Upwards of 70% of job seekers qualify as passive candidates. While these professionals aren’t actively hunting down a new job, they aren’t opposed to the idea of making a change. However, if you are going to attract passive talent, your opportunity has to be enticing.
Passive job seekers don’t always share motivations with their active counterparts. While all kinds of candidates cite a career opportunity as the number one reason for taking a new role, the ability to advance or enhance their career isn’t the only thing that can intrigue passive talent.
Job Seeker Motivations
Every candidate, both active and passive, is unique. What will entice them to make a change can vary, so it’s important to understand the potential factors in play. That way, you can highlight what you have to offer in the right areas or market to passive talent more effectively, ensuring you are showcasing facets of the opportunity and your company that align with their priorities.
When it comes to primary motivators, you can’t overlook the power of better compensation, more professional development opportunities, and improved work-life balance. These factors are described as the most important by candidates, with 49%, 33%, and 29% of professionals, respectively, citing them as decision-making influencers. If you can outshine the competition in these areas, you’ll be a more attractive employer in the eyes of passive talent.
However, there are additional motivators that you also need to consider. Many passive candidates will make a change to work for a company with a better culture. Community involvement, supporting social causes, and having a mission the job seeker can get behind can play a role as well, as this typically makes the work feel more meaningful.
Harnessing the Motivators
Most of the core motivations for accepting a new job aren’t a surprise. However, knowing what they are and being able to leverage them are two different concepts, and you need to be in the latter category if you want to attract top passive talent.
Harnessing motivators for recruitment success involves one critical thing: communication. First, you need to be able to demonstrate your employee value proposition effectively. Your brand needs to show that you are an employer of choice, offering your staff an exceptional experience that supports their needs, not just the company’s.
Additionally, throughout the recruitment process, you need to communicate with candidates. By facilitating meaningful conversations about which potential motivators would trigger a professional to make a change, you can address those points directly. Your efforts then align with areas they are passionate about, and that can have a significant impact on your success. Further, this personalizes recruitment and improves the candidate experience, ensuring they feel valued during the journey.
Similarly, keeping candidates apprised of their progress through the hiring phases is beneficial. When it comes to employer response times, 69% of candidates say that this is an area where they’d like to see improvement. By keeping job seekers informed about timelines, you are improving their experience.
Ultimately, passive talent is motivated by similar factors as active candidates. The main difference is that they aren’t experiencing the same sense of urgency. As a result, they may be willing to hold out for an employer of choice, so you need to establish a brand that showcases all you have to offer, allowing you to tap into this valuable recruitment source.
If you’d like to learn more about reaching passive candidates, the team at Cloutera can help. Contact us to discuss your questions with a member of our skilled staff today and see how our recruitment experts can benefit you.
