Looking for an ironclad formula that will get passive candidates to listen intently when you call? Or one that will get them to call you back after they hear your voicemails? The reality is that while there are some pretty strong approaches that work for many passive candidates, there is no approach that works for all passive candidates.
As is the case with other areas of recruiting, successfully connecting with passive candidates happens more often when some basic marketing principles are applied. For example, marketing to a finance manager within the same industry is very different than marketing to a finance manager when you are asking them to consider a change in industries; such as switching from consumer products to manufacturing. And like good marketers, the most successful recruiters take a target marketing approach; one that recognizes the diversity of the candidates and does not try to please them all with the same marketing message.
Know what drives passive candidates
Too many recruiters seem to think, “That last guy I called just wasn’t the type of person that gets excited about better job opportunities. But this next person just might be one of those people who’ll be excited to hear about a good opportunity.” This is not the way recruiters should operate.
To successfully connect with passive candidates, you need to have a handle on their drivers — the motivations that get them to listen to what you have to say.
To be successful, you need to approach the market in a similar fashion to that of an expert in consumer marketing. Spending some time upfront to determine your marketing message by customer segment can significantly increase your response rates. The candidate pool can be broken into different segments based on geographic, demographic, psychographic, and behavioralistic characteristics.
Your marketing message can be tailored based on the different segments within the population. For example: if you are recruiting for a Re-engineering Consultant position with a manufacturing company, you might target candidates within the industry in like positions; these candidates may reside in the area or they may live on the opposite coast. Additionally, your candidate pool may include individuals from top or boutique consulting firms within the area or on the opposite coast. Given the candidate population, you may develop five or six slightly different messages; each one tailored to pique the interests of a specific candidate segment.
Do your homework
As a recruiter wanting to reel in candidates who aren’t even looking for opportunities, it’s vital to know what drives them before trying to reach out to them.
Spend some time upfront identifying your entire candidate population and then further defining the segments within that population. Recognize the diversity of the candidate pool and develop marketing approaches for each segment that will be sure to increase your response rates.
The most successful recruiters know what piques the interests of candidates from different industries and segments. Their secret is to throw away cookie-cutter approaches, and to find something — anything — about an open job that will connect with a candidate’s specific drivers.
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