understand this new challenge and strive to understand what motivates a candidate will be equipped to attract the best talent to their opportunities. Whether it’s a great salary, an infrastructure for remote work, or flexibility in the workplace; listening to the needs and wishes of candidates will reinforce your job offers, especially in front of valuable professionals who have the opportunity to evaluate several offers at the same time.

* This post is a free adaptation of that on the Indeed blog: “The Job Offer: What Do Candidates Really Care About?”