Initial and crucial, sourcing passive candidates is integral to the recruiting process. The current job market has become more competitive, with a scarcity of top talents growing rapidly. While posting jobs on multiple platforms may seem like the best sourcing tactic, finding passive candidates takes more than that. Passive job seekers add value to your pool of talent. All you need to do is find them.
This blog discusses how to source passive candidates. We also explore strategies, benefits, and tools to effectively execute passive sourcing recruiting plans.
What is a passive candidate?
A passive candidate is an individual who is currently employed and not actively seeking new opportunities. However, if the right opportunity comes their way, they are ready to take it. Passive job seekers are highly valued for their proven track records and potential contributions.
Hiring managers often source passive candidates to enrich their talent pool and fill open positions faster. However, they are not as easy to discover as posting job openings.
One has to use passive recruiting strategies to engage these candidates through various means, including digging deeper into the current candidate database. Understanding how to engage passive candidates is important to the recruitment process. It offers untapped potential for organizations seeking top talent. Being able to successfully recruit passive job seekers not only saves time but also increases the probability that the candidate has the right skills and experience for a long-term tenure at the organization.
Passive Candidate vs Active Candidate
Understanding the difference between passive candidates and active candidates is vital in making the recruiting process more effective. In simple terms, active candidates are actively seeking job openings and readily engage in the job search process. They are highly active on job search portals like LinkedIn and are often the first ones to apply for job posts. On the other hand, passive candidates meaning can be individuals not actively job hunting but open to new opportunities if presented.
In other words, active job seekers come to you whereas you need to source passive candidates by reaching out to them. They are reachable through methods like employee referral programs and nurtured to enrich the talent pipeline.
In the initial interview process, active candidates typically display eagerness and may have already researched the company extensively. In contrast, passive candidates may require more persuasion and information to consider a career change. To attract passive candidates, recruiters have to employ effective strategies, such as showcasing a compelling employer brand and highlighting growth opportunities. Engaging in passive sourcing techniques, like leveraging social media and networking events is also necessary for passive candidate sourcing.
While active candidates are readily available, passive candidates often possess unique skill sets and experiences that align closely with job requirements. Thus, integrating both types into recruitment efforts creates a well-rounded approach to talent acquisition.
Recruiters often use employee referral programs to attract and source passive candidates. They encourage existing employees to recommend qualified individuals from their networks. This fosters a sense of trust and credibility, making passive candidates more receptive to exploring job opportunities within the organization.
While active candidates provide immediate responses to job openings, passive candidates offer untapped potential. However, cultivating them is a strategic recruiting effort. By implementing effective techniques to source passive candidates, organizations can discover and build a diverse pool of talent and enhance their competitive edge in the market.
5 Ways to Source Passive Job Seekers
Strengthen Employer Branding
Employer brand is your company's notoriety as an employer. Just as a client makes their enormous buying choices based on a company's branding, potential candidates base their initial decisions on the company's branding too. It is fundamentally what sets you apart and draws in potential candidates, including passive job seekers.
While building employer branding, focus on showing your organization's culture, values, and opportunities for growth utilizing social media platforms. Highlight community inclusion, employee benefits, and career improvement activities.
Effectively engage with current employees to make a positive buzz around your work environment. In a nutshell, give passive candidates a great reason to join your organization.Keep in mind that a solid employer brand not only helps in sourcing passive candidates but also assists in retaining existing talent.
Streamline Communication and Outreach
When reaching out to passive job candidates, it's vital to practice personalized and dedicated communication. Maintain a strategic distance from generic messages, instead, customize your outreach technique to each candidate's interests, aptitudes, and the opportunity you've got for them.
Utilize different channels such as social media, industry forums, and professional networking events. Do not depend exclusively on job boards or emails, there are alternative mediums you'll be able to use to expand your reach. Engage with passive candidates through meaningful conversations, offering valuable insights into your company culture and available opportunities.
Don't Rely Excessively on Job Boards
We can’t deny the effectiveness of job boards. However, they commonly pull in active job seekers rather than source passive candidates. To discover passive job seekers, explore alternative channels such as social media, industry associations, and employee referral programs.
Effectively take part in relevant online communities and gatherings where passive candidates may gather. By differentiating your sourcing strategies, you'll get to a more extensive pool of talent and increase your chances of finding the perfect fit for your organization.
Be Patient and Give Time to Respond
Sourcing passive talent can sometimes be quick, while other times a long process of waiting patiently. Here, persistence is key. Understand that passive job seekers may not be actively looking for new opportunities, so they may take time to respond to your outreach when you initially recruit and hire.
Avoid pressuring candidates or expecting immediate results. Instead, nurture relationships over time by staying in touch and providing valuable insights into potential career paths within your organization. Respect their current employment situation and demonstrate genuine interest in their professional goals.
Once Communication Starts, Move Quickly
Upon establishing the initial communication and the passive candidate responds positively, it's essential to act quickly and engage. While it's imperative to respect their time and decision-making process, delays can result in missed opportunities for you.
Don’t forget that your competition is also seeking to source passive candidates actively. Be proactive in planning interviews, providing additional information, and facilitating the recruitment process. Demonstrate your commitment to the candidate's success by offering a smooth and effective hiring experience.
Benefits of Recruiting Passive Job Seekers
Reach High-Quality Talent
Passive job seekers regularly have valuable skills and experience, making them profoundly alluring candidates. By tapping into this talent pool, organizations can discover talents who may not be actively applying for jobs but are open to meaningful opportunities. This allows companies to recruit top candidates who may not be visible on conventional job boards.
Decreased Competition
Since passive job seekers aren't effectively applying for positions, recruiting them can result in less competition compared to focusing on active job seekers. This gives organizations a competitive edge in securing best talent, as they have the opportunity to lock in with candidates who may not be considering other job offers.
Improved Retention Rates
Passive candidates are typically satisfied with their current roles and are less likely to job-hop. By recruiting candidates who are content in their current positions, but providing them with a better reason to join can diminish turnover rates and improve employee retention. This leads to more prominent stability within the workforce and spares resources associated with frequent hiring and onboarding.
Diverse Skill Sets
More often than not, passive job seekers are from a different industry. Hence, they bring in a new perspective to the job role with nuanced point of view and aptitude sets to the table.
When you source passive candidates outside of the active job market, you can discover a broader range of talent. This improves your team quality and gives a platform for innovation to sprout.
Strategic Long-Term Hiring
Selecting passive job seekers permits organizations to take a proactive approach to talent acquisition. By staying in touch with potential candidates over time, you can strategically fill important positions as they become available.
This saves time and resources spent on last-minute hiring process issues. It’s not necessary to build relationships with all passive candidates. Rather, understand the long term needs of the organization and keep a track of the top talents accordingly.
The Best Tool for Recruiting Passive Candidates - Skima
When you try to source passive candidates, one of the most difficult parts is discovering them. Where to go? Which platform to rely on? How to start? Several such questions impair your ability to think straight. But, did you know you can employ your own candidate pool to discover top talents? All you need to do is upload your database on Skima. Our AI and machine learning algorithms find the exact candidates for any job role. Skima ranks candidates based on their relevance to the job. Once you have the top talents for the job role, simply use social media and email to reach and understand their interest.
Recruiters waste hours screening resumes but fail to find quality candidates. If you too are frustrated with the resume screening challenges, try an AI recruiting tool that will guide you to recruiting success.
