Notification to Selected Candidate

The Right Channel and Timing of Notification

Notification is the formal step to communicate the final result of the selection process.

The fundamental rule is to always notify first the candidate who has been selected (the one who came first in the evaluation).

The preferred channel for this important communication is the phone call, as it allows for direct and personal interaction.

The Offer Call Script: Probe Before Offering

The notification call should not be a monologue, but a strategic conversation.

Before communicating the decision, it is advisable to probe the candidate's current interest.

You can start by asking what they have thought about the vacancy in the days since the interview and whether any new questions or concerns have arisen.

Once you have ascertained their level of interest, you then communicate the news: inform them that they have been selected and express your desire for them to be part of the team.

Throughout the call, the manager should be flexible and completely open to answering any questions the candidate may have at that time.

Reaction Analysis: The Candidate's Real Interest

This call has a dual purpose: to inform and to analyze. It is crucial to pay attention to how the candidate reacts to receiving the offer.

Was he or she genuinely excited, did he or she ask a lot of questions about next steps, equipment, or compensation, and what kind of questions did he or she ask?

All of these factors should be analyzed closely, as they are very reliable indicators that "shed light on the true interest" the candidate has in the position.

An apathetic reaction or few questions can be a red flag.

The Contingency Plan and Decision Making

If the first-selected candidate rejects ("declines") the offer, the process does not have to restart from scratch.

The selection team can then proceed to contact the second choice on the list of viable candidates, and so on until the vacancy is filled.

However, great care must be taken in making the final selection.

While in some high-turnove