Playing The Long Game With Passive Recruiting

In today’s job climate, talent managers would do well to adopt a proactive approach to talent recruitment. The goal: to prevent businesses from finding themselves in a lurch in the case of unexpected employee departures. As the pros know, it can take over a month to onboard a new employee when processing times and notice periods are factored in. The time it takes to find and engage new prospects, however, can take far longer. The more senior an available role, the more time and effort it will take recruiters to find a good fit. By implementing a passive recruiting plan your business can do the leg work ahead of its desired onboarding date for a specific role to ensure the least amount of time is spent finding a perfect fit.

How Passive Recruiting Works

Unlike a job listing that gives candidates an upfront view into what your company is looking for in their prospective employees and what your business offers, a passive recruitment strategy works like a slow burn. Passive recruitment relies largely on employer brand management, where your business builds a profile for itself that gives onlooking candidates a glimpse into your organization’s culture and opportunities. Instead of targeting unemployed or job seeking individuals, your business is marketing to individuals who are currently employed, but open to new opportunities.

These individuals may not be scrolling through job listings on Indeed or LinkedIn. They are more likely to engage with businesses they believe may offer them new and exciting opportunities to grow in their career. At the very least, these candidates may be looking to update the quality of their work life and would be interested in jumping to a company that looks like an inviting place to work.

Social Media and Employer Brand

With brand strategy at the center of passive recruiting, finding ways to showcase your organization’s image is an essential first step. With social media being the fastest and most accessible way to reach audiences, building a social media footprint cannot be overlooked. First, hone in on what message you want to send potential candidates. Passive lookers are more likely to pause for welcoming messages. This is a great time to showcase your company’s values.

With 42% of people reporting that a company’s commitment to diversity is important to them, your organization should be promoting their diversity policy. Use social media posts to share your business’s mission of being a place where different cultures, ideas, and backgrounds can come together harmoniously.

But this is not just about appearing inclusive. One study by Deloitte found that 74% of people associated diversity within a company with that business’s potential to be innovative. The connection is clear: different backgrounds mean different perspectives, which can play a role in how different people approach solving problems from unique angles.

Avoid Spinning Your Wheels

Passive candidates are not always eager to leave their current job situation. It is the talent acquisition team’s responsibility to lure a candidate’s interest. Targeting the right candidates, however, can narrow the pool of applicants you reach to make sure your outreach budget is being well spent. Targeted recruiting can help your talent acquisition team hire based on your company’s very specific needs. If the job is in-person and moving fees are not covered, candidates can be targeted by specific geolocation to make sure relocating does not impact their start date.

Paid ads can be utilized to target candidates who spend their time engaging with industry-related content on the internet. A makeup company looking to hire a brand ambassador can target visitors of women’s magazine sites. An animal rights organization can send targeted ads to individuals looking for their pets on a shelter’s website.

This kind of approach can lessen turnover rates, since the candidates being reached have already shown interest in your business’s mission based on what they engage with online, as opposed to individuals who may simply be trying to earn a paycheck when they apply for the vacancy via a job listing.

Make Your Business’s Mark

Having an online and targeted presence is essential, but not every potential candidate will be captured by data targeting. Another strategy to consider is occasionally hosting in-person recruiting events for interested candidates.

Partnering with a college or university could be one method of recruiting entry-level talent but can also be the start of a good impression your business gives young professionals as they begin navigating their career. They are known for job-hopping in those initial years, as well. If your business is near a major educational institution, partnering with those entities to host alumni events can attract more mature, refined talent to your business, as well. In addition, prospective candidates have a chance to hear from current employees about their experience within your company in a low pressure, noncommittal environment.

Remember, it’s also important to invest in your local community. By recruiting locally, your business is investing in building a long term positive reputation with community leaders that can turn into referrals faster than you think.

Slow and Steady Wins the Candidate

Passive recruiting may not turn at a fast pace or high volume, but your business can stand to reap better rewards by engaging candidates who are bought into your company’s mission. To summarize, get your brand out there quickly by engaging social media. Build your business’s reputation as a vibrant company open to all walks of life. Get serious with targeted ads that will keep you from spinning your wheels, and focus on a pool of applicants who are already interested—in some cases personally invested— in what your business offers.

MOJO Social will revolutionize your recruitment process. Attract active and passive job seekers that fit your job requests across the World Wide Web. Meet your candidates where they live and play.

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