Job offer declines are on the rise

First of all, some offer declines are likely unavoidable this year. Even if you do everything perfectly, there are larger forces at play that are making candidates uneasy about taking the leap to a new opportunity. In order to be prepared for this possibility, nurture multiple candidates through to the final rounds and budget time in your hiring cycle for potential declines. This is especially true for mid-senior and executive level hiring as these candidates have higher stakes professionally and personally when it comes to taking a new role.

Next, be mindful of the intensity and length of your hiring process. We understand that companies are being judicious about hiring right now, but so are candidates. A long and drawn out interview process does not signal confidence or enthusiasm to potential employees. As you mull over hiring decisions, try to keep candidates in the loop and don’t make them go through too many rounds of interviews. If they sense uncertainty on your part, they’ll start to feel uncertain too. 

You should also be mindful of your job requirements, candidates won’t take a leap at an opportunity they think is misaligned. When hiring is moving slowly, hiring managers often fall into a trap of trying to find one hire who can cover multiple open needs. This will drive up offer declines- candidates don’t want to step into a role they perceive has unreasonable expectations.

Another way to reduce offer declines is to make sure you have a diverse enough candidate pool. Far too often, companies have a bias to passive talent, especially candidates who are already in similar roles at competitor organizations. However, those candidates might be more likely to stay put. Make sure your talent pool includes more than just passive candidates- whether it is candidates who are currently unemployed or those that moved to adjacent or junior roles. 

In a period of time when candidates are uncertain, it is more important than ever that your organization tells its story well throughout the hiring process. Whether in interviews with hiring managers or HR, candidates care deeply about how your people see the future of your organization. Make sure you’ve prepped anyone who will be interviewing candidates with talking points about the direction the company is going and how this role fits into that story. 

Lastly, don’t let a company’s job market deter you from making your experience good for candidates. While candidates are declining offers even after good experiences, they’re more likely to decline an offer after a frustrating hiring process. Do your best to avoid endless rounds of repetitive interviews, long stretches of silence, unnecessary evaluations and other experiences that job seekers find frustrating. Some offer declines will be unavoidable in 2026, but your candidate experience still matters deeply.