The goal now, for you is to win them over and convince them to work for you instead.

Here are 3 easy steps on how you can encourage qualified passive candidates to become your employees:

Step 1: Establish contact

The first step in recruiting passive candidates is making that initial contact. 73% percent of candidates, both passive and active, are at least somewhat interested in hearing from a recruiter.

Approach candidates with confidence that they would be interested in learning about your offer. Highlight the benefits of the job and communicate why they’d be interested in your company.

According to a LinkedIn survey, more than two-thirds of candidates want to hear more about the responsibilities of the job; many also want to know why you’re reaching out (69 percent and 64 percent of candidates, respectively). So, be friendly yet professional about why you’re calling, but make it quick to highlight what the actual job entails. Make the first few minutes informational. You can pitch much more effectively that way.

Step 2: Get help from your current employees

Passive candidates are currently not looking for a job, so it might not always be successful if you’re reaching out to them directly. Instead, you can ask your current employees to refer passive candidates for the position. Having your employees refer their friends is an incredibly efficient way to hire since referred employees make up about  7% of the candidates but end up being 40 percent of the hires.

This could be an effective strategy because some passive candidates might be interested in working with a friend of theirs, even if their job responsibilities don’t cross paths. That’s why it’s important for companies looking for passive candidates to create better incentives for their employee referral programs, such as a bonus for both the referred and referring employee, or some sort of regular contest and prize.

Step 3: Find out their motivation

People have different motivations for staying or leaving a job. Depending on what kind of position you’re offering, you’ll need to emphasize different aspects of the work.

According to recruitment expert Lou Adler, recruiters should offer a great glimpse of what candidates want out of different kinds of career changes.

“If the job is a lateral transfer, the only reason the person will take it is for more money and more convenience. If it’s a downgrade, they’ll only take it for a lot more money. And if it’s a major career move, they’ll take less money than initially desired and sometimes no increase at all if the upside career potential is huge,” says Adler.

While remuneration is one of the biggest factors driving passive candidates, even a higher-paying job may not always be enough for a candidate to make the switch. Highlight how your job compares to their current one, talk up certain parts of the job more than others. You can offer a friendlier workplace culture, less commuting time, more work-life balance, and retirement benefits.

It’s true, winning over passive candidates means more effort and active recruiting for companies. But, by initiating contact positively and giving them an enticing offer, you may find yourself turning passive candidates to actual employees.

Need help in implementing an employee referral program? Contact Firstbird today.