Defining the Passive Job Seeker

By: Daniel Catterson
Date: 5/1/2007

One-quarter (26%) of employees are looking for a new position, and 44% say they are likely to leave their employer for another within the next three years, according to the EDGE Report, a survey developed by Robert Half International Inc., and CareerBuilder.com. This is the candidate known in the recruiting and staffing arenas as "the passive job seeker." The most highly sought-after candidate in the job market today is the one who, by definition, is not actually looking for a job at all. The passive job seeker is someone already gainfully employed. He or she may or may not be happy with their current job. Nonetheless, searching for a new job consumes little to none of their time. This candidate is however, proactive about his or her career path, and would consider changing jobs for the right opportunity. What makes this group of candidates unique is that they are largely made up of the most talented professionals found in the industry today.

Today's market and the role of the passive job seeker The economy has created more than 1.7 million jobs over the past 12 months - and more than 5.5 million jobs since August 2003. The unemployment rate is 4.5% - below the average of each of the past three decades. Analysts are also predicting that total employment within the United States will increase by 18.9 million jobs (13%) between 2004 and 2014. In the 2006 CareerBuilder.com Passive Job Seeker Survey, 54% of hiring managers said that they planned to recruit in 2006, and nearly 11% of them have planned to hire 200 or more workers this year.

Conversely, there is a labor shortage of skilled and qualified candidates that continues to frustrate recruiters. The availability of qualified talent is expected to tighten as Baby Boomers retire at an alarming rate, and smaller replacement generations enter the workforce every day. Already, 38% of staffing and recruiting companies have reported having difficulty finding good candidates today.

In order to continue to keep your recruiting process running smoothly, you must be willing to actively pursue the passive job seeker, or you risk losing top-level candidates for your clients. Increased competition over valuable candidates has led 42% of employers to shorten their hiring cycles, according to the Hiring Trends to Watch for in 2006 Study by CareerBuilder.com and American Online.

The best means to reach the passive job seeker
Most passive job seekers do a quick job search at least once a month to check for new and interesting opportunities. They often search for jobs after reading a career-related article on a newspaper website, MSN, AOL, CNN, or more. Other candidates search while relaxing with their laptop at a coffee shop; while on vacation, or when they get home after a frustrating day at the office.

Top resources for passive job seekers to come across jobs It is your responsibility to place your job postings where you know the passive job seeker is sure to find them easily. The most attractive job sources for the passive job seeker include newspapers and online job postings, as both of these mediums require little participation from the candidate. Once you decide to place a job posting on an online recruitment website or in a widely distributed newspaper, there are tips to help ensure that even passive job seekers find and apply for your opportunity.

You must be clear about the details of the position, and highlight the benefits of your client within the job posting itself. According to the CareerBuilder.com 2006 Passive Job Search Survey, 27% of passive job seekers said failure to include a salary range was a major turnoff. Unclear job titles left another 18% frustrated. Moreover, 13% said insufficient company background was an additional turnoff. Other details that job seekers are looking for, beyond competitive pay and benefits, include: information about career advancement, stability and growth; work/life balance; training; camaraderie, and a sense of ownership.

Additionally, consider the following statistics:

• 23% of job seekers say they are unlikely to continue applying to a job online if they have to register on the site

• 29% of job seekers say they are unlikely to continue the application process if it requires them to go to another site to complete the application

The passive job seeker is a highly coveted, but somewhat elusive candidate. They are available in large numbers, but remain ready and waiting for the right message, in the right place, and with the right company before making their next career move. It takes your complete commitment to lure this talented candidate away from his or her current employer and into a role with your client. Finding this candidate can actually be easy, as long as you know for whom you are looking and where they can be found.

Dan Catterson follows the Online Recruitment Industry for CareerBuilder.com. He can be contacted at 773.527.2430, or by email at dan.catterson@careerbuilder.com.