6 Methods to Recruit Passive Candidates That Work in 2024

With 75% of employers struggling to fill roles, the skills shortage remains a big challenge, especially in sectors like healthcare, where an aging population and demand for specialized services worsen the gap.

Beyond sector-specific issues, many employers find it tough to locate candidates with the right blend of soft skills (collaboration, problem-solving, adaptability) and hard skills (engineering, data, IT, sales, manufacturing).

While some active candidates are still searching for new roles, the top talent is usually content in their current jobs.

Traditional methods like cold outreach via email and LinkedIn are losing their impact, as candidates view them as spam. Today, candidates expect genuine, personalized engagement that shows you’ve done your homework.

So, how can you stand out without spending hours on each message? Here’s what works in 2024.

Method 1: Employee referral programs

Employee referrals are one of the most effective methods for recruiting passive candidates, and they’ve stood the test of time for good reason.

When your current employees recommend friends or former colleagues, it’s a strong indicator that the candidate is a good fit both in terms of skills and company culture. After all, employees are unlikely to vouch for someone who doesn’t align with the employer brand, as it reflects on their judgment too.

The statistics back this up: referred candidates are hired 55% faster and stay in the job 20% longer than those sourced through traditional recruitment efforts. This makes referral programs a powerful passive recruitment strategy for building a talent pipeline filled with quality candidates.

To make the most out of this method, start by establishing a structured employee referral program that incentivizes participation. Offer fixed cash incentives, gift cards, or perks like extra vacation days as rewards for successful hires.

The key is to ensure your team feels motivated and appreciated for their contributions. You can also increase engagement by gamifying the process, such as setting up referral challenges or recognizing top referrers in company meetings.

This method not only speeds up the recruitment process but also reduces hiring costs and increases retention rates, making it a cornerstone of any successful passive recruitment strategy.

On a practical note, software like Boon and all-in-one recruiting tools like Workable can help you keep track of referrals in a structured and organized way.

Method 2: Personalized outreach via warm introductions

Cold outreach on LinkedIn is losing its effectiveness. The days of sending the same InMail template to 20 candidates and getting a few responses are over. Today, responses are rare, and sometimes even negative.

To engage passive candidates, you need a more strategic approach. For example, you can leverage LinkedIn's second-degree connections by reaching out through mutual contacts. Craft personalized messages that show genuine interest and reference the mutual connection to establish trust.

If this feels time-consuming, tools like Crystal can enhance your messages by integrating personality data from their social media profiles into your CRM/LinkedIn, helping you tailor your outreach more effectively.

Alternatively, you can use Carv’s AI assistant to create personalized outreach messages. Ask your connection to hop on a quick call or share some details about the person you’re trying to recruit, and let the AI workmate craft a persuasive, personalized message for you.

Method 3: Be active in talent communities

Talent communities aren’t usually the first option recruiters consider when targeting passive job seekers, as they don’t always deliver quick results. However, they can be excellent sources of qualified candidates, so it's worth incorporating them into your hiring process if you’re struggling to find skilled candidates.

Here, I’m not referring to communities built specifically for recruitment—you won’t find many passive candidates there. Instead, I’m talking about online spaces where the candidates you’re looking for naturally spend their time.

For example, if you’re searching for Python programmers, you might find them in a Python-focused subreddit. If you’re looking for marketers, joining a Slack community where they share insights and challenges could be more effective than posting your vacancy on job boards.

The key is to identify the online communities where the best candidates are active and become genuinely involved in those spaces. It’s a long-term strategy that requires building trust and engaging authentically over time.

Avoid spamming members with job ads or aggressively messaging everyone. Instead, treat these communities as a slow-burning pipeline for passive candidates, allowing you to cultivate relationships that gradually yield great hires.

Method 4: Lead with what’s valuable to them

When reaching out to strong candidates who are satisfied with their current employers, a hard sell on your open positions is unlikely to pique their interest—in fact, it might even deter them from applying.

Instead, focus on how you can address a challenge they might be facing in their career or engage their curiosity without immediately sending a job description.

Unlike active job seekers, passive candidates are often more interested in new opportunities that offer greater challenges than their current roles, increased responsibility, or better salary and work-life balance. A strong employer brand might work in your favor too.

Rather than simply sharing job postings and hoping for a response, lead with what they would find most valuable. Consult with your hiring manager to identify key aspects of the role that could appeal to these candidates, and craft a message that highlights what’s in it for them.

If you have candidates in your applicant tracking system who have previously expressed interest in promotions, higher pay, or relocation, make sure to follow up with them—especially if your open role aligns with their aspirations and they haven't switched roles yet.

To reduce the amount of time spent on this method, you can use a tool like Carv. Add it to your meeting with the hiring manager and ask the AI assistant to create a series of outreach messages highlighting the different benefits.

Or even better, connect Carv with your ATS and ask the AI assistant to shortlist potential candidates for your open role, and to personalize the outreach messages for the specific candidates you’re trying to reach.

Method 5: Micro-events, hackathons, weekend workshops

Next on our list is micro-events. When you’re looking to engage high-quality candidates who aren’t actively seeking new jobs, you need to think strategically about where to find them. Organizing small-scale niche events can be a powerful way to attract these individuals.

Consider the types of focused events that would attract professionals in your target roles. If you’re hiring developers, you might host a hackathon or bring in an expert to run a workshop on a new programming language.

For data scientists or those specializing in AI roles, inviting an influential speaker to lead a roundtable discussion on AI ethics or a related topic can draw a diverse group of people interested in the future of AI.

The goal is to create a space that offers genuine value through skill development or industry insights. This way, your ideal candidates will come to you, and you’ll demonstrate that you’re a recruiter who truly understands and cares about their industry.

It’s a fantastic way to build lasting relationships with the best talent you might not normally have access to. Also, this approach sets you apart from the typical candidate experience, making it more memorable and engaging for potential hires.

Method 6: Hybrid AI-human outreach at scale

Finally, if you’re going to do outreach at scale, do it right.

Traditional sourcing often involves sending generic, impersonal messages to as many candidates as possible, which can reduce your chances of success and harm your employer brand.

AI-driven recruitment, on the other hand, enables you to reach a large number of candidates while still maintaining a personal touch. However, the key lies in combining AI capabilities with human oversight to ensure that your outreach is both efficient and meaningful.

For example, you can use Carv to scan social media platforms, industry databases, or your talent pool and surface candidates who fit certain criteria.

AI-based sourcing can analyze a wider range of data points and consider factors such as soft skills and unique experiences, helping you uncover candidates who might not appear in a standard search.

Once you have your list of potential job candidates, ask your AI workmate to check their profiles or the information you have about them. If could be resumes, social profiles, or previous phone call and interview notes, in case of candidates in your talent pool.

Next, shortlist the right candidates and have your AI assistant create personalized outreach messages that reference the open position and explain why their specific skill set makes them the ideal candidate for the new role.

Be sure to review each message to ensure it’s accurate and reflects your tone of voice. This step should only take a few seconds, but it’s the most crucial part of the process, so don’t skip it!

While this method might seem similar to template-based outreach, the difference lies in the personalization and relevance that AI can help you achieve. It’s a powerful and time-efficient way to source passive candidates en masse.

Over to you

As traditional recruitment methods lose their effectiveness, adopting innovative strategies becomes crucial when engaging passive candidates.

Whether through referral programs, personalized messaging, micro-events, or hybrid AI-human outreach, the goal is to build genuine relationships that highlight the value you offer, and make candidates feel seen and wanted for their specific set of skills.

Start exploring these methods today to ensure you attract and retain top talent for your team.