You’ve covered it all, from first- and second-round interviews, to a thorough background check, to introductions around the office. And – oh happy day – you’ve found the perfect candidate! So now, all you have to do is make the offer and your job is finished, right? But not so fast. There’s one more hurdle you must jump through, and sometimes it’s the one that blows your hiring plan to smithereens: your perfect candidate turns you down, without as much as a counteroffer! So, a bit crest-fallen, it’s back to the drawing board. You pour yourself a cup of 5pm coffee (always burnt, it seems) and head back to that towering pile of resumes on your desk…

If you’re a recruiter or hiring manager (or anyone else who hires employees, either occasionally or regularly), you might conclude that job offer rejections are completely out of your control, and that declinations are simply part of the hiring landscape. But that’s not always the case. In fact, job offer rejections might be a sign that your company needs to take a look at the entire hiring process, and to possibly make some changes that will bring about a better interview experience for the applicant – and hopefully land more “yeses” when an offer is made.

Below are the three most common reasons candidates say “no thanks” to a job offer – and some simple, doable fixes for each.

1. The hiring process was too lengthy and/or cumbersome.

This is the most common complaint I hear among job seekers who turn down offers – and if you read a few studies on this topic, the stats will corroborate. I find it fascinating that in an age where so many procedures and tasks have been streamlined via technology (the internet, smart phones, tablets, apps, and PCs on virtually everyone’s desk – think Amazon one-click ordering for your toilet paper, delivered by drone), the hiring process for many organizations has somehow taken a turn for the worse. Many companies have become bogged down with what seem like endless, infernal processes. Why? Perhaps because we can use these amazing technological resources to actually add steps to the hiring process – thus miring it down with excessive busywork, to the point of irritation and exhaustion for the prospective employee.

The solution: think low tech for a moment. What was it like back in the “good old days?” First, job seekers sent in a resume and filled out an application. (This is where current technology, i.e., the internet, is a good thing, in that applicants can now email a resume and fill out an on-line application – I’m not suggesting that they come into an office and fill out a paper app with a goose quill pen!) Next, they were called (not emailed) by a real human (not a bot) to schedule an in-person interview. Then, they were most likely interviewed by the person they were actually going to work for (rather than by a recruiter). If they made the cut to the second round of interviews, they received a personal callback (probably from the same person who interviewed them) to schedule a return visit. And then, if an offer was forthcoming, they were called into the company and offered the job – again, most likely by the person who interviewed them, rather than by an HR rep; and in person, rather than by email. Go back to “high touch/high contact” hiring practices and candidates will feel more connected to the process – and to the company they’re considering working for – and less likely to fly the coop and accept another offer.

2. It took too long to get back to me.

We live in an age of instants (again, think Amazon one-click purchasing, Keurig coffee makers, and downloadable music from your favorite band on the exact day the album is released), and as a result, we’ve all become more antsy when we’re forced to wait for something – whether it’s our sandwich at the corner deli, or a callback from a recruiter. So take our impatience and couple it with a current tight job market and we’re highly likely to wander off and pursue (and accept) another offer if we don’t hear back fairly quickly from the company we’re talking to.

The solution: Keep in touch. No candidate is going to complain about too much communication from the company they’re interviewing with! I’ve never heard this objection before, but I’ve certainly heard the opposite – a lot. And this doesn’t mean you have to rush the vetting process to the point of uncomfortableness – or that you have to make an offer to someone before you’ve completed your due diligence. There’s nothing wrong with doing a check-in call (or several throughout the process, if it’s taking a while to find the right candidate), and saying, “I just wanted to check in and say that we’re still in the hiring process, and I didn’t want you to think we’d forgotten you,” or some similar, friendly message. (A quick email can work, too – just do something to stay connected.) Think of it this way: when you interview a candidate, whether you see it this way or not, you begin a personal relationship with them. You want your candidate to feel connected to you, and to feel as if they’re being treated respectfully, professionally, and cordially – right up to the point where you either make the offer, or you let them know you’ve selected someone else.

3. I didn’t really get a good vibe when I went in for my interview.

Remember, from the moment your candidate steps in the door (and it may even go back to the moment they parked in your parking lot), to the moment you, the interviewer, say goodbye, they’re interviewing you just as much as you’re interviewing them. However, you, the recruiter or hiring manager, have control over only your portion of the interview process. So, no matter how good you are at flashing a killer smile, shaking hands, introducing yourself, and selling the stellar qualities of the company and the job, other forces are at play – and don’t underestimate them. An unfriendly receptionist, a sulking HR rep, an unhappy group of employees gossiping in the corner, a dingy bathroom, a shabby waiting area, confusing (or a total lack of) directions on how to get to the correct office for the interview, and yes, even a rude parking lot attendant – all of these can undermine the interview process and leave your candidate eager to ditch the scene and never come back.

The solution: Examine every single aspect of your company’s interviewing process, and make sure everything spells “great place to work.” Beginning to end. Large to small. Hello to goodbye. Ideally, you want a prospective employee to see and hear only things that will make them absolutely gaga to work for you. A few check points: Do you send out preliminary information about the company, the corporate culture, and how to get to the interview – including info about parking garages, subway exits, or landmarks? Does the receptionist (or first person by the door) know to greet all visitors with a warm smile and an open expression of “How may I help you?” Is the waiting area environmentally pleasant? When a candidate arrives, does someone offer them some water, and tell them where the closest bathroom is? All of these things can make a huge difference, after the interview is over and the candidate is reflecting on their experience. The bottom line: you want them to be eager to receive a callback!

One more thing: I always recommend calling the candidate who turned you down. Very few companies do this, and I believe they’re missing a huge opportunity for valuable feedback. If the interview process has been cordial, the candidate will usually be happy to talk to you. (And if you’ve managed to establish genuine rapport, they might even tell you the truth!) Rather than guess which parts of the interview process you might need to improve upon, why not get some fresh feedback from an “expert” – the person who just lived through the (possibly exasperating, soul-crushing) experience? It’s likely that, with a few minor adjustments, you’ll be hearing all “yowzas” from your future candidates.

And after all, 5pm office coffee is never as good as an ice-cold victory beer after your offer is accepted…