Attracting passive candidates – Part one – What are they?

Question: Where should you place your job adverts?

Answer: Where candidates will be interested in seeing them.

Simple.

You should, therefore, place your adverts on, wait for it…jobs boards!

Why?

Well, when a person visits a jobs board, you can be fairly certain that they are interested in seeing new opportunities.

So, that’s it then. That’s all there is to it. End of story. Right?

Well, no, it isn’t. Because if you’re like many of our clients, you’re probably eager to attract those candidates who are looking for a job and those that aren’t.

It’s the non-job seekers we’re after

Strangely enough, recruiters often tell us that they’re keen on reaching ‘passive candidates’. Or, to put it another way, people who aren’t thinking about a new job.

Whether you can have both ‘passive’ and ‘active candidates’ is a moot point. However, put that thought aside whilst I try and explain the logic to you…

The idea goes that people who are visiting jobs boards are people who are keen (desperate?) to leave their existing job. They’re leaving their current work – the theory goes – because they’re either:

a. Unhappy

b. Not doing very well

c. About to be made redundant

d. Close to being fired

This all sounds sensible if not a little cynical.

Unfortunately, recruiters can develop this jaded view of candidates after hearing these reasons when interviewing for new roles. If you agree with this view – and I don’t – then these are not the sort of people you want to attract.

Passive candidates are the ‘cream of the crop’

You can perhaps understand then why many recruiters think it’s the people who aren’t looking for a job – passive candidates – who are the best people to attract.

The idea is that if someone isn’t looking for a job then they’re more likely to be happily working away, being productive and successful. These are the great employees that you want in your team.

So how do you attract these contented workers away from their sunshine-filled jobs?

These days, everyone has their price

Flip through many management books and you’ll read about a ‘Golden Era’ of employee relations. Workers and employers apparently used to have a greater sense of loyalty to each other.

This ‘psychological contract’ meant that employers treated their staff well and in return enjoyed strong loyalty and commitment from their employees.

At least that’s the nostalgic view of things.

In today’s world of downsizing, outsourcing and off-shoring a more cynical view of work has emerged. This is that employees – even good, happy employees – are looking out for No.1 and will always be ‘open to offers’. This is the pool of talented, passive candidates that many recruiters want to reach.

How do you reach these passive candidates?

If passive candidates aren’t visiting jobs boards, aren’t flicking through the ‘Help Wanted’ pages of their local rag and aren’t networking with people for job opportunities, then how on earth do you reach them? How do you attract the attention of someone who isn’t looking?

This is the difficult bit and the bit that keeps many recruiters awake at night.

I have a cunning plan

I have an idea on how you might attract these elusive star candidates into your organisation. It’s an unusual approach and one that few recruiters use.

It won’t be a quick fix. In fact, it’s more of a slow burn. But work it will. If you’re willing to put the effort in.

Please read on

Read Part Two of this piece and I’ll explain more to you.