In the recruitment industry, the term “passive candidate” is thrown around a lot, but what does it really mean?  Maybe a better question is, “Why would someone really be interested in interviewing passive candidates?”

To answer the first question, a passive candidate is someone who isn’t looking for a new job, necessarily (according to a recent study, 70% of all employees worldwide are considered passive candidates – that’s a big pool of people!) However, top passive candidates are typically highly skilled and sought-after individuals in the marketplace. They are top performers in their organization who produce great results and therefore experience rewarding career advancement opportunities that keep them from pursuing jobs elsewhere.

I think the last sentence answers the second question perfectly. Why are people interested in pursuing top passive candidates?   Because they represent a proven commodity capable of making an immediate impact on your organization.

Even though that statement may be true, passive candidate recruiting can get even better! There are even more reasons why pursuing top passive candidates for your organization is a great recruiting strategy.  Here are three reasons that may have never crossed your mind.

1. Less Rehearsed Candidate

The internet is littered with websites designed to prepare you for interviews. In fact, google common interview questions. You’ll find page after page of results on the questions you might be asked and the best ways to answer them. Any smart active candidate will spend hours doing research so that when they get the opportunity to interview with you, they absolutely nail the interview. But are you getting the real them?

I would argue that the answer to that question is,” kind of”. On the flip side, a passive candidate who really isn’t actively pursuing their next position isn’t probably conditioning themselves to answer the questions a certain way. Because they’re satisfied with their current role and not planning on leaving, their answers to your questions will likely be much less rehearsed and possibly more “real”.  The bottom line is, they haven’t been preparing to the extent of active candidates so the answers you get may be more authentic.

2. A Chance To Be Exposed To New Talent

Ask any hiring manager, one of the reoccurring complaints we hear in the marketplace is that companies are seeing the same talent over and over when they have an open position. “This person has applied to this role every time we have posted it for the last couple of years.” If a hiring manager is looking to fill a critical role on their team, being presented with candidates they have previously passed on can be frustrating.

However, presenting passive candidates will likely mean exposing new candidates to the hiring manager.  From a hiring perspective, this should motivate the manager to be more engaged in the process and likely lead to a shorter time to fill.

3. Less Stressful Timeline

One of the often-overlooked benefits of a passive candidate pool is that there is less pressure to make a decision quickly. With candidates who are active in the market, they are likely in the process of interviewing with multiple companies. If your process is longer than your competition or perhaps started later, the odds of you securing a great candidate aren’t great. Even if you do extend an offer first, the candidate will likely be tempted to see what the other organizations they are interviewing with are willing to offer. You might even get caught up in a bidding war for a candidate that you will either lose or drive the salary range up for your position.

Passive candidate however, will most likely not be interviewing elsewhere because they weren’t looking in the first place.  If your process takes a little longer due to scheduling or having several steps, you don’t need to worry as much about the candidate getting another offer.  You are also less likely to find yourself in a stressful, costly bidding war for a candidate you have determined would be a great fit for your team.

At Titus Talent Strategies, we focus solely on these passive candidates for many of the reasons listed above. Finding great people is never easy, but if you are willing to target the right passive candidates, you can avoid some of the stresses of traditional hiring while adding someone that can quickly make a positive impact on your organization.

To learn more about our revolutionary recruiting process, connect with us!

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