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You've recruited the perfect candidate and are ready to make an offer, so why are they suddenly getting cold feet?

Hiring and HR managers are often surprised when the “perfect candidate” suddenly has other interviews or another offer. At the time the candidate was approached about the opportunity, they were not actively looking to make a job change. So, what happened?

What the hiring manager is witnessing is very normal and something we all experience nearly every day. When the passive candidate is recruited and makes the decision to entertain a new option, we have set them on the path for what is commonly referred to as “the buyer’s journey.”

The first step in the buyer's journey is awareness, and that is precisely what we have done. We have made the candidate aware of an opportunity that is potentially better for them and their family than their current situation.

The next step is consideration —for our purposes, that is the interview process. It is during this time that the potential candidate weighs options and evaluates your opportunity against others.

Remaining with the current employer is usually a viable option, but now a funny thing happens —the candidate wants to know what other options might be available. The company is doing the same thing on its own buyer’s journey. Have you ever interviewed a candidate who was your first interview, and who was great, but found yourself saying: “I don’t want to hire the only candidate I interviewed.

Are there other candidates?”

Your great candidate is doing the same thing, thinking: “I don’t want to accept an offer for the only job I applied for.”So, they hop on social media or a job board, and if they are an experienced plastics industry professional, they will find relevant job listings. We started them on a journey that will require a decision, and they are just gathering all the information they need to make the best decision.

So long as we remain in a labor market where the top performers are in demand, you can expect them to have multiple opportunities. This includes a potential counteroffer from their current employer, which is a topic for another time. The best advice is to follow your process, but when you land on the right candidate be aware that time is not on your side —move quickly to make an offer that will be accepted.

Paul Sturgeon is CEO of KLA Industries , a national search firm specializing in plastics, packaging, and polymer technology. If you have a topic you would like to see discussed, a company that is growing, or other ideas for this blog, e-mail Sturgeon at  .