How many times have you posted a job ad and got a flood of resumes from candidates? It can be frustrating to wade through all of those resumes just to find that none of them are a good fit. It’s likely that the candidate you are looking for isn’t actively looking for a job. About 73% of the workforce are passive candidates, or candidates that aren’t actively looking for a new job. It can be hard to turn these candidates’ heads when they are established at a company already. Here are 5 strategies you can use to attract passive candidates…

1. Employer branding

Leveraging your employer brand image is an important way to set yourself apart from the competition. Passive candidates are likely to have their heads turned by company with a clean, strong brand identity. A good way to do that is leveraging social media. 79% of job seekers use social media in their job search. When a passive candidate lands on your social media accounts, it’s important that company culture and values shine through. Take some time to do an audit of your brand image and social media accounts to see if they are helping or hindering your ability to attract passive candidates.

2. Tap your network

Use your network. Maybe you have a connection on LinkedIn that would be a great fit for an open position. Ask your employees or colleagues to look around their network for top candidates that can add value and experience to your team. As part of this, establish a referral program to motivate employees to always be on the lookout for great candidates.

3. Connect with them

Take the time to connect with passive candidates on LinkedIn, networking events, or other online communities. Instead of sending them a non-personal message, connect and build relationships with them. Invest time into the relationship so they will be willing to talk when it comes time to recruit them.

4. Highlight why your company is the best

Make it clear why your company is the best option. It can be helpful to make a list of the benefits, stats about company growth, and employee testimonials to have at your disposal while having conversations with passive candidates. Remember that these candidates don’t have to leave their current job. It’s your job to outline why your opportunity is better than the place they are currently at.

5. Use a recruiting firm

One of the greatest benefits of having a recruiting firm at your disposal is their ability to attract passive candidates. They can have conversations with candidates that you cannot reach or didn’t even know were out there. These firms dedicate every day to sourcing and attracting passive candidates from all types of industries and job functions. Specifically, our firm has established practices that we have seen work time and again to attract top passive candidates. When you as a hiring manager don’t have time to source these candidates, we take the load off your shoulders and do the heavy lifting.

If you are interested in learning more about our practices or have any other questions regarding how to improve your hiring process, please contact us.