Passive Hunting – Thinking Out of The Box

Outsourcing Recruitment to An Outside Company is no more a topic to debate. I guess we have overcome the turbulence when it comes to analyzing the pros and cons of the Outsourcing Recruitment and selection process. By now, everyone has agreed that there is good ROI on Outsourcing and looking at the rate at which the RPO’s have grown, the stats too have a lot to say. It is undisputedly agreed that hiring outsourced Dedicated Recruiter’s to fill the talent is an economical and rewarding opportunity for organizations. Let’s go on to the other side and find out what RPO’s find as the most challenging job while they cater to their services. Hiring roles keep on changing as the job description keeps on changing. Not to forget that the candidate’s expectations are also a dynamic factor and the turning point in the Recruitment Process. What you have to offer to the candidate, may not be what the candidate is looking for. I am sure, as a recruiter, most of us have certainly heard a ‘Not Interested’ while pitching for the most lucrative job offer. This happens a lot while speaking to passive candidates. One might wonder how could he deny this role!

Working with passive candidates is perhaps the most challenging job for a recruiter. Well, that’s not all the time though! But to handle them all it requires is to change your perception. Try putting yourself in their shoes and figure out what interests them. A passive candidate will definitely not change their job for a raise in dollars. They are the ones who are pretty settled with their jobs, focused on what they want and are certainly not willing to change their comfort zone. They are the ones who have toiled to shape their career and build relationships at the existing workplace. Making them break the strong bonds and hop on to another plate is not as easy as it appears.

Hiring managers and HR individuals search for new techniques to catch hold of these unusual job-seekers. Many times it has also been noticed that even if they walk-through the entire Recruitment Process, there is a possibility that the candidate can reject the offer at the last minute!! It sounds annoying, but that’s the difficult world of recruitment.

Passive hunting can become easier when as a recruiter you change your approach. Think as a passive job-seeker and perhaps you could figure out how to plug them off from the existing role and plug-in to a new one!