November 2015

How to Get Responses from Passive Candidates

To a recruiter, passive candidates may seem like a golden opportunity to attract a professional with a strong sense of loyalty and above-board skills. The hardest part is often connecting with the elusive candidate without being too “sales” oriented. While it is possible to accomplish this on social networking sites like LinkedIn, recruiters must still tread carefully so that they do not scare off, intimidate, or – worse yet – annoy a passive candidate.

Many recruiters have equated passive candidate attraction to the dating world. You may like what you see, but taking that first step and talking to the passive candidate is the hardest. Failure to take action could mean losing a valuable person. Coming on too strong could ruin any chance you had to begin with.

Try these suggestions for reaching out to passive candidates and getting them to respond in a positive way.

Put yourself in the candidate’s shoes

What is it that you’re actually sending to passive candidates? If you’re not sure of how your initial messages may appear to a candidate, take the time to send a message to yourself – wait 24 hours, and then read it to get an initial impression. Remember: These are people who are not actively looking for work opportunities, however with the right offer they may consider at least talking with you. Your initial communication with a passive candidate must be respectful of their time, and not overly pushy.

Explain who you are

Getting a message from an unknown source can be creepy to anyone. Be sure to explain in a non-threatening way who you are and why you were contacting a passive candidate. Keep your message warm and friendly. Make sure all of your social profiles are up-to-date, including your cover photo profile information and any open positions you are recruiting for. Remember: A candidate will immediately start searching for you online, so you want to shine in the best light.

Be complementary and specific

When a passive job seeker reviews your message, they will be able to tell immediately if it is a form letter or if you wrote it specifically to them. Review the candidate’s background carefully and compliment specific achievements that they’ve made. Recognize their value to appeal to their ego. If you have a common connection, make sure you indicate this in the message. Keep the message concise and discreet. Include your direct contact information. Let the candidate know you will be checking back with them within a specified amount of time.

Invite the candidate to self-schedule

Thanks to modern scheduling calendar software, it’s possible to invite the candidate to select a time that is convenient for them to talk with you about the career opportunity. This call to action can be very effective in getting a passive candidate to respond to your request. Clearly state that you want to find out what their career goals are and how you can help them accomplish this. This should appeal to any passive candidate who may be thinking about a career change in the near future.

Casey Accounting & Finance Resources, a winner of Inavero’s Best of Staffing® Client Award for the second consecutive year, can help your company meet all of its financial staffing needs. From a recent survey, the feedback we received was: “I am pleased with the professional service provided by Casey Accounting & Finance Resources.” Contact our award-winning team of financial recruiters today to get started!

With Fewer Job Candidates Comes Multiple Job Offers

After several years of a virtual dry spell of jobs in the Chicago region, now it seems there are not enough candidates to go around for the companies here. The unemployment rate has fallen to its lowest percentage in seven years. It’s a candidate-driven market by all expert accounts, which means active job seekers may be hit with multiple job offers at once.

What do you do if you happen to get more than one job offer? How do you choose the best company for your career? Here are some guidelines.

What is the company’s reputation in the industry?

Take a good look at the companies that are offering you jobs. Are they respected in the industry? Look for company reviews left by current and former employers for added insight. Check out industry publications and the Better Business Bureau site to see what clients are saying about the companies.

Also, talk to your own network. If you are staying in the same area, then there’s a good chance you know someone (or know someone who knows someone) who has a personal experience with the company. Making that connection can take some work, but it will pay off in the long run.

Is the company going in the same direction my career is?

If you can find a website portal, see what the company has been focusing on and where it’s headed. Press releases, new products and offerings, and the mission of the company should indicate this. How well does this fit with the goals you have for your own career? If there is a good match, then this may be the best offer to accept.

Considering the cultural fit is just as important. A high salary is great, but it won’t keep you happy every day. Do your potential co-workers focus on the same ideals that you value?

How is the company doing financially?

Review public financial records of each company you are considering to see if they are healthy financially. Did they offer you a basic salary and benefits package that seems a little low or is it just right? If you are not getting a good enough offer, go back to the negotiating table and ask for more. The right company will value you enough to consider adding more to sweeten the deal.

Casey Accounting & Finance Resources, a winner of Inavero’s Best of Staffing® Client Award for the second consecutive year, always welcomes great job candidates and helps navigate the complicated job search. Contact us today, and we’ll help you find the best accounting Chicago careers!

10 Tips for End of the Year Hiring

Is your website mobile-friendly? Can candidates find the jobs you are recruiting for while they are on their personal phones? With the smart phone, many people do not even use a laptop anymore, so a responsive website is required when advertising jobs on your website.
Once the candidates can find the jobs, how easy is it for them to apply? Too many pages and forms to fill out and candidates will move on to a more user-friendly job opening!
Have you spruced up your employee referral program? Do your employees know what it is? Share this information with your employees regularly.
Often, interviewing slows down at the end of the year, so it is a perfect time to pick up your interviewing while more candidates are available. This way you can have them on track to start working for you at the first of the year!
Scheduling hassles for interviews when hiring managers are traveling? Thanks to the accessibility of high-speed Internet and video conferencing capabilities, many resources are available to conduct the interviews online, so you don’t miss a beat.
How are your job postings on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter? Post openings daily to your company’s LinkedIn and Facebook pages, and Tweet 10-12 times a day on Twitter. Ask people to follow you and like you! Have the posts link back to your website to increase your SEO.
Who does the hiring for your company? Are they engaged? Are they excited about working for your company and can share that excitement with potential new hires? Having an employee who is not engaged or excited about the company interview new hires can quickly turn off a potential great hire!
Timing? Don’t let a lot of time go by from the first time you interview the candidate to the second interview. If you like the candidate, move quickly in the interview process. Chances are that you are not the only company who is interested in hiring this person! Make sure the interview process is clearly defined and progresses at a steady pace. Candidates have multiple opportunities under consideration now and an interview process that lags is one that loses top talent to others that expedite the interview process.
Have a hiring manager who “collects” resumes? Explain the job market and low unemployment rate to this hiring manager. It should be a priority to interview candidates as soon as possible or risk losing the great candidates to proactive hiring managers!
Flexible contract workers help to fill in the gaps during the hiring process. Often, these candidates are hired on at the company on a temporary-to-hire basis – once the company and the candidate both see how they can each contribute to each other’s success!

Monthly Archives: November 2015