How to play the long game with passive candidates on social media

Here's the bottom line on passive candidates: when you're searching for someone to fill a vacant role, 95% of the people you want just aren't fussed about switching jobs.

This turns your talent pool into a talent puddle, but, if you can get them, passive candidates are pretty darn awesome. Compared to active candidates, they're:

• 120% more likely to want to make an impact
• 33% more likely to crave a challenge
• 21% less likely to need recognition
• 17% less likely to need training

Basically, these are the folks you want. You just need to figure out how to get them to want you too.

Zeroing in on passive candidates

Before you can woo them, you've got to find them.

Figure out exactly what you're looking for in terms of skills, experience and the rest, and how this might look on social media.

Do you want candidates with a standard professional profile, or a glitzy, artistic portfolio-style page?

Use recruitment technology to scan social media profiles (LinkedIn, and maybe even Twitter, Facebook or Instagram) and find folks with all the right qualities.

Some uber-smart systems will even tell you how likely a person is to switch jobs within a certain amount of time.

Check, check and check again that your role would be a step up in terms of pay, progression or work-life balance, then reach out and touch base for the first time.

Once you've begun making those lovely connections, ask your new buds whether they can refer anyone else who might want to work at your company.

Chatting with passive candidates

Now you've found them, here are some golden rules for getting them on board:

Get talking

• Reach out on social media, but let them know they can chat via phone or text too
• Don't come on too strong – a quick hello with a smattering of your message will do
• Remember, it has to feel natural – you're starting a dialogue, not a campaign
• Be led by their interest, but never leave them waiting on an answer
• Try chatting when other recruiters aren't (give Thursday to Sunday a go)
• Don't make it awkward with their current boss by contacting them at work
• Talk about their interests, as well as the job itself

Shout your message from the rooftops!

• Be who they want you to be: up-front, friendly and with all the answers
• Share docs and other stuff that tells your brand story, and convinces them to be part of it
• Change up your job ad to focus less on the skills you're craving and more on opportunities
• Promote projects not positions – think: "Who wants to design the new iPhone?"
• Be a mind-reader; send over FAQ docs to answer any questions before they've had a chance to ask

Now, we get to the pro-level. Speak to newbies in your company to find out what has or would inspire them to take a new job.

Jot down what makes them tick to create profiles for certain job roles. Check this against your employer brand, and decide which bits and bobs would make passive candidates swoon.

Splice this info with what you know about specific passive candidates and create new job ads and other recruitment resources that reach and grab them in their unique motivation station.

Use social media tools to target these individuals, and similar demographics, to ensure you reach the candidates you want!

With all this in place, you'll super-size the chances of persuading those passive candidates to make the switch to your company.