It’s no secret that hiring the best candidates is a tricky job. While the shortage of talent pool is one of the main reasons for this difficulty, the other key reason is that the best talent is already employed. As per Indeed research, only 10% of people are actively looking for a job, and LinkedIn says there are 21% active job seekers. Whatever the number, passive candidates take a large portion of the pie.
Passive candidates are the people who are already working and not looking for a change currently. These passive candidates are considered the top talent as they are content with their job. Of course, this is why most companies aim for them. But let’s face it. They are difficult to hire as most of them are happy workers, and it’s tough to attract them. But the good news here is that the competition is less. However, despite the low competition, attracting someone who is already satisfied with their current job is a hard row to hoe. So, we have put six effective working strategies to attract and successfully hire passive candidates. But, before that, let’s understand why your company needs passive candidates.
Why should you hire passive candidates?
- Firstly, passive candidates can impact your organization significantly. According to LinkedIn, passive candidates are 120% likely to make an impact on the business. You can’t lose great players.
- Secondly, the market for passive candidates is less crowded. They are not actively applying; if you send an extraordinary email, it won’t get lost in their unread emails.
- The other good reason is that they may change the company if they find the best opportunity.
- Lastly, passive candidates are only 17% likely to need skill development training. You can save huge money and time.
The best talent doesn’t last more than 10 days in the market. Therefore you can see only 21% of active job seekers in the market and high demand for passive candidates. So, to attract the best talent and make them consider your offer, you need to use effective strategies.
Six powerful strategies that help you attract passive candidates
Despite the large chunk of the talent pool, passive candidates are difficult to attract. According to the 2017 Recruiter Sentiment Study MRI Network, 34% of recruiters find it challenging to hire passive talent. Best employees are already employed, and they are likely to turn their heads when you reach out with a not-so-interesting offer. So, the traditional approach doesn’t work here. Let’s delve into the strategies to hire passive candidates successfully without any further ado.
Get their attention
First, things first. The key to recruiting passive candidates is to get their attention. But that doesn’t end there; they also require more convincing. However, the first step is to grab their attention, no matter the tool you use to approach them, whether social media, job boards, email, or a personal connection request. Approach them with a creative message they would read and an offer they would not reject. Let’s talk about the ways to approach them below.
Captivate their attention, adding a pinch of personalization in whatever you do. You can leverage technology to do this. Also, when you post jobs, be ready with innovative and clear job descriptions that interest and engage readers. Simply put, nail the job description no matter the platform; it should either receive applications or shares. Add salary, perks, benefits, and their responsibilities to inspire the right talent.
Rely on recruitment software or ATS
Enhance the quality of your recruitment process with technology. Organizations are already using recruitment software or Applicant Tracking Software for faster and efficient hiring. The best ATS can help you source candidates from job boards and other platforms like Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, etc. It gives you valuable insights into candidate profiles by parsing resumes. You can even send bulk customized emails to potential candidates effortlessly and save huge time.
Social media sourcing
Social media sites are no longer just entertainment platforms. They have also become crucial recruiting sites where you can find the best talent in the world. Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn are great sources with millions of active users to make a new hire. In addition, you can search using innovative keywords or endorsements to find passive candidates on these platforms.
You can also post paid ads on Facebook to maximize your job post reach or re-target previous applicants or candidates who visited your post but didn’t apply. Also, you can actively promote your job on Twitter, often tweeting, around 3-5 posts per day.
Dive into talent networks
Create a talent network of potential candidates and keep them engaged with your posts regularly. Share them the industry knowledge, update them about openings and give a sneak peek of your company culture to inspire them. Also, you can dive into social groups to search the talent. Join Facebook, Slack groups, or other talent communities to grow your network. This way, it becomes easy for you to both find the talent and communicate with them. Connect with the potential candidates and build relationships before you talk about the job. This makes them less likely to reject your offer.
Work on your employer branding
Having a reputable employer brand is one of the best recruiting strategies as that helps in hiring the best candidates. At least 50% of people research employer branding even before applying for a job or accepting the offer. Therefore, a positive brand helps you attract potential candidates to apply and successfully onboard. Boost your employment brand by creating an impressive career page that talks about your culture, values, mission, employees, their journey, and finally, open roles. However, a career page can boost your employer brand; you also need to encourage your employees to speak on social networks. Also, discuss with your marketing team about promoting your employment brand too.
Employee referral works excellent.
The other best, faster and cheaper way to hire passive talent is through employee referrals. This works exceptionally great because your employees would only refer qualified candidates. As per Jobvite Survey, 78% of recruiters found their best quality candidates through referrals.
Make a wise decision.
Building a talent pool with passive candidates is easier said than done. It’s both difficult and expensive. But it’s also the best way to power your organization. So, know what your company needs first and what the passive candidates expect beforehand, doing some research and guesswork using analytics. This helps you make a wise hiring decision.
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