Passive Candidates Are The Future Of Recruitment

Gone are the days where job placements would only be filled by those actively seeking new work: submitting CVs, contacting recruiters, and attending careers events. While this still goes on (to a much more limited extent), the world of recruitment has been torn apart by a digital earthquake! Modern technology has made it so easy for every Jack or Jill in the recruitment world to access CVs and profiles from job site databases and LinkedIn. This means that there’s often a severe dearth of talent within the pool of active jobseekers, because the ones who have the X-factor get snapped up – and pronto! No, the superstar you’re searching for is far more likely to be a passive candidate – someone who isn’t currently seeking new work, but may be open to hearing about a new opportunity. Here’s why.

If you want to access the people your competition aren’t, there’s only one way to do it. You need to be proactive, and make approaches even when it’s not clear they’re looking for a new move. The reason why is simple: the amount of people actively searching usually only numbers between 5-10% of the talent market. What are the chances that the best person will number amongst these? Particularly when it comes to management roles, active jobseekers are generally less capable, because the highest performers tend to enjoy the work they do, and smart employers will do all within their means to keep them on board. However, most people will still be willing to listen to the details of a new opportunity, when approached directly.

Take advantage of the data available to you through social networks, and personalise your approach based on what you can dig up. The telephone may be old-school, but it’s still the best way to get a response from your target. A further advantage comes from using an agency with a broad network of contacts in your field, as these connections can be used to make a powerful approach to the best performers on your behalf. The results of using specialists such as Crossley Scott can be phenomenal, with often more than 10x the access to the talent market on offer with active candidates.