Sometimes, just sometimes, your normal online recruitment in Northern Ireland isn’t bearing fruit. You’ve done all of the ‘right’ things – put together a job advert, post it on a job board, optimise your careers site nicely – and yet, no one who is applying seems to be quite right for your vacancy.

Is the right person not out there, then? You can bet that this isn’t the case! It just means that you’ll need to delve into the (murky, to some) world of passive candidates… those people who aren’t actively seeking a job, but who might just be open to your approach.

There’s a real art to attracting and choosing passive candidates. Here’s how to do it.

Going hunting for talent online

Key to finding great passive candidates is hanging out with them in their favourite online spots. That tends to mean heading to social media, particularly the parts of it that are well-populated with professionals.

LinkedIn is an obvious platform on which to unearth talent. But remember that even if you don’t seem to find the perfect candidate straight away, such platforms are great for building relationships with the well-connected influencers who could put you in touch with one.

Of course, there’s a way to hunt for passive candidates online, and a way not to do it. A definite ‘no no’ is to thoughtlessly spam social groups with your job advertisement. Instead, try to show that you are credible and trustworthy by productively partaking in discussions.

The traits that make a great passive candidate

What kind of person should you make your next target? Well, the process is much the same as it would be for ‘active’ candidates. You will certainly want to find someone with a good reputation – if people on LinkedIn or elsewhere are saying the right things about them, that’s a massive green light.

As you’re probably looking over their CV anyway, it’s also a good idea to examine it for signs of continuous growth. Has the person stayed in the same job, at the same company, for 10 years? That’s not so attractive.

But what if they have been in many different roles, show upward progression and most crucially of all, are in a position where your vacancy could be their next big step? Yep, we think you stand a strong chance of success with this candidate.

Oh, and do they have the right attitude? This should be revealed through a look at the candidate’s social media presence, as should so many other things that would make them a great – or not so great – prospect.

So, there you have it – a quick guide to picking up the right passive candidates. These small tips could make a big difference to the success of your future online recruitment in Northern Ireland.