Full-Service HR

Proactive Recruiting Tips

Ella Baker
Proactive Recruiting Tips
Reading time 5 Mins
Published on Aug 23
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How to develop your talent pipeline

Proactive recruitment is the process of identifying and engaging potential candidates BEFORE a position becomes available. Rather than treating these them as candidates, proactive recruiters see these individuals as people with skills sets that may be useful to the organization at some point and take the opportunity to build relationships with them – allowing for a shortened time to hire when a position comes open. Proactive recruitment can enable your company to develop a pipeline of talent to fill roles quickly and ensure that they are the best individuals for the job.

Benefits of proactive recruiting

Proactive recruiting can offer many benefits for your company that can help you achieve long term success. Taking time now to cultivate relationships with potential candidates can help you save valuable time and money down the road.

Reducing your time to hire is probably the most powerful benefit of proactive recruiting, especially in C-suite roles and high tech and highly specialized industries. Posting a position, weeding through applications and resumes, scheduling interviews, and hoping you find the right candidates can be costly drains on productivity and time. When you have a recruiting pipeline with candidates you’ve already screened, you can dramatically reduce wasted time and continue your drive to success.

Traditional recruitment and hiring processes are transactional. Candidates go through the application process, are interviewed, and then, maybe, become employees. There is little built-in loyalty or relationship at this point with standard recruiting methods. Proactive recruiting allows hiring managers and recruiters to develop relationships that are often rooted in weeks, months, or years of effort. These preexisting relationships lead to trust and engagement from day one of employment – ensuring you have a more dedicated workforce with a vested interest in the success of your company.

Put search functions to work for you

Most online job boards or professional networks offer search capabilities for recruiters to use. Rather than running basic or general searches, you can easily put the search function to work for you to help you identify hidden pools of talent for your pipeline.

Rather than generic skills or job title searches, search using detailed terms that focus on the responsibility experience you need or highly specific skills your candidates must have. Use your job descriptions or postings to help you identify the keywords you should use in your searches.

When you identify potential candidates for your pipeline, reach out to them. Connect with them via their professional social network and share information about your company with them. Encourage them to learn more about your business and invite them to any open houses or events you may host. Be sure to share any job openings you have with them.

Use online and face-to-face interaction sources

Interacting with your pipeline is important. While face-to-face interaction may be limited by time constraints, technology gives you the opportunity to network with your potential future candidates anytime from anywhere.

Social media, resume databases and online forums are just the tip of the iceberg for finding talent. Other online opportunities for growing your pipeline include:

  • Blogs and online portfolio sites: Search the blogosphere for professionals in your industry that you’re interested in. Follow these individuals, read their posts, and engage with them online. Taking the time to build rapport with your potential future candidates online will allow you to gauge their skills and knowledge in the industry, while establishing a preexisting relationship. Portfolio sites allow you to see the talent of your pipeline, especially important with graphic designers, copywriters, and other creative positions.
  • Open House: Host a digital and in-person open house to identify future candidates who are already following your company and interested in learning more about your culture and team.
  • Network: Attend industry-related events and seminars to build your pipeline and connect with potential candidates.
  • Community involvement: More than ever, your potential workforce cares about what your company cares about. Get involved in the community where you do business and spark the interest of socially conscious future candidates.

Utilizing multiple outlets for connection will allow you to reach the broadest range, number, and type of talent. Don’t limit yourself when it comes to growing your pipeline of talent.

Don’t let existing applications go to waste

When you post a position, you may get several qualified candidates. The process of narrowing it down to a single person can be heart wrenching for both you and the interviewees. Don’t let the other talented candidates languish after you make a hire.

Let talent know that even though they weren’t the right fit for the position, you would like to maintain contact with them for potential future positions. This type of sourcing makes filling job openings with skilled talent easier and faster.

Candidate recruitment and Sheakley

Recruitment is often stressful, but you can make it easier by developing a pipeline of potential talent. Developing a proactive recruitment strategy will allow you to spend less time reacting to chaotic situations, and more time building relationships with candidates and ensuring that you’re hiring the right candidate for the job – rather than an adequate candidate who happens to be available at the time you need them. With more than 115 years of combined experience, Sheakley’s HR outsourcing and PEO team can help you determine the best course of action to achieve your company’s goals.

Get your free HR consultation with a Sheakley representative today. Stay up-to-date on all things Sheakley by subscribing to our blog and following us on social media. Join in the discussion by commenting below.


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