Here’s a question that begs for a good answer: are we overdoing it with the search for passive job candidates, already?
It’s something worth asking, because the search for passive candidates — defined here as “(people) who are satisfied with their current position and are accomplishing great things. They are not actively seeking a new opportunity and job hunting consumes 0% of their time — has turned into a modern-day quest for the Holy Grail.
It’s all about the notion that the very best candidates are the ones who are working away at their job, accomplishing a great deal, and not particularly engaged in looking for new employment. And, that rubs occasional TLNT contributor (and chief talent scout for Clear Channel Communications) Morgan Hoogvelt the wrong way.
He has an interesting post over at TLNT’s sister website ERE.net where he openly questions just why there is so much focus today on finding passive candidates, and, why it has become such a fad and a trendy thing to do.
What’s the big deal about passive recruiting?
Here’s the crux of his argument:
I guess I am at a loss as to why there is so much over-emphasis on “passive candidates.” Whatever happened to simply hiring the most-qualified, best-fit individual who can add their strengths in order to advance the organization? …
Passive, active, semi-active, inactive, submissive, reactive, retired, separated, etc. — shouldn’t we want to hire the best and most qualified individuals for our positions? Don’t we want to seek out and hire those who possess the strengths to improve the organization?
Right now, there are individuals knocking at our doors, and while not all of them are qualified, a lot of them are very qualified. Yet, a lot of these individuals are facing discrimination by hiring managers and recruiters who want someone who is working or someone who is passive. I have yet to see any study or statistical data that proves passive candidates to be more qualified, make better employees, or add additional value than those employees in the “other” categories.”
Yes, it’s a good question that Morgan Hoogvelt asks: what is the huge obsession with passive candidates, anyway? It’s a subject well worth digging into, and one that Morgan clearly knows a little about and has a great deal of passion for.