When you’re struggling to get any promising candidates, every great applicant matters even more. And one of the quickest ways to lose them? Letting too much time pass before you move.

If you sit on an offer letter all weekend, don’t be shocked when your candidate disappears by Monday.

I see it all the time.

A company finally comes across someone who feels like a real fit - such a relief after a dry spell - and then the process slows down.

The offer gets pushed to the end of the week… or drifts into Monday because life got busy.

Here’s the challenge with that:

• Weekends give people space
• Space to rethink
• Space to compare options
• Space to wonder if staying where they might be easier
• Space to get approached by someone else
• That quiet time can take a warm candidate and cool them off fast
• If you’re in a market where good applicants are already scarce, momentum becomes your best friend

The businesses that successfully snap up talent - especially when applications are slow - do a few simple things:

• Move quickly when someone great appears
• Send the offer the same day when you can
• Keep communication warm, clear, and consistent
• Show enthusiasm - people want to feel wanted -don't play hard to get!

Timeliness isn’t pushy; it’s reassuring.
It shows the candidate you see their value and aren’t hesitant about them.

When hiring feels slow, speed and warmth can be the difference between “We finally found someone!” and “We lost them over the weekend.”