How do you find and engage passive candidates?

Too many recruiters think approaching passive candidates is just sending a bunch of InMails to candidates that are not 'open to work' It's not. Passive candidates don't want to hear about a job. The best way to initiate the relationship is to open the lines of communication and reach out to them not with a job in mind but with the view of forming a relationship that could be mutually beneficial in the future.

LinkedIn is the biggest and only professional platform. When I recruited, most of my candidates came from networking. I would reach out to my pool of candidates that I already placed and I found all the other passive candidates by reaching out to them on LinkedIn. LinkedIn is a powerful tool for finding passive candidates but you need to know how to approach these candidates. You need to approach them by asking whether they or someone they know would be interested in your opportunity. You will also get many referrals that way. Of course, I have to define my ideal candidate, then I start my search by reaching out. I did not find it that complicated. I found many high-level candidates because I built long-term relationships.

Defining the target audience and identifying organizations that may have a similar mix of talent/skill, even if they are in a different industry is a great way to find the right people. Most times they are passive and currently working but in some rare occasions, they are actively looking but may be looking in the wrong directions. Indeed, recruitment is an art!

I absolutely agree with you but just a little bit of extra thing what I think always helps me if I add some particular information to my inmail what I saw on the candidate profile. For example a candidate worked for XY company and he mentioned on his profile he worked with XY technologies. It sounds on the inmail: “I really loved your working experience when you worked for XY company in 2020 and you worked with XY technologies.” The candidate will be very thankful that I read his CV and he will reply to me even if he is not looking for a job.

LinkedIn is one of the better platforms to use when reaching out to passive candidates. Looking for similar experiences to the one you're recruiting for will go a long way towards finding that "right fit". When engaging passive candidates, it's best to look for the common ground and acknowledge any similarities between your job description and the candidate's past experience. Also don't be afraid to use video! Post a short video of yourself discussing what you're looking for. As long as you're genuine, it will come across great!

I’d like to add, making great use of text recruit. Text recruit allows the potential job seeker to be contacted quickly via a text. I think adding the question during and on your first contact with the words… are you looking for a career change in the job description.

In all honesty, anything I write on this topic will be a rephrasing of what LinkedIn contributed. Yes, you'll need a multi-prong approach when looking to attract passive candidates. However, you almost need to reverse engineer that approach. For example, if there's an ideal candidate for you and you can view their profile, see what groups they're a part of. What are their interests? Where have they worked? What are they looking to do/go with their career? Once you have that, figure out what 'prongs' will likely strike a chord. Have you both worked at the same company? Do you both have a mutual connection that can strengthen your message? Perhaps your opening is an ideal next step position for that individual. You never know!

Engaging passive candidates requires a strategic and multi-channel approach. By leveraging various channels such as social media, referrals, and email, you can increase your chances of reaching and attracting passive candidates. Social media platforms allow you to showcase your employer brand and share relevant content, capturing their attention in their preferred online spaces. Referrals from your existing network can also be a powerful tool, as they come with built-in trust and credibility. Lastly, using email as a targeted communication tool enables you to provide personalized information and invite candidates to further discussions.

Passive candidates are often the best candidates. Using video via LinkedIn messages or other channels is a way to share parts of a position that may not be in the job description that may be attractive to passive candidates.

The way to be respectful is to know they might not be looking for a job. in which case, add value. Can you help someone negotiate a pay rise, negotiate WFH flexibility; literally improve their situation in any way? If you do that, you gain their trust and confidence. The underlying theme here is to make sure you have the best interests of the person at heart. Your personal/company motives come second

Something I'd like to add is that being "persistent and consistent without being pushy or impatient" has a very fine line and will differ between candidates. Something as simple as a follow up email before someone has responded to our first contact attempt can poison the well. We never want to seem desperate. I believe sometimes we forget about the "Power of One." One well thought out and planned phone call, email, or social media message to share a little bit about ourselves, a direct value statement, and a question to ask if the candidate would like more information. That's it. These candidates are passive for a reason. If they want what you have, they will reach out. Plant the seeds properly the first time and some will grow.

Engaging passive candidates requires a delicate balance of respect and relevance. Respecting their time and privacy is crucial, as they are not actively seeking job opportunities. Craft personalized and compelling messages that highlight what sets your company apart and aligns with their aspirations. Show genuine interest by listening and learning about their needs. Nurture the conversation through follow-ups and value-added content. Persistence and consistency are key, but always maintain a respectful and patient approach. By striking the right balance, you can capture the attention and interest of passive candidates, turning them into active participants in your recruitment process.

This paragraph expounds upon what I wrote above. However, I'll contribute something that isn't mentioned: READ. THE. PROSPECT'S. PROFILE! Some passive candidates will outright place a statement in the 'about' section or somewhere in the first half screen of space if they aren't interested in receiving recruiter messages. RESPECT THIS. I've reached out to several folks over the course of my career overlooking this and got back some fairly terse responses to my outreach. So, learn from that misstep. If a prospective candidate asks for privacy and not to be contacted...LISTEN!

Communicating in a "relevant" way means getting to the point and being transparent. Everyone is bombarded with messages, emails, and other demands of their time. Better candidates want to screen themselves any and ensure they're not wasting their own time. So, if you can provide key experience needs, a comp range, travel requirements, etc. you'll get a more interested, ready candidate.

Through my experience as a recruiter, I have learned that often when it comes to recruiting top talent, it is a long game that often has the most success. In my opinion, top recruiters understand the importance of building trust and relationships with candidates. If a role doesn't work out often recruiters will show less engagement with candidates and candidates take note of this. It is important to build a strong pipeline of candidates for future roles, and referrals, or to share opportunities with their network. The more effort a recruiter puts into building and maintaining meaningful candidate relationships the larger return they will see on their efforts.

The best candidates tend to hang out with other top talent. Never underestimate the importance of requesting a testimonial asking them to talk you up to their network. When I worked in primary education recruitment, many of my candidates were referrals, who were not actively seeking new roles but felt curious after they'd heard about the opportunities and service their friends had told them about. Don't be afraid to ask your candidates to connect you with others, even if they're not looking for work, 'just in case'. Similarly with potential clients that are a 'no', building a relationship and trust over time will mean that if (and when) the day comes that their circumstances change, you'll be the first person they will call.

As a Career Coach and Recruitment Insider, engaging passive candidates can transform your hiring strategy. Craft a compelling employer brand, highlighting values and exciting projects. Discreetly connect through networks and online platforms, respecting their current employment. Personalize messages, showing genuine interest and value your company offers. Provide insights on how their expertise contributes to growth. Understand their industry and challenges through thoughtful conversations. Patience is crucial; nurture the relationship without being pushy. Build relationships and showcase unique opportunities to attract talented passive candidates and elevate your team. Just a few thoughts to consider.

One effective strategy is to tailor each outreach message based on different DiSC profiles and their unique communication preferences and motivations. For attracting Dominant candidates, focus on highlighting opportunities for growth, challenges to conquer, and the impact they can make. With Influential individuals, emphasize the potential for collaboration, networking, and recognition. Steady candidates may appreciate messages that highlight stability, work-life balance, and a supportive team environment. Lastly, for Conscientious candidates, provide detailed information about the position, its responsibilities, and the organization's commitment to quality and precision.

One important asset of recruiting passive candidates is their sense of no pressure while being assessed for new job opportunities. As most of them are already working, their approach to active recruiters is more rational and less emotional than that of active candidates. That rationality gives them the power to carefully analyze every detail of how you, as a recruiter, approach them. Therefore, it is important to consider every word, every message, and every action in a very constructive way while always maintaining and adding value to the candidate according to the possibilities you can offer them.