Passive applicants may not be actively seeking new possibilities right now, but that doesn’t imply they aren’t interested. They are frequently willing to move or are at least interested in knowing more. However, there are certain differences in how you engage passive prospects.

Passive job seekers are those who are currently working and are not actively looking for a new job but would consider a suitable career opportunity if it presented itself. 

Many businesses want passive job seekers because they want applicants with a good track record of employment and those who are happy and successful in their jobs. Since there aren’t enough competent people to fill important positions, employers frequently target passive job seekers. 

In a tight labor market, finding, attracting, and successfully recruiting passive job candidates is vital for businesses to stay competitive.

The Need To Change Your Approach for Passive Candidates

According to studies, only 19% of candidates are actively looking for a new job. The remaining 81 percent are known as passive candidates. The fact that these passive applicants aren’t actively hunting for a new job doesn’t mean they aren’t interested in new opportunities. 

In today’s extremely competitive employment market, engaging with both active and passive prospects is critical if you want to attract the top individuals. Since passive prospects are unlikely to search job boards, you’ll need to discover other ways to begin the engagement process.

Ways to Engage Passive Candidates

Things are a little different with passive candidates. It’s not about you, it’s about them.

Why are you reaching out to this candidate even though they aren’t actively looking? What is it about them that is so appealing? These are some questions that need to be answered.

Here are a few ways you can use to approach passive candidates:

1. Reach Out to Them

The answer is straightforward — if you want to acquire more responses from passive applicants, improve your message writing skills.

Making a true, human connection with passive applicants improves your response rate dramatically.

2. Don’t Be Cold and Impersonal

Not everyone you interact with will be prepared to leave. Many of the candidates you approach will be content with their current situation. However, this does not imply that you should give up. These people are the frontrunners for future positions.

To keep the relationship warm and create brand engagement, provide them with useful material.

3. Follow Up Regularly

Receiving your first message just raises your chances of receiving a favorable response; success is not guaranteed. Unfortunately, the majority of passive candidates you contact will not respond. This isn’t to say they aren’t interested.

Since emails have such a limited lifespan, you can’t count on a candidate to remember to respond to your email later. Only 10% of email responses arrive after the email has been opened for the first time. This necessitates immediate follow-up; you must allow prospects to qualify their interest.

4. Share Your Brand Story

For interacting with passive job seekers, storytelling is a great recruitment marketing tactic. According to studies, 92 percent of customers want firms to create ads that feel like they’re telling a story. 

For example, expressing acknowledgment for well-deserved employees or publishing a day-in-the-life video of one of your employees online can demonstrate your devotion to your staff. 

These kinds of storytelling techniques can pique the interest of passive applicants and entice them to learn more about your firm.

5. Use Social Media for Job Postings

Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn, for example, are excellent channels for communicating with passive applicants. Using social recruitment tactics will broaden your reach well beyond the traditional job board. The greater the number of people that view your job posting, the more likely you are to attract, identify, and hire the perfect candidate.

6. Create a Referral Program for Employees

One of the most effective methods for locating potential candidates is through employee referrals. Not only will your staff be more likely to uncover excellent candidates who will remain longer, but they will also be able to initiate the engagement process on your behalf. 

Employee referrals, according to one research, can boost retention rates by as much as 30%. However, you must establish a well-defined employee recommendation scheme that is transparent and consistent.

Conclusion

Don’t limit your hiring options by merely looking for applicants who are currently employed. Instead, use hiring methods like social recruiting, storytelling, and employee referrals to extend your search to include passive prospects. When a candidate is considering a career change, you want to be on their mind.