by Stacy Pursell, CPC, CERS
The VET Recruiter®
A job offer can be an exciting moment. It can be exciting for both the employer that extended the offer and also for the candidate who received it. It can also be exciting for me, the recruiter, because I enjoy seeing a win-win situation for both my client and the candidate that I represent.
What is not exciting, though, is when the employer makes and offer . . . and then rescinds it.
Although overall, such a situation is rare, it has been happening with more frequency during the past couple of years. Since the frequency has increased even more during the past 12 months that is why I wanted to address the issue in this blog post.
I have stories and case studies regarding an Animal Health employer or Veterinary employer rescinding an offer of employment. Two of them happened recently, and they occurred very close together. Frankly, the sequence of events in both instances was quite simple:
- My client made an offer of employment to its top choice candidate for the job.
- The candidate acknowledged that they received the offer from my client.
- The candidate stated they would need some time to think about the offer.
- Neither my client nor I heard from the candidate again.
- My client rescinded the job offer.
You might have already surmised that the candidate “ghosted.” I’ve addressed the topic of “ghosting” before in my articles and blog posts. There are a number of different ways that a candidate can “ghost” during the hiring process and during the offer stage of the process is just one of those ways. Of course, the later that it occurs in the process, the more serious an offense it is, including from a personal branding standpoint. (You don’t think the hiring manager or I will ever take the candidate seriously again, do you?)
Now, you might understand why an employer would rescind a job offer in such a situation. The hiring manager made an offer, and the candidate simply disappeared. Apparently, they weren’t that interested in the offer, and apparently, they also lacked the professional courtesy necessary to inform the employer or the recruiter that they would not be accepting the offer.
However, that is not the only reason that an Animal Health employer or Veterinary employer would rescind a job offer. Below are four other reasons:
#1—You take too long to think about the offer.
In this situation, you don’t “ghost,” but you do drag your feet once the offer has been made. An acceptable amount of time to think about an offer of employment is typically around 48 hours. If that much time has elapsed and you still haven’t made a decision, then you increase the likelihood that the hiring manager is going to think you’re indecisive. You also increase the chances that they’re going to rescind the offer the longer you take to make a decision. I did a podcast on the importance of being decisive. You can find it here: https://thevetrecruiter.com/podcast/episode-62-a-tale-of-two-job-offers-the-importance-of-being-decisive/
#3—You flunk the background check.
This is why honesty is the best policy. You can not claim to have graduated from schools you have not attended, earned degrees and certifications you have not earned, or worked at organizations for which you have not worked. Believe it or not, this has traditionally been one of the most common reasons why an employer would rescind a job offer. Unfortunately, honesty is not the “default setting” for some professionals in the employment marketplace.
#4—You have a non-compete agreement with your current employer.
Perhaps you didn’t realize that you had a non-compete. Maybe you forget that you had one. You might even know that you did, but decided to take a chance and find employment with a competing organization, anyway. Regardless of how you arrived at this point, if a potential new employer discovers that you have a non-compete clause that prevents it from hiring you, then the employer is likely going to rescind the job offer.
#5—Dishonesty or other suspect behavior.
We already dealt with dishonesty with #3 on our list, but dishonesty can take many forms, not just those involving your resume or your background. How you conduct yourself after you accept the offer is important, including how you interact with people on the phone or in person. This category is more of a “catch all” dealing with any behavior that the employer considers to be a concern for the organization. (And yes, what you post on your social media accounts falls into this category.)
No one knows an employer like the recruiter who was hired to help the employer fill its open positions. This is yet another reason why working with an Animal Health recruiter or Veterinary recruiter is a strategic career move that can give you a competitive advantage in the marketplace. They know what to do—and what not to do—during the hiring process. They can help advise you on the best practices to help you move forward in a positive way.
Receiving an offer of employment is the number-one goal of job seekers and candidates pursuing an employment opportunity. Don’t do anything that will jeopardize the offer and cause an employer to re-think its decision that you are the best person for the job.
We help support careers in one of two ways: 1. By helping Animal Health and Veterinary professionals to find the right opportunity when the time is right, and 2. By helping to recruit top talent for the critical needs of Animal Health and Veterinary organizations. If this is something that you would like to explore further, please send an email to stacy@thevetrecruiter.com.
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