How to Recruit Passive Talent in Your Industry
Most companies only start recruiting when they have an open position. By then, the best candidates are already off the market. The reality is that the strongest talent in your industry isn’t actively job hunting, and they won’t respond to job postings. They’re the passive candidates who are currently employed, performing well, and not checking LinkedIn for opportunities.
As someone who spent years in supply chain operations before becoming a recruiter, I’ve been on both sides of this equation. I know what makes passive candidates respond, and what makes them scroll past. This guide will show you exactly how to identify and recruit passive talent in your industry, even when they’re not looking.
What Are Passive Candidates?
Passive candidates are professionals who are currently employed and not actively searching for a new job. They’re not browsing job boards, updating their resumes, or reaching out to recruiters. They’re focused on performing well in their current roles.
But here’s the important distinction: not actively looking doesn’t mean not open to the right opportunity.
According to LinkedIn Talent Solutions, passive candidates account for 75% of the workforce LinkedIn. These are professionals who might consider a move if the right opportunity comes along, but they’re not going to find it themselves — someone needs to bring it to them.
Passive vs. Active Candidates: Understanding the Difference
Understanding the distinction between passive and active candidates helps you tailor your recruiting approach to each group.
| Active Candidates | Passive Candidates |
| Currently job searching | Currently employed and not searching |
| Browsing job boards regularly | Not checking job postings |
| Applying to multiple positions | Not applying to anything |
| May be interviewing with multiple companies | May be interviewing with multiple companies |
What drives each group:
Active candidates are typically motivated by dissatisfaction with their current situation, a recent layoff, career change, relocation, or urgency to find something new.
Passive candidates are motivated by career progression, solving bigger problems, leading larger initiatives, significant compensation increases, or company reputation and culture. They’re evaluating whether your opportunity is worth the risk of leaving a role where they’re succeeding.
Neither is better or worse. They’re just different talent pools that require different strategies. Active candidates are easier to find but face more competition. Passive candidates are harder to reach but often represent the strongest talent in your industry.
Why You Should Also Recruit Passive Talent
If you’re only focusing on active candidates, you’re fishing in a much smaller pond. Here’s why passive recruiting should be part of your strategy:
1. Access to top performers who aren’t on the market
The strongest talent is often already employed and contributing. They’re not scanning job boards because they don’t need to. If you want access to these professionals, you need to go to them.
2. Less competition for their attention
While dozens of companies are fighting over the same active candidates on job boards, you might be one of the few or the only one approaching a passive candidate with a relevant opportunity.
3. Better quality conversations
Passive candidates aren’t rushed. When they agree to talk, they’re genuinely interested in understanding whether your opportunity is the right next step. This leads to more thoughtful conversations about fit, culture, and long-term goals.
4. Higher retention rates
Because passive candidates are selective and making strategic career moves rather than reactive ones, they often stay longer when they do make a change. They’ve thought through the decision carefully.
5. Filling specialized or senior roles
For hard-to-fill positions requiring specific expertise or leadership roles, the best candidates are rarely actively looking. Passive recruiting opens up access to professionals with the exact experience you need.
6. Building long-term talent pipelines
Passive recruiting isn’t just about filling today’s opening. It’s about building relationships with strong professionals who might be perfect for future opportunities, creating a pipeline of talent you can tap into as your needs evolve.
The companies that consistently land top talent aren’t just posting jobs and hoping. They’re proactively building relationships with strong performers long before they have an immediate need.
Where to Find Passive Candidates
You can’t recruit someone you can’t find. The challenge is knowing where to look and what signals indicate someone is a strong performer who might be open to the right conversation.
LinkedIn (with the right search strategy)
LinkedIn is still your best tool, but you need to search differently than you would for active candidates. Look for:
- Profiles with recent activity (posts, comments, shared articles)
- Recent promotions or updated accomplishments
- Professionals who engage with industry content
- People with strong networks and endorsements
Industry events and conferences
People attending conferences, seminars, and industry events are investing in their professional development. This indicates ambition and engagement. These venues also give you the opportunity to have in-person conversations that feel more natural than cold outreach.
Professional associations and forums
Active members contributing to industry discussions, writing articles, or participating in association committees are demonstrating expertise and building their reputation. They’re often the thought leaders in your field.
Employee referrals
Your best employees know other strong performers in your industry. They’ve worked with talented colleagues at previous companies, attended school with impressive classmates, or met sharp professionals at industry events. A strong referral program taps into these networks.
Industry publications and thought leadership
Professionals who write articles, speak at events, or contribute to industry publications are showcasing their expertise publicly. They’re often passive candidates who are engaged in their field but not actively job hunting.
Social media and online communities
Beyond LinkedIn, platforms like Twitter, industry-specific forums, and professional Slack or Discord communities can reveal who’s actively contributing to industry conversations and demonstrating expertise.
Strategy: How to Recruit Passive Candidates on LinkedIn
Once you’ve identified passive candidates, here’s how to approach, engage, and successfully recruit them.
Start with Boolean Search on LinkedIn
Before you reach out, you need to find the right people. Use LinkedIn’s search with Boolean operators to identify passive candidates.
Build your search string:
- Start with core job titles
- Add required skills
- Add location if needed
- Exclude irrelevant results
Quick Boolean tips: Use quotation marks for exact phrases (“demand planning”). Use OR to expand your search. Use AND to narrow results. Use NOT to exclude terms. Use parentheses to group related terms.
LinkedIn’s built-in filters (years of experience, current company, industry) help you narrow results without complex searches.
Write a Direct, Personalized Message
Be upfront that you’re recruiting. The key is personalization, not hiding your intent.
Here’s what works:
“I’m recruiting for a Director of Supply Chain Planning role at [Company]. I came across your work on reducing lead times by 30% at [Company] and thought you might be interested in a similar challenge at larger scale. Would you be open to a brief conversation?”
“We’re launching a lean manufacturing initiative at [Company] and looking for someone to lead it. Your experience implementing lean at [Company] is exactly what we need. I’d like to tell you more about the opportunity if you’re open to exploring it.”
Your message should be clear about the role, reference something specific about their background, explain why you thought of them, and be three to four sentences max.
Research each person for 5 minutes before reaching out. Find one relevant accomplishment or project. Write something specific to them, not a template you’re sending to 50 people.
Build Relationships Before You Need Them
The best passive recruiting starts months before you have an opening.
Connect with 10-15 strong professionals in your industry every quarter. Comment on their posts. Share relevant content. Make introductions within your network. Track what matters to each person in a simple spreadsheet.
When you eventually have an opportunity, you’re not a stranger. You’re someone they’ve interacted with professionally. This makes a significant difference in response rates and trust.
The First Conversation: Be Clear About the Opportunity
When a passive candidate responds to your message, respect their time. Share the key details upfront via message or email.
Explain the role, the company, and why you thought they’d be a good fit. Include specifics: responsibilities, reporting structure, team size, and compensation range if you have it.
Ask if they’d like to learn more or if they have initial questions. If they’re interested, then schedule a brief call to discuss further.
Don’t ask for a call before sharing what the opportunity actually is. And don’t send vague “let’s chat about your career goals” messages. Passive candidates are busy. Give them enough information to decide if it’s worth their time to continue the conversation.
Understand What Makes Them Move
Passive candidates don’t move for small improvements. They need compelling reasons to leave a role where they’re succeeding.
What doesn’t work: 10% salary bumps, vague culture claims, same title, unclear growth promises.
What does work: 20-30% compensation increase, leading larger initiatives, building their own team, elevated role with clear executive path, visible impact in a growing company.
Before approaching someone, define what’s specifically better about your opportunity. Quantify it — budget, team size, revenue impact. Articulate the career path beyond this role.
Tips to Help You Get the Most Out of LinkedIn Recruiting
Keep your own profile current and professional. Passive candidates will check who’s reaching out to them. Make sure your profile reflects your expertise and credibility.
Use LinkedIn’s advanced filters strategically. Filter by current company, past company, years of experience, and industry to narrow your search without complicated Boolean strings.
Time your outreach. Weekday mornings typically get better response rates than Friday afternoons or weekends.
Engage before you recruit. Follow prospects, comment on their posts, and interact with their content before sending a recruiting message. This warms up the relationship.
Personalize connection requests. Don’t send a blank connection request. Include a brief note about why you want to connect.
Track your outreach in a system. Use a spreadsheet or CRM to note when you reached out, what you discussed, and when to follow up. This prevents you from losing track of conversations.
Respond quickly when they reply. Passive candidates are doing you a favor by responding. Reply within 24 hours to keep momentum.
Be transparent about the process. Let them know upfront how many interview rounds to expect, the timeline, and next steps. The average time to fill is 36 days. Aim to move efficiently.
Make it easy for them. Offer flexible interview times. Be willing to work around their current job schedule. Respect that they’re managing a full-time role while considering your opportunity.
Build Passive Recruiting Into Your Hiring Strategy
Passive recruiting is how you access the 75% of the workforce that isn’t actively job searching. The best talent in your industry is already employed and performing well. They’re not going to find your job posting. You need to find them.
For passive candidates, being findable means access to opportunities they wouldn’t have discovered on their own. Many professionals are open to the right move but aren’t actively looking. Keeping your profile updated and staying engaged in your industry creates options when the right opportunity appears.
The investment in passive recruiting pays off in better hires, faster fills for critical roles, and access to talent your competitors never see.
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Authored by: Friddy Hoegener is the Co-Founder and Head of Recruiting at SCOPE Recruiting, a boutique firm specialising in supply chain and manufacturing talent. As a former supply chain professional himself, he now connects companies with the right talent to solve critical operational challenges.