Wouldn’t it be fantastic if your recruitment message could remain the same when sourcing passive candidates from around the world? Life would be much easier…

I say this because I’m currently in the process of researching best practices for sourcing passive candidates. And, in all of my findings it seems that what works for one group of people, may not necessarily work for another. Solution: targeted messaging. I am sure you have heard this all before, but I think one of the most effective ways to source passive candidates around the world is to 1) understand what they value and 2) speak their language.

When passively recruiting, whether through mass email or other channels, it is important to modify your recruitment messaging to reflect your target audience’s interest. With a little research, you can determine what company principles these candidates value. In a discussion with one of my coworkers, I found out that in India some candidates prefer the financial stability of a company and the popularity of the brand name, as both will help them better network in business circles. While other candidates might be more interested in monetary benefits such as a retirement savings plan.

Further, one of the more basic, yet interesting, fumbles that recruiters can make when recruiting international candidates is word choice. Let’s take a simple example:

You recruit for a best-in-class company with an outstanding onboarding program. You want your new recruits to succeed, so you therefore provide a seamless onboarding program with the right training to help them transition successfully. Well, now you are opening an office in the UK, and you need some local talent to support your endeavor. When targeting a certain sector, choose the right words! So, while the word “onboarding” may be used in the UK, you might want to try using a more common word: “induction”. Why not try altering your messaging slightly: “We provide an unmatched induction programme because we want all of our personnel to succeed.”

Also, it is essential to have the right tools in place to drive your messaging. Sourcing and CRM tools usually make it pretty easy to send frequent, targeted messages to the right people. There is nothing worse then sending a message intended for Italian candidates to Japanese top talent.

Although you are an HR Professional, it’s important to leverage those basic Marketing skills when sourcing passive candidates. Target your messaging and you may just find you are sourcing the top talent needed to drive your company’s success.