What Does HR Do Before Making A Job Offer? - What to Know

During the hiring process, many companies will follow a series of steps to make sure they’re offering the job to the right candidate. 

This is the same for both small businesses and large companies. In both cases, the beginning of the process will usually start with a phone call interview. 

Then, it is usually followed by a face-to-face interview before the hiring manager chooses the perfect candidate for the job. 

However, even before a job offer is outlined, human resources staff or a recruiter can go through a number of steps to ensure the company is making the right hiring decision. 

With this in mind, we have outlined all HR's steps before making a job offer. 

Let’s get started. 

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Establish Candidate Research

Before offering a job, employers will vet a specific candidate. This includes checking job references, researching the candidate's background, and searching for their online reputation. 

Here, recruiters who have access to professional networking and social networking sites can find out a wealth of information about a particular person before offering them a job. 

Through professional networking sites, employers can understand whether a candidate is seriously looking for a job opportunity. Plus, they can view a candidate's performed duties in a previous role – comparing what is listed on their resume and the platform. 

Additionally, social networking sites provide insight into the candidate's personal information, including social habits, pictures, hobbies, and friends. 

However, recruiters are advised to take into consideration social networking sites when making a hiring decision. 

Non-job-related information such as veteran status, race, gender, and other characteristics found on social networking sites shouldn’t be considered in making a final decision. 

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Discuss The Applicants

The hiring manager is the final say when providing a job offer; however, HR staff or recruiters may contribute different perspectives or advice about a particular candidate – this is why communication between these departments is important. 

Additionally, there may also be a panel interview, which involves a discussion regarding the candidate with different panel members’ perspectives and opinions. 

Hence, before providing an offer, the HR staff may poll the members from the interview panels or discuss with the hiring managers to discuss a particular candidate's suitability. 

Also read: The Role of HR During Employer Termination

Confirm Employment History

To verify your employment history, many employers will ask the job seeker whether they are able to contact their former employers. 

This is typically done towards the end of the hiring process, where the employer will let the job seeker know they are going to conduct employment verification and call the listed contact on the application or resume to confirm this. 

In some instances, a prospective employer will contact the candidate's previous supervisors to develop a further understanding of the candidate’s background. 

Moreover, it is common practice these days for HR to conduct background checks on a candidate before offering a job. Plus, many online applications will require applicants to tick an authorization to perform background checks before going further with the applications. 

To hire the best candidates, offering the right compensation package is important. In addition to background checks and employment verification, HR may even perform a salary verification to ensure this information is consistent with the information gained from the interview. 

This helps a company determine any differences between a candidate's current and previous salary, as well as make modifications to the salary the company is offering, depending on the candidate. 

Also read: 5 Reasons You Need To Perfect A Job Description

 

Analyze Functional Skills

Before making a job offer, HR may conduct an assessment to determine the candidate’s functional skills, too. 

The last thing employers want is to get far into the hiring process and discover that the candidate they’re looking at doesn’t contain the technical skills required for the job. 

For instance, if you’re an administrative or hiring assistant, then you may want to assess the candidate's technical skills if the job requires proficiency with software applications or keyboarding skills. 

Moreover, if you’re hiring a writer, one common assessment is a writing sample. 

Also read: How Long Does HR Have To Investigate A Complaint?

 

What Takes Place Before An Offer Is Made?

Once a candidate has been selected by the hiring manager, the company will need to perform background checks, establish a start date, issue a formal written offer, and determine a salary. 

These are all important steps required to take place within the hiring process. Therefore, as such, it can lead to a job offer taking longer than expected. 

 

How Long Does HR Take To Approve A Job Offer?

After an interview, the average duration it takes to receive a job offer can be anywhere from 20 to 40 days. That being said, this can vary from company to company. 

There are many different variables that go into play when receiving a job offer, thus, this experience is oftentimes unique for each candidate. 

 

Does HR Provide The Job Offer?

When you have finished the hiring process and the job is offered to you, you’ll typically hear from someone within the company's human resources team if it is for a large company. 

On the other hand, from smaller companies, you’ll either hear from the company’s manager or your direct boss.

 

Does HR Determine Who Gets The Job?

HR professionals and recruiters do not have the final say when it comes to hiring a new recruit. While they can potentially hinder or block you from being able to get the job, they don’t have the power to make the final verdict. 

Instead, the decision is down to the hiring manager. However, they take into consideration the perspectives of different employees. 

Final Thoughts…

There are a number of different steps that go into consideration before making a job offer to a particular candidate. 

While these steps are long, they are essential for a company to hire the right person for the job. Hopefully, this guide has informed you about what HR does before making a job offer – so you can apply for jobs with confidence!

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