So you have an opening for a new position. You’re posting that job opening on your company’s website and also on LinkedIn. That means you should have a horde of superstar candidates from which to choose in no time, right?
Well . . . maybe not.
While it’s true that the unemployment rate is still high in this country, that fact does not mean the talented candidates you’re seeking are ready to break down your door in search of a new opportunity. Unfortunately, some employers believe they can just throw a job opening in the water and qualified candidates will attack it like piranha.
It might be more accurate to say that active (and often unemployed) candidates will attack the job opening like piranha. That does not guarantee that the superstar you’re seeking will be among them. In fact, it might be a longer shot than you think.
Some employers also believe that the social media site LinkedIn is a veritable “candy store of candidates.” Consider this: LinkedIn recently reported that only 17% of its fully employed members are actively looking for a new job. What does this mean? It means that 83% of the people on LinkedIn who are currently employed should be classified as “passive job seekers.”
What are the chances that the superstar candidate you’re seeking is among that 83%?
No matter how high the unemployment rate gets and no matter how many unemployed people there are in the marketplace, superstar candidates aren’t going to break down your door. Why? Because they’re superstar candidates—they don’t have to break down your door. Instead, you have to go get them.
In other words, you have to recruit them.
So what’s your strategy for recruiting passive candidates next year? How do you intend to find the superstars you need to take your company to the next level? How do you plan to ensure that your competition doesn’t find them and recruit them before you do?
Your answers to these questions could have a huge impact on your hiring success in 2012.