Many employers know that passive candidates represent one of the best-kept secrets of the job market. These candidates are currently employed and not searching for new jobs, though they may consider the offer of a new position if one were to show up on their doorstep.
Amid persistent labor shortages, passive candidates are an untapped source of potential prospects. According to LinkedIn, 70% of the workforce comprises passive talent, which means recruitment marketing professionals who aren't targeting these employees are missing out. Because other employers aren't seeking them out, there's often less competition, leading to a higher offer acceptance rate. And because they're not shopping elsewhere for jobs, these candidates are guaranteed to be happy, loyal, high-performing employees.
As the holiday season approaches, many passive candidates reflect on the year and reevaluate their goals. End-of-year celebrations may mean many are in a good mood, and holiday vacations can result in additional flexibility for recruitment conversations and interviews.
With that in mind, below is a guide to help hiring professionals recruit passive candidates to fill roles this holiday season and move more quickly toward their strategic targets.
The first step toward engaging passive candidates during the holidays involves leveraging the employer brand. Use holiday-specific content to showcase company culture and convince them it's worth responding to recruitment messages. As the end of the year approaches, hiring professionals can post content showcasing employees who have contributed to the company's success and thanking them publicly for their service. Doing so will position the employer brand as one that encourages and appreciates its employees.
Additionally, to attract passive candidates, recruitment marketing professionals can dive into fun content, including:
Tip: Tools like Recruitics' JamyrTM help hiring professionals create video content and share it on social media, complete with multilingual translations, and transcriptions to reach broader markets.
Passive candidates aren't typically spending their holiday time looking for jobs. However, hiring professionals can connect with them on social media through valuable and engaging content. To adapt average social media content for such a purpose, hiring professionals can offer career advancement or goal-setting tips for the upcoming new year. They can leverage interactive polls and surveys to get passive candidates thinking about issues in the industry and what they value in an employer. And holiday-themed giveaways are a fun way to underscore the gift-giving season and make the brand more memorable.
The holidays are also an excellent time to use professional networks and associations. These organizations may host holiday networking parties, which offer an opportunity to meet passive candidates in person. Offering a holiday employee referral initiative that offers prizes in exchange for successful hires is worth considering. It helps turn employees into brand ambassadors and introduce holiday fun and gamification into the referral process.
Tip: Companies can access CollabWORK through Recruitics’ ReachTM Network, which leverages curated professional networks for quick, insightful sourcing, modern referrals, and quality candidates.
With all the hustle and bustle surrounding the holidays, hiring professionals need technology to help them efficiently engage passive talent. One tried-and-true tool is an applicant tracking system (ATS), which offers easy application submissions and the ability to track conversions from social media and other sources. Talent acquisition (TA) professionals can then quickly gauge the effectiveness of their holiday campaigns.
TA professionals can also employ talent search and engagement tools using seasonal campaigns. Passive candidates may use extra time during the holidays to connect with others on platforms like LinkedIn. Recruitment marketing teams can draw these candidates in with content like a New Year's countdown filled with valuable tips to help them reach goals or notable employee achievements that have helped move the company forward.
Holiday-themed email marketing campaigns work similarly as long as effective segmentation tactics are in place to ensure recipients receive personalized and relevant content. Hiring professionals can nurture passive candidates by highlighting exciting projects and opportunities coming up in the new year or showing progress on what the team has accomplished. It's also a good idea to showcase career development programs and offer a call to action for an informal chat or a visit to the career page to learn more.
It's unlikely that passive candidates would be willing to spend their free time filling out lengthy applications during the holidays. If hiring professionals want passive talent to engage, simplifying the application process will keep abandonment rates low.
Ensuring applications and career sites are optimized for mobile is also crucial, as it guarantees that candidates can access and fill out applications no matter where they are during the season. Recruitics' FusionTM Career Site Platform achieves that easily, ensuring a responsive design and advanced security to make mobile access a breeze.
Maintaining flexible interview options is essential. TA professionals should consider using a calendar app to allow candidates to schedule chats and interviews at a convenient time for them. Additionally, it is wise to conduct interviews via video conferencing apps on a candidate's phone or tablet, as that flexibility enhances the candidate experience, making it more likely for passive candidates to say "yes" to joining the team.
Tip: Recruitics partners with Qualifi, a company that helps with asynchronous candidate interviewing, which is especially valuable during the holiday season.
Passive candidates aren't in a rush to change jobs, as they enjoy their current position and are likely experiencing some moderate success. Consequently, they may not make concrete decisions during the busy holiday season. Hiring professionals, therefore, should keep in touch with them to maintain momentum and establish trust. Sending check-in messages to passive candidates who may have filled out applications or exchanged information at a networking event is a good idea, as is asking about the goals they have created for the year ahead. Then, include a note of how the organization may be able to help them get there.
As recruiting professionals engage with passive candidates, avoiding making it all about the organization is essential. Instead, content and materials should be offered around the candidates' particular areas of interest. Continue to invite them to webinars and in-person events that pique their curiosity. Send details of an open role that matches the candidates' skill set when one becomes available. However, don’t bombard them with constant marketing messages.
Engaging passive candidates means playing the long game. Recruitment marketing professionals should measure the effectiveness of their campaigns every step of the way to ensure end goals are met.
Some key metrics to track include the following:
Analyzing the effectiveness of holiday-specific campaigns means having concrete data to adjust approaches from year to year to attract passive candidates in future holiday seasons.
Tip: Recruitics’ Vision ProTM offers end-to-end, AI-powered talent analytics from interest to hire.
With over two-thirds of the workforce classified as passive candidates, hiring professionals who go the extra mile to engage them widen their talent pool and gain greater access to highly skilled professionals. At the same time, passive candidates are often motivated by a proper alignment with the company's mission and values, so they may be more likely to be a better fit and stick around long term.
Though passive candidates may not decide on a new job immediately, they may be open to staying in touch and hearing about opportunities that arise. When they see that hiring professionals are willing to build relationships with them and help them achieve their professional goals, they may develop a more favorable view of the organization overall.
Still, engaging with passive candidates during the holiday season takes careful planning and consideration. Hiring professionals who wish to build compelling campaigns should start planning for the upcoming holiday season.
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Recruitics' RX Studio helps those looking to build a solid employer brand to impress passive candidates and encourage them to take action. From organic social strategy to effective holiday brand content, the Recruitics team works with hiring professionals to identify the right brand voice and develop a roadmap to success.
Contact Recruitics today to take full advantage of the holiday season with a holistic recruitment plan.
