“Passive” vs “Active” Candidate Labeling

Given the right opportunity – anyone would make a change. I firmly believe this. It’s been a core belief I’ve held since I picked up the telephone for the first time in 1987.

To me – it makes no difference if someone is called a “passive” candidate or “active” candidate. What does that really mean, anyway? How long would a “passive” person be considered as such if they decide they want to move forward? Is an “active” candidate supposed to be treated any differently during the process? Do we assume they’ll take ANY job just because they are “actively” seeking a change? No! It all gets down to the very same thing: Opportunity.

What is the DIFFERENCE any way???? Or more to the point – who cares? Why is there this sense that one needs to fall into one category or the other? Anyone who makes any assumptions about a candidate based on where or how their name was sourced (phone, internet, Linkedin, grocery store run-in, a business mixer or any other way) is starting off at a disadvantage. Any preconception is a disadvantage in my opinion.

My thinking is that to make ANY assumption as to where one is at any given moment is a mistake. Presuming to know a person’s current interest level is bound to change how you begin your relationship. So why do it?

Each candidate contact needs to be treated the same. Now – I’m not going to get into specific recruiting scripts, etc. A recruit call can go many different directions. The key is to BEGIN the call the same way – with NO assumptions.

There is absolutely NO REASON to label candidates as active or passive. Every person can go from one to the other in a moment’s notice. The goal is to identify WHAT that person would make a change for. Period.

It’s about the opportunity – not the label.

Good luck!

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A Challenge to TweetMyJobs and JobShouts

I would like invite TweetMyJobs and JobShouts to a duel.

I am one of the many job tweeting skeptics. I’d rather not be. Believe me – if there is a way to utilize Twitter that provides results for my clients – I’m all for it.

I’ll admit – my tactics may not be the best. In fact – my approach to Twitter would not be considered any kind of particular strategy at all: Search for profiles with key words, follow them and hope they follow me back, tweet the occasional job description, ask other recruiters to help with splits, etc. So far the results have been non-existent. In fact the times I’ve asked ANYONE looking for a job in any field to send me a resume have resulted in just ONE reply.

That’s not only a poor result – it’s a clear indication to me that the way I’m going about this is all wrong. I want to change all that.

Here is my proposal. I have positions in HR, Engineering, IT, Manufacturing Management and Accounting. So to say “the people you want are not here” would really say that a high percentage of recruiting disciplines are not (can not) be served by efficiently by using Twitter – directly or indirectly.

I am inviting TweetMyJobs and JobShouts to allow me to use their services for the positions I am recruiting on. I will use their services as suggested and include the very same openings with each provider.

I will follow up the project with a complete and thorough evaluation of both tools. The results from both services will be posted on my blog as well as the well-known recruiting blogs.

Simple enough, right?

Interested?

Note: This is open to any other job tweeting service as well. If you’re up for the challenge – just let me know! You can reach me at 260-349-2723 or 260-347-1715

Edited to now extend the invitation to Tweetajob as well. Please join in the fun! I promise to do my best to fully utilize the tools as prescribed by you. It may end up being a very big project. I’m also going to suggest to Animal that we then have a show to discuss the results – the good, the bad and the ugly!