Hiring and recruiting top talent for open positions at your company is a critical process that can be challenging and time-consuming. Hiring managers and recruiters often need help in sourcing and attracting qualified candidates for specialized roles. While traditional hiring and recruiting methods, such as job postings and candidate searches, can be useful, these methods may only sometimes reach the best talent available in the job market. This is where hiring and recruiting passive candidates using the best applicant tracking systems comes into play.
What are Passive Candidates?
Passive candidates are currently employed and not actively seeking new job opportunities but may be open to new job opportunities if presented with the right offer. These candidates are often highly qualified and experienced professionals, making them an attractive option for companies looking to fill key organizational roles. According to a LinkedIn survey, 70% of global hiring and recruiting comprises passive talent.
Hiring and recruiting passive candidates requires a different approach than traditional recruitment methods. Companies must proactively identify and reach out to passive candidates, as they may need to search for job opportunities actively for hiring and recruiting. This article will discuss 10 tips for hiring and recruiting top passive candidates.
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Know the Job and Why It’s Exceptional
To successfully recruit passive candidates, you must know the job and why it's exceptional. Top passive candidates who don't know you will only speak to you for up to two or three minutes and give you top referrals if you know the job. Top passive people must be looking, so you must offer instant credibility with a job with significant upside potential to get them to look for hiring and recruiting. Recruiters who know the job inside & out are more confident when calling, and they can use the hiring and recruiting screening process to create an opportunity gap. This is the difference between the person's current and hiring and recruiting for a new job.
Become a Partner with Your Hiring-Manager Clients
If you’re hiring and recruiting managers will put in the extra effort, if they will spend more time conducting exploratory interviews, and if they don't fight for a little additional compensation, your success at hiring and recruiting top passive candidates will be limited. That's why being a partner rather than a vendor is critical.
Recruiters who are partners have more influence. Managers will then interview candidates who meet most of the requirements of the performance profile, even if they still need to have all of the requirements listed in the job description. Bridging this gap is the key to hiring and recruiting more passive candidates, and using an applicant tracking system can help you further streamline the hiring and recruiting process.
Limit the Number of Calls to "Unworthy" Candidates
An unworthy candidate needs to be more competent or know good people. A worthy candidate is a potential finalist or someone who knows a top person who could be a finalist in the hiring and recruiting process. Since each cold call to an unknown person takes at least 15 minutes (to call, engage, screen, recruit, and get referrals), it takes much time to develop a short list of three or four well-qualified and interested passive candidates. Spending these 15 minutes with the intention of hiring and recruiting an unworthy person is a waste of time.
Know How to Work a Cold List
Whether you use LinkedIn, ZoomInfo, or a Shally Steckerl data-mining technique to find names of potential candidates, these are all cold leads, so you need to know whether they're worthy. When calling these hiring and recruiting lists, limiting your initial calling to the best 10 to 15 people based on titles and companies is best. You aim to reach these people and separate them into two pools in the hiring and recruiting process: qualified and unqualified. Then, the only network with people from the qualified list for hiring and recruiting without making these mistakes. Our experience indicates that you'll get one finalist and six great referrals for every ten deserving people you call. This form of hiring and recruiting takes about three hours. If you call a random list of cold names,
Recruit The Person Directly Before Getting Names
To attract passive candidates, it is crucial to grab their attention and get them excited about the potential opportunity. One way to do this is by leaving a voice mail that indicates you're leading a hiring and recruiting effort for a senior-level position in their field. This approach can pique their interest and make them more receptive to further discussions on hiring and recruiting.
Use Social Media to Your Advantage
Social media platforms like LinkedIn can be great for finding and connecting with passive candidates for hiring and recruiting. Utilize these platforms to search for qualified candidates and engage with them through personalized messages. This can help establish a rapport and build a relationship with potential candidates before beginning the hiring and recruiting process.
Offer A Compelling Opportunity
Active candidates are typically looking for something other than a new job, so it's essential to offer a compelling opportunity in the hiring and recruiting process that can persuade them to consider a change. Highlight the potential for growth and development, a flexible work environment, and competitive compensation to attract passive candidates. Also, tailor your pitch to the candidate's specific needs and interests for successful hiring and recruiting.
Provide An Excellent Candidate Experience
An excellent candidate experience is essential to attract and retaining top talent. Make sure candidates feel valued throughout the hiring and recruiting process by communicating frequently, being transparent, and providing feedback regularly. These efforts can help create a positive impression of your organization and make candidates more likely to consider future opportunities for hiring and recruiting through you.
Leverage Employee Referrals
Encourage your employees to refer qualified candidates and offer incentives to those who do. Employee referrals can be an effective way to find top passive candidates in the hiring and recruiting process. Employees will likely refer individuals they believe would fit the organization well. This approach can also help improve employee retention and engagement for better hiring and recruiting.
Continuously Evaluate and Improve Your Recruiting Process
Regularly review your hiring and recruiting process to identify areas for improvement and adjust your strategies accordingly. This can help you leverage the most effective methods to attract and retain top talent.
Recruiting and hiring passive candidates requires a proactive and targeted approach.
By following these tips, you can improve your chances of successfully recruiting and hiring top passive candidates for your company. Remember to stay focused, use a data-driven approach, and prioritize building strong relationships with your candidates and hiring and recruiting managers. Compare the best applicant tracking systems for better success with hiring and recruiting passive candidates. Hiring and recruiting top talent is sure to build your reputation.
