Last week I ran a LinkedIn poll asking: You get a good offer. Do you…?
The results were revealing:
61% – Accept and move forward
26% – Accept but keep looking
13% – Ask for time to consider
0% – Decline and keep looking
That means 39% of candidates aren’t fully committed, even after saying “yes”.
This isn’t just a one off insight, it reflects a wider trend. Many jobseekers are accepting offers and still exploring other opportunities up until (and sometimes beyond) their start date.
Here’s why commitment levels are lower than ever:
1. More choice. Remote and hybrid working has widened the market for many jobseekers. The roles they’re seeing are no longer limited by commute alone.
2. Counter offers. Counter offers are common in the Irish market and tempting. Even if they don’t align long term, many candidates will still entertain them once they’ve handed in notice.
3. Job alerts keep pinging. Candidates are still being contacted often daily with new roles from job boards, LinkedIn, or recruiters. That constant noise makes it hard to fully commit.
If a role only ticks one or two boxes, the candidate may keep browsing even after accepting.
When a candidate accepts but later drops out, the knock on effect is huge:
Advertising and recruitment costs
Manager time and resources lost
Strain on teams still covering the gap
Internal trust in the hiring process is weakened
It’s frustrating and it's expensive.
Here are five practical ways you can reduce fall offs and increase candidate commitment especially in the gap between offer and start date:
1. Clarify the motivation early. From the first call or interview, dig into why they’re looking. Keep coming back to that reason throughout the process and show how your role meets that need.
2. Move quickly. A fast, smooth process keeps candidates engaged. Aim for two to three weeks from first interview to offer if you can. Every extra step is a chance for another offer or opportunity to land.
3. Involve the team. Get the candidate talking to their future colleagues, even briefly. It builds connection and turns the offer from transactional to emotional.
4. Share a preview. Let them know what day one, week one and month one will look like. Share onboarding plans, welcome packs or even a training outline.
5. Stay in touch after the offer. The biggest mistake is going silent after “yes”. Send a personal message, check in regularly or invite them to a social. Keep them engaged right up to day one.
An accepted offer is not a done deal anymore, this is FACT.
In today’s market, you have to work to secure commitment, not just a signature. That means understanding motivation, moving quickly, involving your team and keeping the connection alive all the way to start date.
The more proactive you are between offer and day one, the less risk you will carry.
Have you mapped this part out in your recruitment and onboarding process?
About the author
Hi! I’m Vanessa. I am the founder of Talent Choice, your commercial office recruitment partner.
I am an experienced recruiter with over 18 years in the industry, with a particular interest in accountancy recruitment.
I work closely with firms of all sizes, from the Big 4 and mid tier practices to local and growing businesses, helping them attract the right talent in a competitive space.
My approach is personal, consultative and always grounded in what the market is actually doing. I speak to candidates and hiring managers every day, so my insights reflect real conversations, not just trends.
I focus on helping businesses find the right fit and not just fill a seat.
I can be contacted directly through my linkedin DM's or vanessa@talentchoice.ie
