You have found the right candidate, the interview went well and so did the trial shift. This is still where hiring often goes wrong: the offer arrives late, is unclear about hours and shifts or differs from what was discussed in the interview. Read what goes into a good offer, how fast to send it, how to handle a counter-offer and what to do between yes and the first working day.
7 October 2026
Good hotel candidates rarely apply to just one employer at a time. Whoever makes a clear offer first has an advantage. An offer that takes days to arrive or stays vague about hours, shifts and pay gives the candidate room to say yes somewhere else.
A good offer is not a formality after selection. It is the last step of recruitment and the first impression of how you keep agreements as an employer.
• Role and department: the job title, the department and who the candidate reports to.
• Start date and contract type: when the candidate starts, whether it is a permanent, fixed-term or seasonal contract and how long any probation period lasts.
• Hours and shifts: hours per week, which shifts (early, late, night, weekend, split shifts) and how far ahead the schedule is published.
• Pay and premiums: gross pay, premiums for evenings, nights or weekends, the tips arrangement and any service charge, as concretely as possible.
• Extras that count: meals on shift, uniforms, travel costs and, for seasonal work, staff accommodation and what it costs.
• What still needs to happen: any conditions such as a positive reference, valid identification or a work permit, and the deadline for a reply.
• Decide quickly after the last step: plan the decision within one or two working days after the final interview, trial shift or reference check.
• Know in advance what you can offer: agree the pay range, hours and start date with the general manager or human resources before you call the candidate, so you do not have to go back on what you said.
• Give a reasonable time to decide: two to three working days is enough for most roles. Less feels like pressure; much more leaves the role open for no reason.
• Do not drop your second candidate: keep a good second candidate warm until the offer is signed.
Call the candidate first. A call from the line manager or department head feels more personal than an email and leaves room for questions. Then send the offer in writing the same day, with exactly the same terms as in the call.
In the European Union, employers must set out the essential terms of employment in writing. The exact deadlines and requirements differ by country. If you hire in several countries, align your standard offer with human resources or a legal adviser.
• Ask what it is really about: sometimes it is not pay but fixed days off, fewer split shifts or a later start date.
• Stay within your pay structure: an exception for one new hire gets noticed by the existing team. First see what you can adjust beyond pay.
• Be clear about your limit: say honestly what is and is not possible, and put any revised offer fully in writing again.
• Watch for a counter-offer from the current employer: ask during the interview what the candidate would do if their current employer offered more.
The time between the signed offer and the first shift can take weeks, especially with a notice period. Stay in touch during that time: send the first schedule on time, explain where and when the candidate should report and who will welcome them. A candidate who hears nothing for weeks stays open to other offers.
• An offer that differs from the interview: different hours or pay on paper costs trust, even when it is a mistake.
• Vague about shifts: “flexible availability” without explanation leads to frustration and departure after a few weeks.
• Waiting too long for sign-off from above: agree in advance who can approve the offer.
• No reply to rejected candidates: let the candidates who were not chosen know where they stand, briefly and politely.
• Do you know before the call which pay, hours and start date you can offer?
• Do you send the offer within one or two working days after the last selection step?
• Does it include role, start date, contract type, hours, shifts, pay, premiums and extras?
• Does the written offer match exactly what you said by phone?
• Have you given a clear time to decide?
• Are you keeping a second candidate warm until there is a signature?
• Do you stay in touch between yes and the first working day?
AXXAZ Hospitality places reliable hospitality professionals with hotels across Europe, including when you need to fill a role quickly and have no time for a long selection process. A clear staffing brief (period, hours, shifts, languages, start date) helps whether you recruit in-house or book through a partner. Get in touch if you would like a placement or a brief for an open role.
Know in advance what you can offer, call the candidate within one or two working days after the last selection step, put the same terms on role, hours, shifts, pay and extras in writing that day, give a reasonable time to decide and stay in touch until the first working day.