How can you engage with passive executive candidates?

Identifying passive executive candidates is the essential first move. Your network, referrals, online platforms, and industry events are prime hunting grounds. Look for those who meet your criteria in terms of skills, experience, values, and goals. Delve deeper by researching their background and achievements. This understanding allows you to connect on a personal level, grasping their motivations and aspirations. In the world of executive recruitment, finding the right match begins with the art of identification.

You’ve got to be where they are—high-level networking events, industry conferences, or even hitting the links. When you do reach out, make it personal. No cookie-cutter messages. Show you’ve done your homework. What unique opportunities can you throw their way that they aren’t getting elsewhere? Build a relationship. Offer value before you ask for anything. Maybe it’s industry insights, a report, or an introduction. Bottom line: Be strategic, be genuine, and don’t rush it. It will take time.

In my experience, engaging with passive talent has to be done in a passive way... Executive prospects engage in different ways, but most if not all will engage in discussion as experts in matters of opinion and perspective. Reaching out to potential, future prospects can be a more conversational process. Hi 'X', I'm working with the board here at 'Y' and we are starting to enter the market for a new 'Z'. Because you work in this arena, I wondered if you might have some time to share your perspective on where I might start a search of this nature...? Is that an obvious outreach? perhaps... does it work? In my experience, almost without fail.

Spotting passive candidates may initially appear difficult, but employing effective strategies can make the task more feasible. Platforms like LinkedIn, GitHub, and Stack Overflow serve as valuable talent pools, providing insights into a candidate's professional contributions and interests. These platforms play a pivotal role in shaping an initial perception. It's crucial to engage with such individuals in a respectful manner. Bombarding them with recruitment messages may be perceived as invasive and spammy. Instead, aim to establish a genuine connection, acknowledge their accomplishments, and express a sincere interest in getting to know them better. Taking a softer approach can generate interest and facilitate meaningful conversations.

Whilst it is crucial to foster individual connections with candidates there are alternative methods for staying in touch that don't demand extensive social effort from both parties, such as newsletters and company updates. By consistently sharing company news, accomplishments, and industry developments through periodic newsletters or updates, you can ensure your organisation remains on the radar of passive candidates. This approach also generates valuable content for future interactions and discussions with your network.

The initial reach out should be thoughtfully crafted. - Hyper personalisation - you should be ready to answer the question : why are you contacting me specifically ? - Relevance : highlight any key achievement in their career and link those to your company objectives - Don't share ANY job description but share enough to capture their interest. Finally, treat this interaction as a business discussion and not an interview in the initial stages. This is about establishing mutual interest first and showcasing the opportunity.

In my experience, engaging passive candidates require a long term strategy and it’s very different than the regular reach out to industry talent for job opportunities. Most of the Passive candidates are happy with their Job and driven by the purpose but they are open for networking with Industry leaders to discuss the interesting problems they are solving in the same field. Facilitating a business networking with company executive and then inviting those passive candidates for a business / tech talk in company hugely help to showcase company culture, people and cutting edge work we are doing which actually influences a passive prospect to a active candidate. Based on the true potential leaders help to map the candidate for right role.

Such passive candidates may decide to look at your message if you have appealed to them enough. How can we do that- Creating personalized messages by touching upon common grounds - it may be a common connection, interest, company, alumni, function or any other area where you can strike a conversation.It also pleases candidates to know that you have searched about them before actually shooting in the dark. Talk about/Appreciate their expertise and career advancement on how they have navigated their career journey to excel in their field. Slide in your message about the opportunity and ask if they would be interested in exploring and open for an initial discussion to know more.

I use a tailored message to reach out to such candidates and the most important thing I would say to them is that I do not assume they are looking out but their profile puts them as potential rainmakers for my client. Then it becomes a conversation starter and I honor my commitment not to sell the job but to have an open discussion about market opportunities and their potential value propositions. Most executive candidates would appreciate that kind of insights and also deem you as a thought leader in their industry.

Personalize your message by addressing the candidate by name and mentioning something specific about their background or experience that makes them a great fit for the role. Show how the role aligns with the candidate's career goals and explain how the candidate's skills and experience would add value to the organization. Use a conversational tone, rather than a formal one, to make the message more approachable. Include a clear call to action, such as scheduling a phone call or coffee chat to discuss the opportunity further. Be respectful of the candidate's time and privacy - don't be pushy or aggressive.

Just like a candidate, a great executive recruiter has a solid “elevator pitch” that can gain a candidates interest quickly. The pitch should highlight 1) who you are 2) who your company is 3) why they should care 4) some sort of call to action (more info, website, call, etc) If it doesn’t work the first time, don’t be a nuisance, but a follow up here or there is essential!

The reason why they are passive could be they are not ready for a move. If so, building rapport and using that as an opportunity to share about market insights can gradually inspire them to start thinking of their career next step. I have worked with passive candidates who moved into roles I connected them to, after close to 2 years of contact. It's all about the timing but when the timing is ripe, you will be top of mind.

You really can't push your roles to the executive level. This whole process has to be more of an interaction/conversation than an interview right from the beginning prescreening call. These conversations have to be subtly done to create a positive candidate experience and generate interest for the role. Avoid rigorous follow ups and agree on mutual timelines for each step.

Build Trust, watch your Language and Tone! - Send a thank-you note after the initial outreach to show appreciation for their time and interest. - Continue to keep the conversation going by sharing relevant information about the company, industry trends, or news. - Ask thoughtful questions to learn more about the candidate's background, goals, and interests. - Be responsive to any questions or concerns the candidate may have and provide timely and helpful responses. - Be persistent, but not pushy - check in every couple of weeks or so to maintain the connection.

Showcasing your employer brand is crucial for engaging passive executive candidates. It's about culture, benefits, and vision. Share stories, invite exploration. Your brand attracts talent that aligns with your values and vision. It's a must for engaging executives.

Before reaching out to potential candidates, refine your branding strategy. Ensure that your social media presence is current. Prior to submitting applications, many candidates research a company's brand. Additionally, social media serves as a channel through which organizations discover passive candidates. * Define Your Brand Identity * Consistent Branding * Target Audience Understanding * Quality Products or Services * Engage on Social Media

Highlighting the company's unique culture, values, and benefits on your website and social media pages makes a difference to a passive candidate. Also, Share employee testimonials and success stories that showcase your company's positive work environment and impact. As well, as participate in industry events, awards, and lists to increase visibility and build credibility. Offer unique employee perks and programs, such as flexible work arrangements, learning and development opportunities, and wellness initiatives.

It's all about being personable. Treat them how you'd want to be treated. - Understand their values - Ask about their future goals - Answer questions honestly That's all most people want 🙌🏻

Nurturing senior talent is a more involved process. If your company has events they run, corporate boxes or even roundtables they host then invite them. A VIP ticket to an event hosted by your company continues to portray you in a positive and differentiated light. Regular updates, even a no update update are always welcomed.

Nurturing the relationship is all about building a connection; Offer to introduce the candidate to other members of your team, or to other contacts in your network who may be helpful to them. Check-in periodically to see how the candidate is doing and if there's anything you can do to support them. Celebrate their successes and milestones, such as promotions or achievements. Stay in touch even if they're not actively looking for a job - you never know when they might be open to a new opportunity.

At its core, it's not merely about unearthing potential fits through algorithms and networks. Ah, no. Subtlety? Paramount. First, I diligently scour the corners of the industry landscape, parsing through the endless noise for the hushed notes of leadership brilliance—those execs satisfied but possibly yearning for more. Next, commences the art of the soft touch: "liking" a LinkedIn article here, extending an invite to an industry-specific webinar there, all the while fostering an ecosystem for serendipity. The final move is offering a conversation—no strings attached, mind you—centered around their career trajectory, thereby unlocking the gateway to unexplored possibilities. Intriguing? Quite.

Passive executive candidates tend to take the decision forward with thoughtful deliberation. For them to arrive at a decision requires time. During that time, the helpful thing to do is to provide insights from time to time in a natural way. Serendipitously the trust is built and you become their go-to consultant when the timing is ripe. I have worked with several candidates in this category for years and when the trust is built, it is a very meaningful relationship for both.

Don't forget that you are building a healthy long-term relationship (Candidate today, Client Tomorrow)! Asking for a referral by sharing the open position and explaining why you think the candidate would be a great fit is a very good idea. If the candidate is not interested in the role, ask if they know anyone who might be a good fit. If the candidate is not interested in meeting, thank them for their time and ask if you can stay in touch in case a relevant opportunity comes up in the future.

Asking for referrals definitely works at times. Obviously, these passive candidates have a fraternity of professionals with similar skills and are aware of who may be looking out and happy to help. Do ask if they would be okay if we reveal their name to the referred candidate or do they want to maintain confidentiality.

Engaging with executive candidates who are passive is something I've learned to do carefully. To begin with it's crucial to understand what they want, what makes them happy in their current job. Share a story about our company that makes it a GP2W to learn & grow. We let them know their skills are valued & making a big difference in team. Building a real connection is next step by knowing them as people not just as employees by talking about their interests, what matters to them, etc. But the most important thing is to be patient. These candidates might need time to think about changing jobs. So I keep in touch in a friendly way & don't rush them. Building a strong connection with these candidates takes time but it's worth it in the end.