Your ideal candidate is out there. They may not be actively looking for a job, but they are talented and know their worth. If you’re serious about finding passive candidates, you’ll have to put in some extra effort. But it will be worth it when you find the perfect person for the job.
There are many ways to find potential employees using passive recruiting strategies. It takes more than just posting a job listing and hoping they’ll see it. Companies need to know where to look and how to screen applicants to find the best candidates.
Why recruiting passive candidates is important
Competition for active candidates is high, but passive candidates are often overlooked. This allows one to draw from a larger talent pool with less competition. When you target passive candidates, you can pinpoint those who meet your criteria. With active search methods, on the other hand, you often receive many applications from unqualified candidates, which can be a waste of time.
How to recruit passive candidates
Sourcing
There are several ways to go about sourcing passive candidates. One way is to seek out places where they are likely to be, both in person and online. For example, you can search for associations related to their field of work and visit their job boards or attend networking events and conferences.
Another option is direct recruitment, where you approach potential candidates directly. In addition, some employers create talent communities – social media sites where a group of people (e.g. former employees) can share information. These can help with sourcing and building relationships with passive job seekers.
Leverage the power of LinkedIn and Twitter
LinkedIn is a great way to find passive job seekers. You can use the Advanced People Search tool and enter your criteria for the ideal candidate for a job that is or will be available at your company. This is an easy way to find potential candidates that you might not have found otherwise.
Twitter can be a great portal for finding candidates for open positions at your company too. The platform’s advanced search feature allows you to scout for specific skills and qualifications you are looking for in a potential candidate. Once you find some promising profiles, you can reach out to them to see if they might be a good fit for the job. In addition to manually searching on Twitter, you can also run targeted ads to find suitable candidates.
Create some noise about your company
A branding campaign can improve your company’s reputation and attract new talent. By showing potential candidates what it’s like to work at your company, you can demonstrate the value they can gain by joining your team. For example, you can offer a behind-the-scenes look at what it’s like to work for your company, let your employees have their say, and highlight their own experiences. Working with the marketing department can help you develop a thorough strategy and ensure that your company’s values are effectively communicated.
Companies are increasingly using blogs as part of their passive recruiting strategies. By blogging about topics that interest people in your industry, you can attract the attention of potential employees – even if you do not write specifically about your company. Thought-provoking content is the key to making a good impression!
Create an employee referral programme
Employee referral programs can also help you source qualified candidates who are not actively looking for jobs. Posting job openings on social media and online referral communities and asking your employees to share those postings with their networks can help you reach a larger pool of potential candidates.
Communication in “cold calling” suitable passive candidates
When contacting potential candidates who have yet to engage with you or your brand, it’s important to stand out. Many recruiters use automated messaging and take a “spray and pray” approach, but this will likely produce few good candidates.
Instead, take the time to thoroughly research each candidate and craft your message to show that you are knowledgeable about the candidate’s background and interests. This conveys that you are sincere and serious about finding the right person for your team – not just anyone open to opportunities.
Rather than taking a transactional approach, focus on building relationships with candidates. Show them how joining your team can help them grow professionally and find something they love.
The application process and recruiting passive candidates
One of the biggest challenges in approaching passive candidates is getting them to actually apply for the job. To overcome this, try to design the application process so that it is easy to find and complete.
The best applicants are often passive job seekers – they’ll need more time or desire to deal with complicated applications. Online applications that require too many clicks or are inaccessible on mobile devices can discourage passive job seekers from completing the process.
How to win over passive job seekers
You need to stand out from the competition to increase your chances of getting the hire you want. So how can you entice them?
Once you’ve found a top candidate who’d be a good fit for one of your company’s open positions, figure out what would encourage them to make the leap. With a bit of detective work, you should uncover some of the limitations of their current position. Are they likely to be underpaid? Is the environment not a good fit for them? Have they been pigeonholed into a position that offers them limited development opportunities?
Once you’ve identified a specific pain point for the candidate, highlight it in your approach. Emphasise how your role will make the candidate’s life easier by solving the problem. Let the candidate know you want to help them improve their situation and grow within your company. All they have to do is say yes!
How do you know you’ve found the right candidate?
Are you struggling to build the right team for your company? Do you need help finding and promoting the best talent? Talent Select can help. We use psychometric assessments to identify the personality and aptitude traits you need in order to create a well-rounded and successful team. Let us help you build the dream team for your business. Get in touch for an obligation-free chat.