{"id":999881457,"date":"2012-07-24T13:15:00","date_gmt":"2012-07-24T13:15:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.dice.com\/?p=861894107"},"modified":"2025-05-29T11:19:07","modified_gmt":"2025-05-29T17:19:07","slug":"20-top-tips-to-recruit-passive-candidates","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.dice.com\/hiring\/recruitment\/20-top-tips-to-recruit-passive-candidates","title":{"rendered":"20 Top Tips to Recruit Passive Candidates"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Sometimes the best hires aren\u2019t the ones actively looking for a job. Better known as \u201cpassive\u201d candidates, these gainfully employed professionals are reasonably happy, but might be willing to consider a more attractive offer. \u201cPassive candidates are not really as passive as they say they are,\u201d said Steve Guine (@IIT_Inc<\/a>), National Director of Staffing at IIT<\/a>. \u201cLike active candidates, they are more than willing to listen. The big difference being, they are more selective.\u201d Finding these potential hires requires recruiters to be more active in their pursuit, but it\u2019s definitely worth the effort \u2013 passive candidates comprise 84% of the potential workforce, according to the Department of Labor. How do you find these passive candidates, approach them, get your company on their radar, and ultimately recruit them? We asked experts in the field who have successfully recruited passive candidates for their advice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Top Tips for Recruiting Passive Candidates<\/u><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

1. Mine Your Applicant Tracking System (ATS)<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

You already have a great database of passive candidates, said Matt Charney (@mattcharney<\/a>), Senior Manager, Online and Social Media Brand for Cornerstone OnDemand<\/a>. Just go back a couple of years in your ATS. Do a deep dive and cross reference what those old candidates are doing now via social networks and people search engines like pipl<\/a>. Ignoring your own ATS has been quite an epidemic in recruiting. Jennifer Hasche (@JenniferINTUIT<\/a>), Lead Sourcer at Intuit<\/a>, noted in a Dice interview last year that Intuit had 230 submissions for one position in their ATS, but no one had looked at them. Chances are good those candidates would have been worth considering \u2013 Sixty percent of recruiter-submitted applicants are already in a company\u2019s ATS, said Sarah White (@imsosarah<\/a>), author of the HRTechBlog<\/a>. \u201cThese candidates, even if they\u2019re not looking, are almost always open to a conversation if they\u2019ve previously applied,\u201d said Charney. \u201cMany times you\u2019ll see that while they might not have been a right fit a couple years back, they are now as they\u2019ve had the chance to gain the necessary skills and experience.\u201d Similarly, Dice has a Passive Candidates tab built into our TalentMatch search tool. When you search for tech candidates by tech skill, geographical area or any other criteria, you can isolate those coveted passives who have had their resume in the Dice database for 365+ days.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Start Blogging<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

We\u2019re not the first to advise \u201cstart a blog,\u201d but there\u2019s a reason you hear this repeatedly. People engage around content, and producing relevant content via a blog presents you as an authority in your field for others to follow. \u201cDon’t write about your company,\u201d said Becky Carroll (@<\/a>bcarroll7<\/a>), Principal of the Petra Consulting Group<\/a>. \u201cWrite about topics that people in your industry should be considering, even if they aren’t looking for a job right now.\u201d Jessica Miller-Merrell (@blogging4jobs<\/a>) started Blogging4Jobs<\/a> in 2007 solely to reach passive candidates, answer their job search questions, provide value, and build a reputation as someone who cares. \u201c[A blog] is the best method in which to build a reputation and recruit with the passive candidate in mind,\u201d said Miller-Merrell. If getting started seems intimidating, read \u201cBlogging Advice for People Who Have \u2018No Time to Blog.\u2019\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. Flatter Passive Candidates by Simply Recruiting Them<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt’s a compliment to be pursued by a recruiter,\u201d said Sam Friedlander (@sfriedla1<\/a>), Senior Manager Pharmacy Data Warehousing at Kaiser Permanente<\/a>. \u201cIt\u2019s assurance that one is valuable to the marketplace, and it\u2019s a boost to one’s ego. The pursuit could ignite a thought in the passive candidate to consider an opportunity that might be better.\u201d Recruiters can take advantage of making a great first impression, but remember to be genuine and honest, not spammy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. Be Good to Your Employees and They\u2019ll Spread the Word<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

\u201cTreat employees as if you are recruiting them,\u201d said Justin Sherratt (@justinsherratt<\/a>), CEO of Sortbox<\/a>. If you want employees to speak positively about your company, they need to actually like<\/em> working there. Although it\u2019s often out of the recruiter\u2019s hands, a good work environment and employee brand are critical to attracting passive candidates. It\u2019s also important that current employees know when and for what the company is hiring. As Sherratt said, \u201cThe company\u2019s network is far greater than the recruiter\u2019s network.\u201d In addition, a great venue to get your employees engaged with prospective hires is within a talent community. \u201cLet employees act as brand advocates \u2013 touting your company culture, and even referring their social connections into the community for your hiring consideration,\u201d said Lauren Smith (@Laurn_Smth<\/a>), Marketing Director for Ascendify Social Recruiting<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

5. Inquire About Specific Talents, Not Job Seekers<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

After hearing lots of advice on getting referrals from people you know, we realized that successfully connecting with those referrals depends on how you approach the referral request. \u201cInstead of asking, \u2018Who do you know that is looking?\u2019,\u201d said Shana Farnsworth (@ShanaRandstad<\/a>), Delivery Manager for Randstad Technologies<\/a>, \u201cAsk, \u2018Who do you know with the same skill set or XYZ skill set?\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

6. Approach Recruiting Like Dating<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou have to think of recruiting long-term, and approach the conversation in a softer way,\u201d said Paul McDonald (@BuildASignHires<\/a>), Talent Acquisition Manager for BuildASign.com<\/a>. \u201cThink of it like dating. Let them know you like them and you enjoy connecting with them, and then you have to make sure you’re giving them a reason to be interested in you.\u201d One way to \u201cget them to like you\u201d that we heard from McDonald and many others is to simply be a resource of information (see: \u201cTip 2: Start blogging\u201d). \u201cHelping or being helped are great ways to have relationships be sticky,\u201d said Lorne Epstein (@LorneEpstein<\/a>), author of \u201cYou\u2019re Hired! Interview Skills to Get the Job.\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

7. <\/strong>Build Relationships With the Best People You Know<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhen you meet someone and think, \u2018Wow, I would hire this person,\u2019 you need to make a note and add the individual to your pipeline,\u201d said Kaitlin King, Communications Manager at WorkTraits<\/a>. You can start that list right now by asking yourself, \u201cWho are the best people I\u2019ve ever worked with?\u201d \u201cIf they\u2019re flipping awesome you\u2019re going to want to hire them at some point,\u201d said Dan Arkind, CEO of the applicant tracking system Jobscore.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

8. Study and Listen to Candidates\u2019 Real Motivators<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

As we\u2019ve reported before<\/a>, money is often not<\/em> the top motivator for job seekers, whether passive or active. Reasons for changing jobs can be rather varied. \u201cThe reason a passive candidate may be interested in your position could be something as simple as training or being closer to home in order to pick up their children after school,\u201d said IIT\u2019s Guine. \u201cPassive candidates are passive not because they love their jobs, but because they have a set work\/life balance that is comfortable and easy,\u201d said Evan Lesser (@ClearanceJobs<\/a>), Managing Director of ClearanceJobs<\/a>. The only way to discover those core motivating factors is to study candidates\u2019 backgrounds and listen to them. Why did they move from one job to another? Asking questions about a gap in work or a change in industry helps builds rapport, said Guine, and gives you insight into what makes a person tick.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

9. Keep Presenting Opportunities and Let the Response Guide You<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

It would be great if candidates knew exactly what they wanted when you interviewed them, but often that\u2019s only part of the story. \u201cKeep presenting them with opportunities and let their reaction and response guide you in understanding what they\u2019re looking for,\u201d said Casey Kott, Recruiter for Signature Consultants<\/a>. Even though you\u2019re constantly pitching job opportunities, make it clear that you\u2019re not making a hard sell. \u201cLet them know that you\u2019re trying to understand their situation, and if you present a job that they are not thrilled about, to please tell you to pass on sending them,\u201d said Randstad Technologies\u2019 Farnsworth. \u201cBe patient,\u201d said Joey V. Price (@JVPsaid<\/a>), CEO of Jumpstart:HR<\/a>. \u201cPassive candidates have the ball in their court and won’t make the leap unless you can compel them to do so. Often times you will need to communicate a unique value proposition that scratches an itch that is not being met at the current employer.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

10. Invite People to Events<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The best way to build rapport is in person, but meeting for coffee requires the candidates to dedicate their time to the recruiter. Better to meet or invite them to events that are mutually beneficial, said Rosie Pongracz (@rosiepongracz<\/a>), Founder of Pongracz Strategic Marketing<\/a>. For example, give them a heads-up on professional education and networking events within their background. Those opportunities present a low pressure yet valuable environment for conversation and relationship building.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

11. Present Yourself as a Subject Matter Expert, Not a Recruiter<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIn my experience, very few individuals who\u2019d be considered top, truly passive talent are willing to engage or build relationships with recruiters,\u201d said Cornerstone OnDemand\u2019s Charney whose advice for recruiting passive candidates is to not treat them as passive candidates. Top candidates want to maintain relationships with subject matter experts, not recruiters. That\u2019s why aforementioned advice such as blogging and attending industry events to build presence and thought leadership are strong assets. \u201cOnce that relationship is established,\u201d said Charney, \u201cIt\u2019s important to not be overly aggressive in trying to transform them into an applicant.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

12. Build a Candidate Referral Network With Other Recruiters<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

An unforeseen benefit of Miller-Merrell\u2019s popular blog, Blogging4Jobs, is that it\u2019s become a hub for her to build a candidate referral network with other recruiters. She forwards candidate inquiries to recruiters she has relationships with, and they return the favor, which further establishes her candidate referral network. Miller-Merrell claims that single emails to her network result in positions filled quickly, keeping active and passive candidates, along with her network of recruiters, working in harmony.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

13. Build Your Employment Brand With Top Industry Talent<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAsk the people in your office who the best people they know are,\u201d said JobScore.com\u2019s Arkind. \u201cYou want to turn them into an advocate for your company whether they work for you not.\u201d The goal of this effort is to build an employment brand with the best in the industry. \u201cHiring decisions are not made in a vacuum,\u201d said Arkind. \u201cPeople ask their friends about jobs. You want to make sure their friends think you\u2019re awesome.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

14. Follow Online Social Engagements With In-person Meetings<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Multiple people told us how important it is to meet in person, whether it\u2019s coffee, lunch or a networking event. Pongracz has been on both sides of the recruiting equation and the \u201cfollow up\u201d has been the divisive factor in her decision to work with someone. \u201cI can\u2019t tell you how many peeps have lost opportunities with me by not following up. And conversely \u2013 others that did, we\u2019ve worked together since,\u201d said Pongracz.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

15. Earn Your Social Street Cred<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Do whatever you can to connect, retweet and interact with top talent via Facebook, Twitter, and other relevant social spaces. \u201cDrive attention to them and let them know you’re both their promoter and part of their audience,\u201d said RJ Owen (@rjowen<\/a>), Customer Insight and Design Research Lead for EffectiveUI. \u201cAfter you’ve gotten a few replies to prove they’ve paid attention, then you can easily approach them with an opportunity that they’ll take seriously.\u201d \u201cThe more engagement you have with a potential candidate, the more likely you are to get their attention when you want it,\u201d concurred Tiffany Jennings (@writingthesurf<\/a>), Digital Zookeeper for Vitamin T<\/a>. In one such situation, Jennings developed an online then in-person relationship with a UX designer. Even though she knew he wasn\u2019t on the market, she asked if she could send positions that were opening up around town. Thanks to the trust she had built with him, he sent several referrals her way, and ultimately she placed him in a position.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

16. Embed Recruiting Messages in Your Marketing and Sales Efforts<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Marc Hoppers (@hops<\/a>), CEO of Cogent Company<\/a>, doesn\u2019t distinguish between business marketing and recruiting channels. \u201cWe make sure our clients and prospects know that we are not only looking for business referrals, but we are looking for personnel referrals as well,\u201d said Hoppers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

17. Emphasize an Ongoing Relationship With a Recruitment Agency<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe passive candidate has a big interest in keeping a great relationship with a recruitment agency,\u201d said Adina Balauru, author of \u201cHelp Me Find a Job,\u201d<\/a> who argues that recruiters need to sell their value proposition over the long haul. While passives may not be seeking a job today, they may be seeking one tomorrow, for themselves or for their company. Having a trusting relationship with a recruiting agency will be an ongoing benefit, said Balauru.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

18. Engage Passive Candidates in a Non-public Talent Community<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

One of the many reasons candidates may remain passive is they don\u2019t want their employer to know they\u2019re looking. \u201cPassive candidates can join [a talent community] without broadcasting to their entire social network,\u201d said Smith whose company, Ascendify, offers such a closed social network. \u201cCandidates don\u2019t run the risk of their current employer finding out that they\u2019re \u2018keeping their options open.\u2019 Only the members of that community can see them.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

19. Monitor Online Discussions for Industry Relevant Conversations<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

If you want to know who is hot in a specific industry, just listen. \u201cThere are millions of passive candidates who participate in hundreds of thousands of groups online. These groups are ripe for recruiting,\u201d said John Vlastelica (@vlastelica<\/a>), Managing Director of Recruiting Toolbox<\/a>. That doesn\u2019t mean you should just start soliciting leads, warned Vlastelica. Instead, monitor the group for a while, identify key contributors, see how other recruiters are being treated, and most importantly figure out how you can contribute to the conversation. \u201cPerhaps you can offer yourself up as an advisor on career decisions or share an interesting article or presentation given by one of your company’s leaders,\u201d said Vlastelica. \u201cThe key is to give something of yourself before you expect to get anything.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

20. Apply Pareto\u2019s 80\/20 Principle to Recruiting<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Pareto\u2019s principle<\/a> states that 80% of your results will come from 20% of your effort. Pat Sharp (@patsharptalent<\/a>), Founder of The Talent Architect<\/a>, in a blog post entitled \u201cRecruiting with Pareto\u2019s Principle\u201d<\/a> on SmartRecruiting, advised that you should focus your hiring process similarly. \u201cFocusing on 80% of a disinterested labor pool is a waste of resources. It slows down the hiring process,\u201d said Sharp. \u201cI think smart companies will focus on finding the 20% of the talent that can make a difference to their organizations. They will invest in their visibility as an employer (a marketing activity) so that appropriate talent will think of them first when they feel dissatisfied at work.\u201d While Sharp spends 80% of her time working with existing employees to get referrals, her key 20% effort is calling the person who isn\u2019t looking to sell them on making a move.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Conclusion: Pursuing Passive Candidates is Hard Work that Pays Off<\/strong><\/u><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

All of this advice seems like a lot of work, and it is. But it\u2019s key to realize that the work is cumulative. With a little effort and the right timing, the energy you put into recruiting passives today will likely pay off in the future. Photos from the SHRM 2012 Annual Conference Exposition. For more recruiting tips from the conference attendees, check out the Dice #SHRM12 collection on Flickr<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Sometimes the best hires aren\u2019t the ones actively looking for a job. Better known as \u201cpassive\u201d candidates, these gainfully employed professionals are reasonably happy, but might be willing to consider a more attractive offer. \u201cPassive candidates are not really as passive as they say they are,\u201d said Steve Guine (@IIT_Inc), National Director of Staffing at […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":132,"featured_media":861894107,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2154],"class_list":["post-999881457","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sourcing-candidates"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n20 Top Tips to Recruit Passive Candidates - Dice Hiring<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Sometimes the best hires aren\u2019t the ones actively looking for a job. 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