With a job market in full transition to different styles of working, the needs and skills of everyday candidates are changing. To hire the best of the best and put the right person in the right seat, you simply cannot rely on “luck”. It has a lot more to do with being strategic, patient, and utilizing full resources than stumbling upon the right fit out of happenstance. What you need is a tried-and-true, proven process.

While many have tried the post and pray methods of recruiting (i.e., creating a job posting on a site like Indeed, Monster, LinkedIn Jobs, etc.), many have also failed with this method. One of the main hindrances of the post and pray method is that around 75% of candidates that apply directly to these postings tend to be underqualified. We have all been there as recruiters, sifting through resumes and applications that do not fit the bill, just hoping one might have the required skills for the role.

How can we avoid the “post and pray” method?

For starters, we can look at the methods that are successful and continue to drive that success. One of the most effective methods we have found for placing long-term, high-quality candidates is by actively seeking those out that may not be actively looking themselves. In recruiting, we call these “passive candidates”, or candidates that are already employed and working in a similar capacity needed for our open role. By intentionally seeking candidates in a similar role, we can be more confident that they will be a closer match in terms of skills and qualifications. Whether it is a matter of years of experience, a specified degree, certifications, or simply general knowledge, it takes a lot of the guess work out of initial recruiting. Furthermore, by seeking candidates that are actively working in a similar position, we can view the job history of success and growth within the company, targeting the highest achievers in the market.

With social media and technology at our fingertips, the ability to communicate through passive recruitment is only getting easier. The most popular platform for this tends to be LinkedIn, where many candidates highlight their skills and accomplishments within their public profiles, again taking the guess work out of finding the right match. The time saved by actively seeking out the right person, versus trying to get the right person to find you, is astronomical for both time and the amount of money saved in the process.

The next time you find yourself in a position to make a new hire, why not give this approach a try? Seek out that top performer who has already demonstrated they can achieve what you’re looking for.

At Titus, we hold weekly workshops on best practices for this approach – we call these workshops Hire 4 Performance. Join us for our next workshop by clicking the button below!