The Best Potential Candidates Are the Hardest to Reach

I think it’s safe to say that most companies strive to find the best possible candidate; life is a lot easier for everyone when the new hire is the right fit.

Today, a major problem companies are facing during recruitment is the increase in passive candidates. A passive candidate is defined as a potential candidate who is not actively seeking a new job but is open to changing jobs if an opportunity were presented. Estimates are that 75% of potential candidates are in this pool. If you only focus on one aspect of talent acquisition, you are missing entire groups of potential candidates. So, here is the problem: passive candidates won’t see the job ad you post to your favorite job board, nor will they visit your company career page.

That begs the question, how do you find these candidates when they are not looking for you?

• Build the right message – since candidates are not looking for you, getting in front of them starts with the message you want to communicate. It has to not only be a message of need but one that is relevant, informative, consistent, and humorous (humor is the number one way to reach people). It needs to have visuals such as photos, and video should be at the forefront of your central message. Think in terms of gaining and retaining attention through strong engagement.
• Place the right message in the right place – you already know that simply posting jobs or videos of jobs in your career center isn’t going to work to attract talent. Instead, you need to promote through social media channels. That means working with platforms that you might not immediately see the benefit of such as Snapchat, Instagram and especially Facebook. But since it is technical information, don’t forget LinkedIn, as it is a also a great destination to drive engagement.
• Respond to the message, quickly – Millennials and Gen Z candidates have been raised on instant gratification. That holds true through talent acquisition even beyond the younger generations. Since you are working with someone that is already employed and potentially satisfied, communication needs to be quick. You have to eliminate the idea of a candidate submitting to the organization’s schedule. Get back to the candidate quickly and don’t leave any dead time – because someone else will step in and steal the opportunity you had with this passive candidate.

With the right plan, you can reach those high quality passive candidates and turn them into exceptional employees. AMG Talent Acquisition Specialists can provide just that for your organization through a comprehensive strategy anchored in making your organization the envy of the neighborhood. That way, your house always looks in order, no matter who looks in, and highly qualified candidates are always welcome.