Stephen Covey reminds us that the best negotiations culminate in a win-win agreement.

The best hiring managers and recruiters approach their prospects with the same mindset.

It’s irresponsible and lazy to give everything away just to get a high-potential candidate to join your team.

Today’s win turns into tomorrow’s loss when you and your organization suffer from the long-term consequences of an inequitable hiring deal.

The same is true for your recruiting prospects.

When they accept an unfair offer and later find out they were cheated, they become disgruntled and leave.

So, the takeaway is simple: Insist on a win-win agreement before bringing someone onboard.

But the reality of structuring deals that are truly win-win is not so simple, and it’s why successful recruiters frequently play the “no-deal card.”

It takes lots of opportunities to find the right match.

And this is what makes recruiting so difficult, time-consuming, and expensive.

But when a great match is found, the payoff is substantial for both you and your new hire.