Onboarding Support
We don't disappear at offer stage. Full support through to day one.
We don't disappear at offer stage. Full support through to day one.
Most recruiters consider the job done the moment an offer is accepted. We consider that the beginning of the most critical phase. The period between offer and start date is where placements most often fall apart — and where a specialist partner can make the difference.
MapTalent provides full onboarding support for every placement: document processing, status tracking, pre-start communication, and a structured handover that means candidates arrive on day one prepared, confident, and ready to contribute.
Once an offer is made, we manage the communication between client and candidate to ensure it lands clearly and positively. We talk the candidate through the offer in detail, address any hesitations immediately, and confirm acceptance in writing. A verbal yes followed by silence is not an accepted offer — our job is to make sure the commitment is solid.
Counteroffers happen — particularly with strong candidates in a competitive Midlands market. We prepare every candidate for this possibility before they hand in their notice, so they are not caught off guard. Where a counteroffer does emerge, we are involved in the conversation immediately. Our loyalty is to the placement working for both sides, not just to getting the fee.
We coordinate the collection and verification of all required documentation — right to work checks, qualifications, certifications, and any site-specific compliance requirements relevant to the role. Checklists are managed proactively, with status updates provided to the client so there are no last-minute surprises before a start date.
We stay in contact with the candidate throughout their notice period. This is not an intrusion — it is professional support. We check in at key points to confirm that things are progressing smoothly, that the resignation went as expected, and that there are no emerging issues on either side. If there are, we hear about it early enough to respond.
In the week before a candidate starts, we conduct a pre-start briefing. This covers practical arrangements — reporting lines, site location, start time, parking, who to ask for on arrival — as well as a reminder of the role objectives, the client's culture, and any specific expectations for the first few weeks. Prepared candidates make better first impressions.
After the start date, we follow up with both the client and candidate at the one-week and one-month marks. This is where we hear about any early friction — a misalignment in expectations, a team dynamic issue, something the candidate needed to know on day one. Early intervention at this stage is what turns a good placement into a lasting one.
The period between offer and start date is the highest risk window in any placement. Candidates get cold feet. Counteroffers arrive. Documents stall. Personal circumstances change. The client goes quiet. Most recruitment agencies have nothing in place to manage this — because once the offer is accepted, they are focused on the next fee.
MapTalent's onboarding process exists because a placement that does not start is worse than no placement at all — for the client, for the candidate, and for us. We have a direct commercial interest in making sure every placement completes. Our 97.3% contract fulfilment rate reflects that commitment.
We work with both permanent and contract placements across Birmingham and the wider Midlands. For contract roles, this means ensuring every pre-start compliance requirement is met before the candidate is booked onto site. For permanent placements, it means managing the full transition from employed elsewhere to settled in a new role.