In the midst of a lengthy and exhausting candidate search, have you ever wondered why it’s so hard to find talent? The truth is, great people are out there, but the best and the brightest are not actively looking for work. They are happily – or at least satisfactorily – employed. But why would you want to go after someone who is actively employed with no plans to make a change? While it may seem like an exercise in futility, the truth is, passive candidates often make the best employees.
You Know What You’re Up Against
When it comes time to make an offer to an active candidate, you don’t know who else in the market may be vying for their attention. When a candidate is satisfactorily employed, you know exactly who you are competing with – their current employer – and you can easily determine how you stack up in terms of salary, benefits, culture, development and more.
No Urgency, No Pressure
Passive candidates do not operate from the same sense of urgency or desperation as active candidates because at the end of the day, they don’t need your job. This makes them far more honest in terms of their expectations, needs and desires. They are more likely to tell you exactly what they want from a prospective employer, and they are less likely to exaggerate skills and qualifications.
The Time to Make a Strong Hiring Decision
When recruiting passive candidates, everyone can take a deep breath and take their time throughout the process – a luxury rarely afforded in an active search. Hiring teams can really get to know a candidate and make more accurate assessments of their long-term fit within the organization. Conversely, the candidate can also make a more accurate assessment. When a passive candidate says “yes,” you can be far more certain about their chances for success.
Smoother Onboarding
Employers that hire passive candidates quickly discover that they are much easier to onboard, starting with their first day of work. These talented individuals are 17 percent less likely to require skill development to bring them up to speed. Once they have a handle on their new employer’s procedures and processes, they are able to begin to contribute in a meaningful way.
The Art and Science of Recruiting Passive Candidates
Recruiting passive candidates isn’t easy. It takes patience, sustained effort and an eye for the long game in order to attract employed talent. Unfortunately, most internal hiring teams just do not have the time or the resources to invest in effective passive recruiting strategies. Working with a niche recruiting firm, however, can be an effective way to build a pipeline of passive talent, ensuring you have access to a deep talent pool today, tomorrow and well into the future.
If you are looking to develop effective strategies for recruiting passive candidates, partner with a leader in strategic finance, Information technology, and healthcare IT staffing. The recruiting experts at Systems Personnel in Buffalo, NY can connect you with the talent you need to keep your business moving forward, exactly when you need it. Contact us today to learn more about the ways in which we can help you achieve your hiring and retention goals.
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