Why “Currently on an Offer” Is a Bad Hiring Filter

I've touched on this before, but this is a PERFECT example of why I vehemently disagree with business owners who tell me:

"Zach, I only want to hire closers who are currently on an offer. Good reps are already employed."

You sure about that, champ?

A closer can be an absolute STUD who checks all the boxes.

BUT what about the boxes that need to be checked IN ORDER for them to even be able to check theirs?

Ya know, the standard stuff?

Great branding, stellar product-market fit with their offer,

proper prospect education and nurturing processes,

oh yeah, and don't forget CONSISTENT [qualified] leads.

(and no, paying Meta does NOT make your lead qualified).

What's that closer supposed to do when everything AROUND them is working AGAINST the very thing these offers hired them to do?

Stick around making peanuts just so they can tell their next potential employer they're "currently on an offer" in order to make themselves look more attractive?

Thats a nice crisp definition of what we call... stupid.

Using "being on an offer" as a proxy for competence is wack.

But allow me to highlight yet ANOTHER issue with this line of thinking [or lackthereof].

If a closer is currently on an offer, performing well, making great money, and has every reason to stay...

Why on EARTH would they leave to come work for you?

And if they're actively looking to leave, wouldn't you wanna know WHY?

Because if they're leaving over inconsistent lead flow, lousy marketing, inflated OTE, or any of the other nonsense that's rampant in this space...

What makes you so certain YOUR offer won't have those same problems?

I do understand why business owners try to vet with this metric.

You want to reduce your hiring risk.

You want someone who's gonna perform AND stick around.

Perfectly reasonable.

But you're using a qualification that tells you almost NOTHING about either of those things.

And potentially paying a pretty hefty price for it.

You're shrinking your candidate pool, passing over otherwise qualified reps, and STILL exposing yourself to the same turnover you're trying to avoid.

In a space where reps are overwhelmingly dependent on the companies they sell for to actually provide them with an opportunity to make money...

Some of the best reps in this space are BETWEEN offers.

And you're potentially screening them out before you've even had a conversation with them.