It’s every hiring manager’s dream to uncover the elusive passive candidate — that perfect individual on the verge of being ready for a job change. Even though these future employees aren’t actively applying for jobs, they’ll jump for the right opportunity … so the story goes.
When you’re looking for great talent, don’t fall into the “active vs. passive” trap. Assuming that passive candidates are inherently better is an outdated concept.
What’s more, that myth can:
- Inject bias into your recruiting process.
- Serve as a scapegoat for long fill times.
- Hide the true costs of building a talent pipeline.
To reach a diverse range of qualified applicants, here are a few reminders:
1. Assume everyone’s active — Many employees peruse open jobs as part of their regular routine. The most progressive companies encourage employees to actively scan the job market to validate market conditions.
2. Get beyond stereotypes — It shouldn’t matter if candidates are employed, unemployed or in a state of transition. In a candidate-driven market, what matters is your ability to convince people why they should want to work for you.
3. Compare the ROI — The time and effort it takes to focus on passive candidates may not pay off. Every year, we place thousands of employees into contract and direct positions. Only a very small percentage of those start as passive candidates.
4. Broaden your outreach — Some specialized industries require a direct sourcing strategy to uncover passive candidates, particularly those working for competitors. (As the saying goes, “you’re either a client or you’re a source.”)
But many openings demand recruiting breadth rather than depth.
All this is not to say you shouldn’t try to appeal to passive candidates. Just don’t do it at the expense of old-fashioned recruiting practices, such as searching your internal database, building a referral program and advertising open jobs.
Social recruiting strategies
You also need to integrate newer — and millennial-friendly — recruiting methods. These days, most job searches are performed on a phone or tablet, so your application process must be mobile-enabled. Twitter has become a force to be reckoned with as a source for company and jobs information, so customize tweets with hashtags — #Jobs or #Hiring — to get in the mix.
Not just a matter of luck
Your chances of convincing someone to consider a job change with one phone call or email lies somewhere between unlikely and impossible. Rather, treat networking as a full-time obligation that may help you uncover a perfect candidate one, two or even 10 years down the road.
That means:
- Participating in industry associations and online forums.
- Responding promptly and professionally to every candidate.
- Making connections between peers, even if not in your immediate self-interest.
- Giving honest feedback about a candidate’s marketability.
Building your personal reputation for integrity will set you up for success when passive candidates ask their contacts whom they can trust for job advice. Good luck!
Greg Lignelli is the COO of System One Holdings LLC, which delivers workforce solutions and integrated services to help clients get work done more efficiently and economically, without compromising quality.
