Glossary
A plain-language definition from the Curriculo hiring glossary.
Offer acceptance rate is the percentage of job offers that candidates accept over a given period.
The formula
Offer acceptance rate = (offers accepted / offers extended) x 100.
Count only formal offers. Use the same period for both numbers, such as a quarter.
Why it matters
A declined offer is the most expensive way to lose a candidate. You've already paid for sourcing, screening, and every interview. A low rate often points to a fixable problem: low pay, a slow process, a weak close, or a changed role.
A worked example
In the last quarter, you made 12 offers and 9 were accepted. Your offer acceptance rate is 9 / 12 x 100, or 75 percent.
Break it down further. If 2 of the 3 declines were engineers who took higher offers, compare your pay bands for that role. If they cited the time it took, look at the days between final interview and offer.
How to raise it
- Share the pay range early, so there are no surprises at the end.
- Ask about other processes and deadlines before the final round.
- Make the offer within a day or two of the final interview.
- Have the hiring manager call with the offer, rather than only sending an email.
Common mistakes
- Counting verbal offers in some months and written ones in others.
- Celebrating a near-perfect rate that comes from only making offers to people who'd say yes anyway.
- Never asking candidates who decline why they said no.
- Looking at the company-wide number and missing one role with a much lower rate.
Read the full offer acceptance rate guide, track time to hire alongside it, and see the top hiring metrics for startups.