Active vs Passive Talent
I often have conversations with clients about active vs passive job seekers. LinkedIn among many sources suggest the workforce is made up of 30% active job seekers and 70% passive talent who aren’t actively looking for work. When hiring, particularly directly, hirers tend to focus more on the 30%, which is the minority and may not even contain anyone suitable.
Typically with active recruiting a business will promote a job using traditional channels; posting job openings, attending job fairs and networking events, and leveraging online job boards and social media platforms in the hope someone spots the advertisement and applies.
Passive recruitment on the other hand involves seeking out prospective candidates who are not actively looking for new employment. At GB Solutions we do this every day of the year to build a talent pool for our clients to access. In years gone by these would be the ”I’m not really looking but bear me in mind if the right job comes along” candidates.
Our goal with passive recruitment is to establish a connection with the candidate, build a relationship, and persuade them to consider suitable new job opportunities when they arise.
It may even come as a surprise but often candidates who are most active are irrelevant!
The majority of active candidates are unrelated to the vacancy. This is why you may receive hundreds of applications from applicants that don’t have the required skills and experience. Or might not live in the right location for the position. Quick apply processes online have in some ways made it too easy for irrelevant people to apply. Going through resumes will take a lot of time.
Conversely our passive candidates are already pre-qualified.
Next time you are hiring, or struggling to fill a current vacancy think about the active vs passive candidate dilemma. And drop us a line to access our talent pool which might otherwise be out of reach.
About the Author:
Mike Goode is our Managing Director, having co-founded GB Solutions in 1999. He works some of our higher level roles, and has a background in Accountancy & Recruitment. To find out more about Mike, click here.
