5 Ways to Win Your Candidate During the Offer

You’ve conducted the initial executive search and several rounds of interviews; now you’ve found THE candidate who will bring that edge you’ve been looking for to your organization. Your work is over, right? Not quite.

Hiring managers often make the mistake of thinking the work is finished after they have made the offer, but maintaining focus and staying engaged in the final moments of the recruiting process are critical to securing a candidate.

You may be tempted to assume candidates are interested because they remained in the recruiting process. After narrowing the pool down to one choice, though, the decision to accept now lies in the hands of the candidate. With the finish line in sight, your organization must see the recruiting process through to receive a “Yes” from the other side of the table.

Today on The Water Cooler, we discuss 5 ways to ensure that you come out on the winning end when making an offer to a candidate.

Ask the Right Questions

To win your candidate, you must first master your phrasing. Instead of asking if a candidate wants the offer, ask if they want the job.

Every candidate wants an offer; receiving it makes them feel wanted and like they “won” the recruiting process. What hiring managers do not want, though, is to extend an offer that will be rejected.

Asking the candidate if they want the job can help you avoid delivering an offer that will be turned down. You may learn that, while the candidate is interested, they still have questions about the opportunity. Allowing them the chance to complete their own vetting process leads to more informed decision making and a higher likelihood that they will accept. Moreover, once the candidate has finished their own evaluation process and communicated that they want the position, you can decide how to craft the offer.

Find Out What Matters

From vacation time and healthcare to equity and retirement plans, candidates place different priorities on different offer components. Understanding what matters most to the candidate is critical in making a successful offer.

For example, when relocating candidates, covering or subsidizing one-time moving costs speaks volumes to them and their families. Spouses/significant others, children and other family members will be equally impacted by relocation, and their opinions may influence a candidate’s final decision. Making the gesture to assist with the move can garner buy-in from everyone involved, including the candidate, and lead to an accepted offer.

Get Creative

Creativity with compensation, benefits and other offer components can play a crucial role in ensuring a “Yes” from your candidate. Unable to raise the base salary for the position? Try including a signing bonus or adding additional vacation time to increase compensation. Providing equity, long-term incentive plans (LTIPs) or accelerated vesting can also help sweeten the deal for a candidate.

Outside of competitive compensation, companies may also offer car allowances, monthly parking, flexible work hours or the opportunity to work remotely in order to attract candidates. No matter what benefits you choose to provide, make sure that you continue to think about what matters most to your candidate.

Make It Personal

No one likes the generic “Dear Candidate…” email. Both your organization and the candidate invest time and resources into the process, so see the effort through by making your offer over the phone or in person.

Verbally extending an offer also doubles as a safeguard to rejection. Directly talking with candidates provides them the opportunity to ask any final questions they may have about the role, as well as presents the opportunity for them to accept before you initiate the necessary paperwork.

You should also allow a candidate adequate time to think over and respond to an offer. Delivering an offer on a Friday is advantageous. Your organization won’t lose any working days while the candidate considers the offer, and the candidate has a chance to unplug, process and discuss with other potential decision influencers before accepting.

Put Your Best Foot Forward

With a solid understanding of your candidate’s needs and goals, you can craft an offer letter that will be accepted outright, rather than entering into a negotiation.

Putting your best offer forward indicates that there is less to negotiate and signals how the candidate will be treated in the future at your organization – like their needs are being met versus being “nickel and dimed” each year with raises and bonuses.

Recruiting firms provide a major advantage in this final step; as third party providers, we are able to prompt candidates to disclose their true financial/benefits figures to understand what the best offer should look like and ultimately bring both sides of the table together.

Making an offer is a big step for both your company and the candidate. Completing the entire recruiting process is key to not only winning the candidate but also setting your organization up for success to retain top talent.

Want more insight? Check out our latest article Philosophy, Data and Structure; A Simple Guide to Executive Compensation or contact us to discuss your hiring needs for your next critical role.

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New Opportunity: Sales Leader

By Effie Zimmerman • February 17, 2026

Sales Leader ABOUT THE COMPANY Organically Grown Company (“OGC” or the “Company”) is a leading organic produce distributor in the Pacific Northwest, committed to connecting growers, retailers, and consumers through a transparent, sustainable supply chain. As a mission-driven organization, OGC has built its reputation on deep grower partnerships, operational excellence, and an unwavering commitment to organic integrity. The Sales Leader will play a critical role in driving revenue growth, strengthening customer relationships, and leading a high-performing sales organization aligned with OGC’s values, strategic priorities, and long-term vision. ABOUT THE POSITION Reporting to the VP of Sales & Sourcing, this Sales Leader is responsible for and focused on ensuring the highest service levels for our customers. They are focused on leadership of the sales team, ensuring development, performance, morale, and retention. They provide primary leadership over product, pricing, actionable analytics, and promotions as main strategies to manage inventory and drive sales and profit. DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES Leading & Supervisory: Promote the development of flexible, adaptive, and innovative processes for use in new business growth by supporting and enabling an effective and efficient team approach. Provide leadership of the day-to-day operations of the sales department, while maintaining focus on the Company’s strategic goals. Promote safety, development, training, and evaluation of all sales team members. Collaborate organization-wide to support or lead projects and initiatives, facilitate process change, manage organizational change, and ensure success. Ensure proactive and effective collaboration and communication with all other departments for greater efficiency in support of service goals. Ensure proper levels of people growth and succession planning are in place and actively updated and refreshed. Foster a culture of belonging where people feel engaged and inspired. Support OGC sustainability goals and actively work to reduce environmental impact. Nurture, support, and promote the Company Mission, Values & Vision, and Brand. Exemplify OGC values: Cultivate Connection, Win on Service, Build Trust, and Move with Intention. Sales & Service: Develop and implement sales strategies, using analytics to set sales targets and provide guidance on associated sales actions, and forecast sales volume for both existing and new products. Develop and maintain a historical perspective on the marketplace to analyze and predict future trends and needs. Maintain familiarity with competitors’ products and services. Recommend changes in products, services, and sales policies by evaluating results and competitive developments. Stay current with new products and services offered by competitors, and with other trends in the organic produce industry. Develop and implement account management objectives, including key service metrics. Manage the negotiation of products with customers based on margin goals, which may include providing volume discounts or other agreements. Partner with the business development team to create onboarding plans for new business/new partnerships and grow existing accounts. Develop and sustain a sales culture of service & customer value creation. Develop and coordinate programs and processes for industry-leading customer service and sales to increase customer satisfaction, as measured with a trade survey annually. Work closely with Sourcing leadership to align demand planning and inventory strategies with sales growth. Responsible for developing and maintaining customer, grower, and vendor relationships. Travel as needed to meet with customers, attend and host at industry events, and nurture relationships. Analyze lead quality and sales trends to continually refine outreach strategies. Planning and Budgeting: Own budgeting, forecasting, and sales planning for the team. Manage the operational budget through a collaborative approach. Measure sales activities by developing key sales metrics, and ensure that these metrics are analyzed, reported on a regular basis, and adjusted accordingly to achieve OGC sales goals and objectives. Set departmental objectives and goals to align with OGC’s strategic plan, annual goals, and company initiatives. Provide strategic leadership for the future direction of the OGC Sales team in support of the OGC strategic plan and growth initiatives. QUALIFICATIONS 10+ years of progressive & successful sales experience, with at least 5+ years managing and coaching sales teams to meet and exceed sales goals. Preference for a deep understanding of the produce industry, including supply chain logistics, product characteristics, and quality control. Strategic planning and pricing experience. Strong knowledge of the channels of distribution of perishable products or related industries. Exceptional presentation, written and oral communication skills. Experience in fiscal management, including P&L’s, budgets, projections, cost control skills, and a proven track record of revenue generation and strong customer relationships. Excellent management and organizational skills with the ability to prioritize and manage multiple projects concurrently. Interested in Learning More? 180one has been retained by OGC to manage this search. If interested in learning more about the opportunity, please contact Lisa Heffernan / 971.256.3076/ lisa@180one.com .

180one's Year in Review: 2025

By Effie Zimmerman • February 11, 2026

Each year, 180one presents our Year in Review, sharing our insights into the overall executive talent market and recapping the work we performed on behalf of our clients throughout the year. To explore what we saw in years’ past, check out the Year in Review section of The Water Cooler.

New Opportunity: Corporate Controller

By Effie Zimmerman • February 6, 2026

Corporate Controller ABOUT THE COMPANY In 2024, Northwest Pump celebrated its 65th year of service. Since our founding, we’ve grown from humble beginnings into a trusted name in the petroleum and industrial industry. Through the decades, our commitment to quality, integrity and our valued customers has remained the foundation of everything we do. Northwest Pump provides a wide range of distribution and service capabilities to fueling and industrial customers across the Western United States. The Company’s 350 employees serve nearly 6,000 customers across its growing 20 branch locations. Northwest Pump’s people-first culture is highly regarded for providing a broad product portfolio, consultative services, and leading fill rates. In late 2024, NW Pump joined forces with H.I.G. Capital to bring you even better support and customer service. H.I.G. is a global alternative investment firm with $66 billion of capital under management. This acquisition not only validates the company’s strength but also reflects its continued potential for growth under new ownership. ABOUT THE POSITION Reporting directly to the CFO, the Corporate Controller will lead the accounting function, playing a critical role in ensuring financial accuracy, operational discipline, and scalable processes to support growth and value creation. This role partners closely with executive leadership and ownership, delivering timely, GAAP-compliant financial reporting while strengthening internal controls and upgrading systems and processes. The Controller will oversee all accounting operations, including monthly close, financial reporting, inventory accounting, and compliance, while building a high-performing team capable of supporting a complex, multi-location distribution environment. This position is highly hands-on and well-suited for a leader who thrives in a fast-paced, results-driven setting and is comfortable driving change. DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES Own the monthly, quarterly, and annual close processes, ensuring accurate and timely financial statements in accordance with US GAAP. Lead all core accounting functions, including general ledger, accounts payable, accounts receivable, fixed assets, inventory, and revenue recognition. Support mergers and acquisitions by participating in financial due diligence and assisting with the post-close integration of accounting policies, controls, reporting processes, and financial systems. Oversee inventory accounting across a multi-branch distribution footprint, including costing, reserves, and cycle count processes. Design, implement, and maintain strong internal controls and accounting policies appropriate for a PE-backed environment. Serve as the primary point of contact for external auditors, tax advisors, and other third-party providers. Partner with FP&A, operations, and leadership to provide financial insights that support margin improvement, working capital optimization, and growth initiatives. Support ERP optimization, systems integrations, and process improvements as the business scales organically and through acquisitions. Prepare reporting and analysis for executive leadership and ownership, including ad hoc requests. Recruit, develop, and mentor an accounting team, establishing clear accountability and a culture of continuous improvement. QUALIFICATIONS Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field; CPA preferred. 10+ years of progressive accounting experience, including prior controller or assistant controller experience. Public accounting experience is preferred. CPA required. Strong knowledge of US GAAP and financial reporting. Experience in manufacturing or industrial services business preferred. Demonstrated experience in modernizing accounting processes and systems. Hands-on leadership style with the ability to balance detail orientation and big-picture thinking. ERP system experience and a track record of process improvement. Strong communication skills with the ability to partner effectively across finance and operations. Interested in Learning More? 180one has been retained by Northwest Pump to manage this search. If interested in learning more about the opportunity, please contact Nicole Brady at 503-699-0184 or via email at nicole@180one.com .