Every hiring manager knows how difficult it has become to recruit and hire top talent in today’s labor market. The US unemployment rate has been sitting pretty steady at 3.5%, a record low. While this is great for keeping a booming economy, it is a nightmare for hiring managers looking for good candidates. One way recruiters and HR teams can combat a dwindling active labor pool is to start targeting passive candidates. Passive candidates also offer access to higher-quality talent than what is often available in the majority of active candidates pools. We’re using our six decades of industry expertise to share how hiring managers can target and recruit passive candidates to their organizations.

What are Passive Candidates

Passive candidates are people who are currently employed but are open to leaving their position if a better opportunity comes along. They are not necessarily unhappy in their current job but could be convinced to leave that job if they feel your company can offer them more (money, PTO, benefits, work-life balance, etc.). Do not think that attracting and hiring a passive candidate will be easy though. Passive candidate recruitment requires a lot of proactive work on behalf of the hiring manager to sway them in the direction of the open position. Here’s how to do it.

Invest in the Proper Platforms

When it comes to sourcing passive candidates, investing in the right tools and platforms is crucial. These platforms include posting high-quality job descriptions on online job boards, posting on your company’s social media, running targeted recruitment campaigns on social media, and your ATS system.

Why Invest in the Proper Platforms?

Investing in these platforms will allow your HR team or recruiters to create a database of candidates that includes their names, contact info, and resume. Having this database of candidates information will allow your company to have your HR team to reach out to these candidates and start the process of recruiting.

Highlight Potential for Growth Opportunities

Passive candidates will need to know leaving their current job is going to be a better move for them. Hiring managers will need to be able to show the potential for growth opportunities should they take the position. When reaching out to passive candidates, be sure to make the message as personalized as possible and focus on the skills the passive candidates possess (per their resume) instead of hammering the list of duties and qualifications of the open position. For example, instead of explaining what skills the candidate must have, explain why the skills of the candidate would enhance the role. Additionally, passive candidates will need to have the benefits that differ from their current position and growth opportunities reinforced if they’re going to seriously consider leaving their job.

Strengthen Your Employer Brand

Why should anyone want to come work for your company? A company that has strong employer branding often has to do very little actual recruiting since top talent will naturally be drawn in. Strong employer brand is the image your company gives off to the public and usually involves good marketing, visibility of company culture, positive company reviews, community involvement, and upstanding brand reputation.

How to Strengthen Your Employer Brand

Start by identifying areas of weakness in your employer brand, consider things like: “How is our company perceived in the community?” “Are we active on social media?” “What are current and former employees saying about working here online?” If your employer brand needs a boost, consider implementing

– Community involvement – sponsor or co-sponsor a community event to build brand awareness.

– Allow employees to spend a portion of their time volunteering or, as a company find philanthropy opportunities.

– Create a dedicated marketing plan that includes digital and traditional methods of building brand awareness

– Implement a “culture by design” model to strengthen your company’s internal culture.

– Encourage employees to maintain a healthy work-life balance.

Key Passive Candidate Takeaways

The bottom line is that targeting passive candidates is not going to be easy. It takes a lot of work on behalf of your company’s recruitment team since these candidates aren’t actively engaged in a job search. Reaching out to these candidates is an often untapped talent pool that companies can learn to take advantage of, and can be successful at if done correctly.

About EG Workforce Solutions

We’ve been in this business for decades and have developed a deep network of professional connections. Whether they’re companies looking for talent, job seekers looking for work, or an up-and-coming store in need of some temporary help, we know the right people to bridge the gap between the hiring and the hired.

But what’s more, we get to know people. From employers hiring to candidates looking, we take the time to listen and learn. We hear your likes, talents, and needs. We gain an understanding, and with it, we’re able to facilitate lasting relationships between businesses and people.