So-called "passive candidates" are neither passive nor candidates. They are potential employees who are not currently looking for a job because they work for someone else. This is how John Sullivan describes the best employees you may ever get in his article on ERE.net.
Sullivan compiled a detailed list of possibilities where and how to look for these top performers. You can search either by name or by their work results. You can also try reaching them by building your employer brand.
1. Search by name
- Referrals from existing employees,
- LinkedIn,
- re-recruiting your former employees,
- holders of various professional awards,
- speakers at major conferences,
- referrals from top performers who have come to your job interviews,
- hiring HR professionals who have calculated bonuses of key experts at competing companies and can give you referrals to the top performers
- experts with a high number of fans and followers on social networks,
- cold calling,
- recruiting several experts at once who are already a good team who you would not hire individually.
2. Search by results
- Participants in professional competitions,
- authors of instructional videos,
- authors of technical presentations shared online e.g. via SlideShare,
- authors of content on specialized websites,
- names found using search engines by entering keywords from the field,
- professional blogs,
- authors of patents,
- professional online forums,
- training communities of professionals in their respective fields,
- founders and staff of interesting startups.
3. Employer brand building
- Get onto lists of best places to work in a magazine or website
- Ensure media coverage of your products and corporate culture.
- Have your employees give presentations at professional events.
- Encourage employees to write about you on social networks.
- Publish instructional videos on YouTube.
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