There are jobs everywhere … and I mean EVERYWHERE.  You can’t drive by a business and not see a “Help Wanted” sign.  I told my wife the other day that it would be more eye-catching if a company posted a sign that said “NOT Hiring” because that would be so rare.

This means that motivated candidates, regardless of level, will be deciding between multiple offers and will have to choose what is the best one for them.  Hopefully, these offers are coming through you, the incredible recruiter/Talent Access Specialist that you are!

More likely, though, is the reality that you have the candidate in one or two deals and the candidate is considering something they found on their own/fell into their lap/came out of the blue/was a contact from long ago … you’ve all heard where these magical opportunities come from.

When you are closing the candidate throughout the process (please tell me you aren’t only doing this at the end when an offer is ready!), it is VITAL that you are understanding their true motivations regarding what they are looking for in the next role.

Is MONEY important? Heck yea!

Is TECHNOLOGY important? Of course!

Is WORK-BALANCE important?  Obviously!

You have probably heard this statement in some recruiting training you’ve been involved with; “it shouldn’t be just about the money.”  If money is the only thing they are looking for, beware of a future fall-off!  Just as easily as they accepted the position you presented, they can jump ship in short order for an extra $5k from a desperate company that is willing to pay just a little bit more.

Your goal should be to understand ALL of the elements your candidate is looking for in their next role.  By doing so, you will be able to be consultative in their decision-making process.

Let’s discuss these elements using the acronym:  C-L-L-A-M-P-S 

(Most recruiters have called it clamps with one “l”, but I added an “l” for an extra element)

C - CHALLENGE

L -  LOCATION

L -  LIFESTYLE

A - ADVANCEMENT

M - MONEY

P - PEOPLE

S - SECURITY

CHALLENGE

Will they be challenged in the opportunity? Will it be exciting or boring? Is the direction of the group continually pushing the envelope?  OR...do they not want to be challenged and really want to be in a position that is ‘easy’?

LOCATION

2 years ago this purely meant where is the office in relation to where they live and will their commute be long?  We are now in the age of remote, flexible, hybrid, or fully in-office.  Only the last two are impacted by commute time.

What is your candidate looking for in the right opportunity?  Does your client offer this structure or would they be willing to offer it for the right person?  If these two don’t match up, you’re in a world of hurt!

LIFESTYLE

Yes, I double “L’d” you!

In the world we live in now, lifestyle matters greatly.  This isn’t just a Gen-Z thing.  This is a working professional thing.  Is there flexibility in the position? Do the actual hours worked matter or does it only matter if the work gets done (whether that be at 9am or 8pm)? Can they ‘shut it off’ when working remotely? Are they able to get to their kids’ activities and be more involved?

Another element of lifestyle is attire. There are situations in every job where traditional professional attire is needed.  But, for the vast majority of the time, can they wear what they want?  I have known candidates who have accepted comparable salaried positions because of this reason!

ADVANCEMENT

While not important to everyone, the majority of professionals want to advance in their careers.  Advancement is tied to status, additional income, and ‘making the family proud’ among many other thoughts.  

Are the people doing the interviewing selling the advancement opportunities? To cover all their bases, they should sell it as ‘for the motivated person, these advancement opportunities exist.’

MONEY

Of course, money is important.  Money makes the world go round...Mo’ money, mo’ better...you have to bring home the bacon...money allows you to laugh your way to the bank.  Okay, enough with the money cliches!

When your candidate is making a decision on the right position for them, you have to ensure that your client-company is being competitive to the market at the time.  I understand they have budgets to stick to and they need to consider what others are being paid in the company.  But, the market will dictate what will and what won’t attract the best talent.  

If your client is near the bottom of pay, or simply average, do they make up for it with incredible benefits?  Free healthcare? Unlimited PTO?  Tuition reimbursement?  Fully flexible work schedule? Etc.

PEOPLE

Do they like the people they’d be working with and do they really like the person they’ll be reporting to?  Have they even met anyone else beyond the hiring team?

If it is a remote/hybrid situation, do they understand how they will communicate with their team? 

SECURITY

As in job security.  Do they feel confident the company is stable?  Do they see their growth in the market?  Are they dealing with a declining industry or a growth industry?

BRINGING IT ALL TOGETHER

Some like to get their candidates to rank these in order, from most important to least important.  But, can you explain how any of these 7 are not important?  Rather than ranking them, explain them all to your candidates and when you are debriefing them post-interview, discuss each “letter” and see how the opportunity lines up with their goals.

If everything was ‘just okay’ other than they will get paid great, either find them something better or put them on a consulting/contract gig with the company.  

To have the best chance of your candidate accepting the position you put them in front of, you better have at least 4 of these that are really solid.