How do I close candidates who have competing offers?

You can close most candidates, which means you know how to build interest and guide a decision. Competing offers trip you because suddenly it is not just about your role; it is about your role against another, and the ground feels less certain. Here is what steadies it. A candidate weighing offers is not looking for the loudest pitch. They are looking to feel sure. Your job in a negotiation is less about winning a bidding war and more about helping them see clearly what your role gives them that the other does not, beyond the number. Before your next competing-offer conversation, write down the three things your opportunity offers that money cannot match, and lead with those. When you compete only on salary you are on their turf. When you compete on fit and future, you are on yours.