Anyone who knows me knows that I am all about full disclosure, especially when I’m discussing an employment opportunity with a job seeker or candidate. What does that mean, exactly?

If I know that there will be long hours expected in a job, then I make sure candidates are aware of it. If I know that there is a travel expectation, I make sure candidates are aware of that, as well.

However, there is definitely a fine line between full disclosure and discouraging candidates from considering an employment opportunity. There’s one important thing to remember about recruiting: it’s a sales profession.

As a result, I am technically a sales person. Of course I am. Those who work in HR and hiring managers have to be, as well. In this market, if you want a candidate to leave their current position to come to work for you, then you must make a compelling argument for them to do that. And all the while, you must make sure that your expectations are clear.

Of course, there is a story behind this blog post. That story is as follows . . .

In recruiting for a position, I spoke to a couple of candidates who turned down offers for this particular company. When asking for further clarification on their decision, I discovered that the hiring manager told them two things:

1. There would be “excessive” hours.
2. Their would-be boss is “hard to work for.”

I’m not sure about you, but I don’t think I would want to work for this particular person.

Contrary to the media propaganda, there are more jobs than qualified candidates in the employment marketplace right now. One major problem is a skills shortage, but the bottom line is this: the economy is really good.

As a result, companies must make compelling arguments for candidates to consider their open positions.

The bar has been set by all of the other companies out there—i.e., your competition—for the best candidates. Companies not only offer on-site perks such as a fancy gyms, cafeterias with subsidized food, and FREE catered-in lunches, but they also offer incredibly flexible schedules with a combination of virtual and onsite work and flexible time-off policies.

Gone are the days when you can work your staff “to the bone” and expect them to stick around. There are too many other options out there for them to have to do that. In a candidates’ market like the one we’re in, candidates (especially top candidates) have more options.

There is nothing wrong with full disclosure and transparency. However, if you want to attract and hire the best candidates in the marketplace, then you must “sell” both the opportunity and the organization, while being open, honest, and engaging throughout every step of the process.