They Signed. They Resigned. They Didn't Show Up. Now What?

You've run a good process. The candidate was excited. They signed the offer letter. They submitted their resignation. And then, somewhere in the 30–90 day notice period, they call and say, "I've decided to stay" or "I got a better offer."

Across our placements, roughly 12–15% of accepted offers fall through before the join date. At some companies, I've seen 25–30% renege rates. Here's what's actually happening.

Why this happens

Reason 1: The counteroffer

This is the most common one. The candidate resigns. Their manager panics. HR swoops in with a 30–40% hike, a promotion, and a heartfelt speech about how valued they are. The candidate suddenly feels appreciated and decides to stay. About 70–80% of candidates who accept counteroffers leave within 6–12 months anyway. But that doesn't help you fill your role today.

Reason 2: A better offer arrived during the notice period

A 90-day notice period means 90 days where your candidate is still on the market, still getting recruiter calls, still seeing job posts. Three months is an eternity in hiring.

Reason 3: Cold feet

Sometimes there's no counteroffer and no competing offer. The candidate just gets scared. The anxiety builds during the notice period, and by week 6, they convince themselves that staying is the safer choice.

Reason 4: You fumbled the notice period

Between offer acceptance and day one, some companies go completely silent. No check-ins, no welcome materials, no introduction to the team. The candidate slowly detaches from one company and receives zero signals from the next.

What to do about it

Before the offer

Have a candid conversation about counteroffers during the final interview stage. If the candidate says "I'd consider it," that's a yellow flag. Also understand their real motivation for leaving - if it's just money, a counteroffer will work; if it's growth or culture, it's less likely to stick.

At the offer stage

Make the offer within 48 hours of the final round. Make it strong enough that a counteroffer feels insufficient. If the market rate is 30–35L and the candidate is at 25L, offer 32L — not 28L, hoping they'll negotiate up.

During the notice period

• Week 1: Hiring manager sends a personal welcome note, sharing what the team is working on

• Week 2–3: Share non-confidential materials — team structure, tech stack docs, onboarding plan

• Bi-weekly: A quick call or message from someone on the team

• Last week: Confirm logistics — start date, where to report, laptop setup, first day agenda

If they renege

Be gracious. The tech community in India is small. Send a brief professional message: "We're disappointed but understand. The offer stands if your circumstances change in the next 30 days." That's it.

A word to candidates

Don't accept an offer you're not reasonably sure about. What's not okay is accepting, letting the company stop their search, and then backing out because you got cold feet or a marginally better deal. Every renege has a cost — to the company, to other candidates, and to your reputation with that recruiter.