Did you know that only 2% of job applicants actually receive an interview? That means 98% of applicants think they’re qualified enough to have a chance, but hiring managers don’t think they're even close enough for a conversation. It sounds like recruiters need a more targeted approach.
In the interest of efficiency, you should refine your sourcing so that it filters out unqualified applicants before they ever get to you. Don’t go with the strategy of just throwing out the biggest net possible and hoping for the best. That’s like trying to find a needle in a really, really big haystack. Save yourself some trouble. Make that haystack as small as possible.
A Huge, Unfocused Net Does Not Find the Best Talent
A refined, well-defined strategy is key if you want to find the best talent. Don’t make the mistake of thinking that you can just plaster a job description everywhere and top candidates will just fall in your lap. Does a great painter just heave paint on the canvas and hope for the best?
We call this strategy “boiling the ocean” and it's detrimental. There are a lot of reasons we caution against this strategy. First, it's inefficient. The hiring process costs money. Every job posting and every second that there’s an opening is costing that company something. Hiring needs to be efficient and targeted.
Second, this wide-net strategy is no better at attracting quality candidates. Typically, the majority of job applicants are unqualified, and only a fraction of candidates even get an interview. Some studies have shown that up to 75% of job applicants are absolutely not qualified for that position.
Boiling the ocean means that you might get a 3rd of applicants that you didn’t really want to speak to in the first place. Think of the hidden costs of processing all of the unqualified people you attracted and the harm to your employment brand.
Cut Through The Noise
Pointed strategies that filter out as many unqualified applicants as possible are the way to go. Tools like Geofencing, which looks for candidates in a given area, are very useful for this process.
With Geofencing, you can narrow your search to certain specifications, focus on geographical areas, and tailor the posting by location. If it’s an entry-level job that requires a bachelor’s degree from a selected field of disciplines, you can target graduating seniors on a specific campus. Or what if you are hiring very specialized project managers and you geofence the building in which a gathering of members of the Project Management Institute is holding a conference?
Geofencing places a small banner ad on their phones which pops up when they check the weather, stocks, social media, etc., and leads them to a short video about the opportunities.
Another useful strategy is looking for talent at companies that already have top candidates in the role you’re looking for. Now, some people may frown upon this because they see it as “poaching” employees, but there’s nothing wrong with that.
You’re looking for the best of the best, and sometimes top candidates are passive candidates who just haven’t been approached properly and with purpose. Leverage the stronger points in your employment value proposition to gain the attention of these candidates.
Look for Both Active And Passive Candidates
Your traditional search methods will probably work when it comes to locating active candidates, but that’s because those candidates are looking for you at the same time you’re looking for them. Passive candidates require an entirely different method.
Approximately 73% of candidates are passive candidates who aren't sifting through job boards and postings for hours a day. They're harder to find, harder to gain the attention of, and harder to close. It’s nearly impossible to effectively attract and source passive candidates manually, so you need to develop a suite of tools that will enable you to locate the best.
Tools like SeekOut, LinkedIn, ZoomInfo, and InsideView will help you identify candidates who aren’t explicitly on the market. Then, you’ll need to refine your approach and initiate personable and consistent contact.
If You're Diligent, You'll Succeed
A specific, targeted sourcing approach helps all parties involved. You don’t have to waste time screening unqualified candidates, and they aren’t wasting time by applying for a job that’s not right for them. But it’s not easy to refine your strategies to the point where they’re filtering out the wrong candidates.
You need to clearly define the role you’re trying to fill and what the perfect candidate looks like. Then you’ve got to tailor your techniques to that role and that candidate profile. Don’t limit yourself to active candidates. Find the best talent where they are currently employed.
If you can find a way to cut through the noise, you can follow up with all of the right tools and strategies to move the best candidates through the recruiting process.
For more information on how to locate the very best candidates, please download our guide The 3 Secrets to Attracting & Sourcing Quality Talent!
