Much discussion has gone into the role of social media in the world of recruiting, particularly when it comes to connecting with passive candidates. Who are passive candidates? These are folks who are highly qualified individuals who aren’t necessarily looking for a new job, but whom would be interested in learning about new opportunities if the right one appears.
The LinkedIn graphic above shed light on what the average passive candidate looks like, which accounts for at least 80 percent of the adult workforce at any given time. While some of these folks are secretly thinking about and maybe even taking steps to find a better job, they are not heavily advertising because they like what they do currently. Yet, recruiters can use this to their advantage by connecting with and engaging with passive candidates using social recruiting tools.
Why is it important to attract candidates who are not actively looking for work?
Passive candidate recruiting offers a unique opportunity to tap into specialized skillsets, and present better candidates overall. This is a major benefit to recruiters, and to the clients they work for. There are several additional reasons that recruiters should focus at least a part of their time trying to engage passive candidates.
- Excellent credentials, career histories, and advanced degrees in their industries.
- Perceived as more loyal or reliable because they are not actively looking.
- Ability to negotiate for higher salaries and benefits, in a win-win scenario.
- Many are considered to be leaders in their markets, looking for a change.
Currently employed, but looking
The 2012 Candidate Behavior Survey, conducted by CareerBuilder, revealed some interesting, but not entirely surprising results. It found that, out of a huge number of candidates studied:
- 74 percent of people are actively searching for a new job or they are open to a new opportunity.
- Around 35 percent of people begin preparing for their next job within weeks of starting a new one.
- 69 percent of workers say that searching for work is part of their regular routine, even while at work.
- Most candidates are tapped into 14-15 resources, including social networks, in a job search.
This video explains more.
How does social recruiting help attract passive candidates?
Recruiting, as a whole, is actually a sales process, with elements that are similar to the marketing world. There is a unique recruiting funnel that follows this process from sourcing to hiring. As you can see from this funnel, there are several steps that recruiters must make in their quest for great talent.
With social recruiting however, this funnel can be sped up, as they are able to connect with candidates directly using social messaging and social events online. Instead of waiting for candidates to respond to job advertisements, recruiters can use social searching tools to actively look for these candidates and talk to them in a personal way. The concept of making the recruitment process more personal is what is driving social recruiting in many ways.
A best practice for any recruiter hoping to attract passive candidates is to create social profiles that invite others to connect, and spending time searching through social networks each week, looking for professionals who fit the bill for open orders.
