Success! You are finally ready to offer a job to someone. Call him on the telephone, share the good news, and ask if he is still interested in working for your company. Remind him of the name of the position he applied for, the salary, and how many hours per week he will be working. If he accepts, schedule his first day of work to come in and fill out new-hire paperwork and receive an orientation, as discussed in the next chapter.

If the applicant asks to give you an answer later, he may be waiting to hear about a job offer from another company or may have changed his mind about working for your company. It could also be because he knows that accepting a job isn't something to take lightly, and he simply wants to be sure that this job is one that he really wants. Give him the time he has requested, as long as it is not too long. Twenty-four hours is reasonable, and ask him to contact you with his answer regardless of whether it is yes or no. If you do not receive a response by the deadline, offer the job to the runner-up candidate. For this reason, do not tell an applicant that a position has been filled once you have decided to hire; wait until you have made an offer and it has been accepted.