Traditionally, many companies relied on a recruitment strategy where they are waiting for an opening in their organization before seeking out a candidate to fill the role. This is called reactive recruitment. This method may not be working as smoothly as you would like, so you may want to switch your strategy to proactive recruitment.

Proactive recruitment is when you seek to recruit employees for positions in your organization that are not yet open. It is gathering a talent pool of prime candidates, so you will be prepared when a job opens and get a quality candidate in the role as quickly as possible.

Why Would You Want to Switch to Proactive Recruiting?

Filling a role that has just opened requires a lot of time and resources. You must advertise the position, select the interviewees from a pool of newly gathered applications, interview the chosen candidates, and decide who is going to succeed at the role and fit into the company. There is also the pressure of bringing in someone new before the previous employee vacates the role to ensure a smooth transition without interrupting the function the role serves.

If you are unable to fill the position immediately, your business’ efficiency may suffer. This may leave the work of the vacant job to other employees, who may already have enough work on their plate. Also, if one department is not running smoothly, other departments may be slowed, which like a domino effect, can put the entire company under strain.

Imagine if you already had someone in mind to fill a role that is about to be vacated. Perhaps you would have already interviewed the person, and all that would be left to do is make an offer and bring them in! That would be so much more efficient and less stressful.

On the Road to Proactive Recruitment

It does not have to be complicated to change your entire strategy to proactive recruitment. Some of these may be steps you have already begun to take.

Step One – Hone a Positive Candidate Experience

Candidates want to feel important, so be sure to create an experience for them that is positive and personal. You are likely using software to do the bulk of the work, but you will want to make a personal connection with them. By establishing an authentic relationship with them, they can feel you really want to work with them.

If you use automated software that communicates with applicants, let them know a human is available when needed, and use language that reads personal.

Step Two - Assemble a Talent Pool

It is crucial to proactive recruitment to gather a good-sized collection of potential candidates to fill jobs as they open. Ask current employees for recommendations and offer an incentive for successful referrals. Scour social media and other websites to see who the next mover and shaker in your organization might be. Other places to find viable candidates are online communities and local events relevant to your industry.

Once they are in your system, you may ask them if they may be interested in other opportunities as they become available. If so, you can keep their contact information on file. Be sure to stay connected with them to maintain a good relationship and keep them interested in your company.

If you use automated software that communicates with applicants, let them know a human is available when needed, and use language that reads personal.

Step Three - Nurture Your Online Presence

Some candidates do not even know they may want to join your organization but being online and willing to chat is a terrific way to establish an online presence to reel in potentially interested candidates.

Learning the most effective SEO and developing your presence on social media is crucial to being seen by the talent you wish to bring in. Host networking events and job fairs both on- or offline. These are some creative ways to reach candidates you may not have reached before.

Step Four – Poach!

There are always going to be job candidates out there who have turned down offers due to a bad fit or negative candidate experience. There are also currently employed individuals who may be unhappy and attracted to a company that offers a better situation, such as a culture more in line with their values, or better pay and benefits. Prepare to reach these people!

Using your career page on your website is a prime place to advertise the kind of opportunities your company has to offer. Beyond job listings, you can include information about the culture, current employees, and fun events your company may host. Use photos to help the potential candidate envision themselves as part of your organization.

Look at other companies’ websites and be sure your organization will appeal to potential candidates more than where they currently work.

Step Five – Easy Application

Many applicants will abandon the form halfway through if it becomes too complicated or the process takes too long. In the beginning, request the basic information you need just to get the applicant into your system. When the candidate moves farther along in the process, more information can be obtained. This will unclutter the application process and improve the candidate experience. You will be able to get interviewees in the door sooner.

Conclusion

By implementing these five steps, you will be prepared for whatever job openings that may arise in the ever changing recruitment world. Proactive recruitment is a more effective and efficient strategy than reactive recruitment – that is, recruiting only when a vacancy occurs. Changing your strategy will improve not only the candidate experience, but also the recruiters’ experience!

Table of contents

You might also like: 

How to Create Attractive Social Media Job Ads

Discover how to create attractive job ads for social media to enhance your talent acquisition strategy and attract top candidates.
Helene Kvarø Holo
June 12, 2024
4 min

How to Make a Career Change

Learn valuable advice for job seekers and employers about leveraging transferable skills and potential over ticking all qualification boxes.
Sunniva Syversen
May 15, 2024
2 min

How to Create a Winning Talent Acquisition Strategy for Your Business

Learn effective strategies to enhance your company's talent acquisition and retention, ensuring long-term success with our comprehensive guide.
Johanna Jörgensen
May 14, 2024
8 min

What to Do When You Have Too Many Qualified Applicants

When faced with a large number of qualified applicants, it's important to have an effective strategy for selecting the best candidates for your position. Here are some tips for handling an abundance of qualified applicants.
Maren Mohn
May 2, 2024
3 min

A talent attraction advisor’s take on the industry right now

We sat down with Magnus, our Sales Leader, to delve into his passion for HR tech, his observations on industry evolution over the past four years, and his vision for the future of the recruitment market.
Helene Kvarø Holo
April 8, 2024
3 min

Three reasons why we would apply for these positions

What does recruitment marketers have to say about about great job postings?
Sunniva Syversen
March 12, 2024
3 min

7 Career Pages We Love!

Is the recruitment moving slowly? Are you getting loads of clicks and traffic to your career page without it yielding any results? Then it might be worth kickstarting the new year with a proper overhaul.
Maren Mohn
January 10, 2024
5 min

4 reasons why focus on marketing is essential to the success of your business

Marketing plays a crucial role in ensuring that a business succeeds.
Ella Hauge Sørlie
November 1, 2023

Attracting Top Talent with Recruitment Marketing Strategies

In today's highly competitive job market, finding and attracting top talent...
Johanna Jörgensen
February 24, 2023
4 min

Recruitment Marketing Trends of 2023

As we enter the new year, it's important for businesses to stay up to date on the...
Johanna Jörgensen
January 27, 2023
3 min

How To Write A Good Job Description

A good job posting should clearly and concisely describe the position and its responsibilities...
Johanna Jörgensen
January 5, 2023
3 min

A/B Testing Social Media Job Ads - What It Is And How To Use It

A/B testing, also known as split testing, is a method of comparing two versions of a marketing...
Johanna Jörgensen
December 28, 2022
2 min

Recruitment Marketing Software: The Future of Hiring

In the past, the process of recruiting new employees was done through job...
Johanna Jörgensen
December 6, 2022
5 min

Recruitment Marketing: The Power of Social Media

It’s no secret that social media has taken over the world. What began as a...
Johanna Jörgensen
November 11, 2022
4 min

How to Build a Strong Employer Brand with Recruitment Marketing

If you’re looking to grow a stronger employer brand, practicing recruitment...
Johanna Jörgensen
October 12, 2022
4 min

5 Steps to Switch from Reactive to Proactive Recruitment

Traditionally, many companies relied on a recruitment strategy where they are...
Johanna Jörgensen
September 29, 2022
3 min

Recruitment Marketing Statistics

Recruitment marketing is a process of attracting and hiring the best talent for...
Johanna Jörgensen
September 22, 2022
11 min

Recruitment Marketing: What It Is and Why It’s Important

So, what is recruitment marketing? Simply put, recruitment marketing is the...
Johanna Jörgensen
September 21, 2022
9 min

9 Ways To Reduce Your Time To Hire

These days, hiring professionals are under more pressure than ever before to...
Johanna Jörgensen
September 19, 2022
4 min

8 recruitment marketing activities to attract higher quality candidates

Looking for top talent can be a daunting task. It’s not easy to find the best candidates...
Johanna Jörgensen
September 16, 2022
5 min

The Top 7 Benefits of Recruitment Marketing

A strong recruitment marketing strategy is essential for any business that wants...
Johanna Jörgensen
September 15, 2022
6 min

The Onboarding Checklist for New Hires

This onboarding checklist will cover more than just filling out paperwork and...
Johanna Jörgensen
September 13, 2022
7 min

101 Recruitment Statistics

As the face of recruiting and hiring changes, many businesses are looking at...
Johanna Jörgensen
September 6, 2022
10 min

How to Use Video in Your Recruitment Marketing: Attract the Perfect Candidate

In order to find the best employees, you need to put your best foot forward in...
Johanna Jörgensen
September 5, 2022
4 min

What is Meta Special Ads Category?

An important step forward in the fight for an inclusive labor market. Here’s everything...
Johanna Jörgensen
August 29, 2022
3 min

10 Ways to Boost Your Career Site Conversion Rate

Sometimes, even if you are getting traffic to your career website, you might not...
Johanna Jörgensen
August 23, 2022
4 min

How Becoming Data Driven Will Improve Your Recruitment

Data driven recruiting has changed the face of hiring significantly. In a nutshell, data...
Johanna Jörgensen
August 11, 2022
5 min

How automation (of your job ads) fits into your recruitment strategy

Automation of your job ads is the way to go for a smoother recruitment process...
Johanna Jörgensen
June 13, 2022
6 min

Why cost-per-hire is an essential recruitment KPI

Chances are your marketing department already has several KPIs to measure their...
Johanna Jörgensen
May 13, 2022
5 min

What is proactive recruitment?

So, what is proactive recruitment? Unlike reactive recruitment, where you immediately...
Johanna Jörgensen
April 9, 2022
5 min

From employee to ambassador

Everyone knows that satisfied customers are the key to success. But many forget...
Johanna Jörgensen
April 9, 2022
4 min

5 reasons to automate job advertising on social media

Think about the automation you use in your everyday life: the coffee machine that...
Johanna Jörgensen
April 9, 2022
5 min

How to recruit proactively with work-life balance

In order to attract more talent, it is important for companies to place great emphasis...
Johanna Jörgensen
April 9, 2022
5 min

How talent shortage can impact your growth

Globally and in Sweden, companies are currently experiencing a challenging time...
Johanna Jörgensen
April 7, 2022
3 min

3 reasons why we would apply for these positions:

Do you need specific tips on how to promote the job advertisement you write? We look at three different job advertisements and what we believe they do right.
Sunniva Syversen
3 min