Passive candidates aren’t actively job hunting, so you’ve got to get creative to catch their eye. The good news is, the same marketing techniques you use to attract customers can be leveraged to attract top talent. With the right messaging and outreach, you can turn passive candidates into applicants and fill your roles with A-players.
In this article, AboutHR’ll explore some of the most effective recruitment marketing techniques for reaching passive candidates.
What Are Passive Candidates and Why Target Them?
Passive candidates are people who aren’t actively looking for a new job. They’re currently employed but open to the right opportunity. Targeting them is smart because:
- They have experience. Passive candidates are usually already working in your industry or job function. They know the role and have proven they can do the work.
- They expand your options. Tapping into the passive candidate pool gives you access to more high-quality candidates. You’re not just fishing in the active job seeker pond.
- They may be a better fit. Passive candidates are often more selective since they’re not desperate to leave their current job. If they’re interested in your role, they’re probably a great match.
Crafting Compelling Recruitment Marketing Content
To attract passive candidates, your recruitment marketing content needs to grab their attention and highlight why your company is a great place to work.
Here are some tips for crafting compelling content:
Focus on your company culture and employee experience
Passive candidates already have jobs, so emphasize what makes your company culture and work environment appealing. Discuss things like:
- Flexible work hours or remote work options
- Robust benefits and perks
- Opportunities for career growth and learning & development
- A fun, collaborative atmosphere
Share employee stories and testimonials
Let your employees do the talking by including authentic stories and testimonials about their experience working for your company. This helps to humanize your brand and allows passive candidates to visualize themselves in a role at your organization.
Promote your mission and impact
Discuss how your company is making a positive impact and meaningful change. Many passive candidates are motivated by working for an organization that contributes value to society. Explain your company’s greater mission and purpose to tap into this motivation.
Highlight career opportunities
While passive candidates may not be actively job searching, they are still interested in career growth and exciting new opportunities. Promote open roles at your company, especially those with career progression possibilities. Discuss potential career paths and promotions to show passive candidates what they could achieve in a role with your organization.
Keep content fresh and spread across channels
Update your content frequently to keep passive candidates engaged. Share content on your website, blog, social media, email marketing, and anywhere else your target passive candidates spend their time. Repurpose and re-promote evergreen content to increase visibility and traffic over time. Consistently publishing new, compelling content is key to an effective recruitment marketing strategy.
Following these practices will help you craft content that inspires passive candidates by highlighting what a rewarding experience working for your company can be. With the right message, you’ll turn passive candidates into active applicants.
Measuring and Optimizing Your Passive Candidate Recruitment Efforts
Measuring and optimizing your passive candidate marketing efforts is key to success. Focus on the metrics that provide insights into what’s working and what needs improvement.
Website Traffic
Track how many people are visiting your careers site and job listings. Look for increases in traffic over time. See which job titles and locations are most popular. This shows you where to focus your outreach and advertising.
Apply Rates
The percentage of visitors who start an application is a sign of how compelling your job opportunity appears. Aim for an apply rate of at least 3-5% for passive candidates. If it’s lower, revisit how you’re presenting the role and company. Make the application process as simple as possible.
Source of Applicants
Track where your applicants are coming from, e.g. social media, job sites, employee referrals. See which channels drive the highest quality applicants. Then you can focus your budget and efforts on the sources that work.
Offer Acceptance Rates
The percentage of offers accepted is the ultimate sign of success. For passive candidates, aim for at least a 50-60% acceptance rate. If lower, re-evaluate your selection process and job offers. Make sure you’re targeting the right people for the role.
Continuously optimizing based on data and key metrics will make your passive candidate recruitment efforts more impactful over time. Measure, analyze, adjust and improve to reach more of the right people and turn them into enthusiastic new hires.
Strategies for using marketing to reach passive candidates
You now have some fresh ideas and strategies for using marketing to reach passive candidates. While traditional recruitment focuses on candidates actively searching for new jobs, marketing taps into the hidden talent pool of people who aren’t looking to make a move right now. With the right message and platform, you can attract great candidates and build a pipeline of talent for the future.
The key is to create content that educates and inspires.
Show what’s in it for them by highlighting your company culture, growth opportunities, and impact. Build your brand as an employer of choice and you’ll gain the attention and interest of ambitious, career-driven individuals.
Stay engaged with your followers and keep putting out valuable content to stay top of mind for when they are ready to make their next career move.
