Engaging passive candidates

Anna Scott

A survey published this week suggests that 40% of consultants in a range of sectors – including IT, financial services, oil and gas, technology and engineering – are not using recruitment agencies, which is making it difficult for employers to reach them.

The Professional Recruitment Network says that ‘passive candidates’ are a growing problem for recruitment agencies because they are so hard to identify. They also happen to be some of the best consultants in the market, who can find work easily through their existing networks of previous and current employers and their peers.

Of course there is a danger that employers are missing out on the best candidates and agencies are missing out on having as wide a range of candidates on their books as possible.

But this is an age-old problem: some candidates and employers simply have the networks in place that mean they do not actively need to seek work or candidates through recruitment agencies, or even more modern methods such as job boards or LinkedIn. 

And it’s not likely to get any easier with the number of self-employed people increasing in the UK. 

So what can the recruitment sector do about it? According to the Professional Recruitment Network, agencies can ask the consultants on their books to recommend their professional contacts, and check referees’ credentials who may be candidates for different roles.

Creating online communities can provide a way for passive candidates to privately share information about their work and LinkedIn and Twitter provide a means for agencies to engage with potential candidates by posting and responding to topics.

Recruitment agencies can also hold events for consultants that will help them with their career and develop and maintain a long term relationship with them, the Professional Recruitment Network suggests.

Of course not all consultants, or any other professionals, will feel the need to engage with recruitment agencies, but this guidance is a useful way of engaging those who might. It also should be borne in mind as good practice for nurturing and maintaining relationships with all candidates.