We all want the best possible people working for our companies, especially when it comes to senior hires and executive roles. This is an obvious statement and yet so many companies are forced to go for lesser candidates. Whether this is because of a lack of choice or better options for candidates, your company needs to prevent this from happening.

Tell your story

Reaching out to passive candidates could be the most successful move you make as an employer. However these people are looking for more than just a job that pays the bills, they’re looking for an employer and a role they can be proud to work for. A place that they will enjoy working within, after all, the workplace is where most of us spend the majority of our time. According to CareerBuilder, your company’s reputation is more important than the offered salary, given that 67% of job seekers would accept a lower pay check for a better company.

So with this is mind, you must describe the role and your company well, outlining your vision and values. Tell the story of who you are, where you want to be in the future and exactly why a candidate would want to work for you.

Be understanding

As you’re approaching passive candidates you’ll need to be aware of the difficulties associated with this. These candidates may not have an up to date CV or a single location with details of their experience. They also may not be thinking about changing their career. This is why reaching out to these people is so difficult and means you have to work so much harder. The main thing to remember here is to be understanding and honest. Show these candidates that you have already researched their qualifications and consider them to be perfect for the role. Explain why you feel this way and make it simple for the candidate to respond and find out more.

Create your online presence

If you’re not recruiting anonymously you’ll need to ensure that your online presence is up to scratch. With social media and the digital world being the first point of call for many candidates, you social platforms can be an eye opener.

So make an effort to craft your social networking sites, presenting your business in a positive light and highlighting the great people who work for you. By giving your business a personal feel candidates can get to know your company and what you’re all about. Keep these updated regularly so candidates can see that you’re a strong presence in the digital space.

Tailor your messages

Communication is key to ensuring you’re keeping those high level candidates interested. To do this successfully you must gain as much information about the candidate as possible. This means understanding their objectives, goals and career aspirations. From knowing this you can tailor any communication to this candidate and start engaging with them on a much more personal level.

So take these tips and start discovering a whole new world of high quality candidates that could drive your business to success. 

This article was brought to you by the guys over at Collingwood