Extending a job offer can be a nerve-wracking experience, but seeing it rejected is always a shock. You’ve invested time, passed on other candidates and – once the frustration subsides – you can’t help wondering why. As software sales recruiters, we’ve seen this happen often enough that we’ve pinned down three common reasons sales job offers get turned down.

No Clear Upside

Even if a candidate is interested in your organization they’re not going to make a move without a clear financial, professional or personal upside. You might see that in your offer, but that doesn’t mean the candidate will.

Make sure you know as much as possible about your candidate’s personal motivations and compensation before preparing an order. You don’t need to offer a 25% increase on the base salary to demonstrate an upside, but you do need to make it clear that there’s as much in it for the as there is for you.

Inefficient Hiring Process

This will typically result in people withdrawing applications, rather than turning down offers but the effect is the same.

Successful sales professionals don’t appreciate people who waste time, can’t make decisions or don’t follow through on commitments. If they feel you fall into any of those categories – for any reason – they’re going to reject your offer on principle.

Personality Conflicts

This is the invisible offer killer. Candidates will never you they’re turning down the job because they don’t want to work with manager/supervisor/CEO who interviewed them but – as a third party – we have those discussions more often than you think.

All you can do is brief your candidates on who they’ll be interviewing with and ask some probing questions if a deal suddenly goes south after an interview.

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