Reaching passive jobseekers: how to attract top talent

You can reach latent jobseekers by looking for them outside job boards, using targeted social media campaigns based on target audience data and a message that resonates with their current situation. These passive candidates aren’t actively applying for jobs, but they are open to something better. That’s exactly where your best hires are to be found.

Does this sound familiar? You post a job vacancy, pay for a boost, and yet the number of applications remains stuck at zero. For hard-to-find roles in engineering, industry, logistics or the maritime sector, this is the rule rather than the exception. The skilled professionals you’re looking for are already working for another employer.

What exactly are latent jobseekers?

Latent jobseekers are people who are in employment but are not actively looking for a job; however, they would be willing to change jobs if a more attractive offer came along. They do not respond to job vacancies or browse job sites, but are receptive to a compelling pitch at the right time.

This is by far the largest group in the labour market. According to research by LinkedIn, around 70% of the global workforce consists of passive talent who are not actively looking for a job but are open to a new opportunity (LinkedIn, Global Talent Trends 2024). So, anyone who targets only active job seekers is fishing in the smallest pond.

In professions where there is a shortage of workers, that pool is also drying up rapidly. Pressure on the labour market is high: the number of job vacancies per hundred unemployed people remained at a historically high level in 2024, with technical and logistics professions representing the biggest bottleneck (CBS, 2024).

Why are passive candidates often your best hires?

Passive candidates are often your best hires because they are still in employment, are selected on the basis of their professional expertise, and are not applying out of desperation. They are discerning, have a proven track record, and will only move on if it represents a genuine improvement. This makes them more motivated and reduces staff turnover.

Someone who is actively looking for a job sometimes does so because their current contract is coming to an end or things weren’t going well. A latent jobseeker doesn’t need to leave anywhere, so you can only convince them with substance: better terms of employment, greater autonomy or an employer with a more compelling proposition.

“The strongest candidates we place had absolutely no intention of changing jobs at the time we approached them,” says a recruitment specialist at FosFor. “They only respond when the message hits exactly what they’re missing in their current job. You derive that from target audience data, not from gut feeling.”

For top-tier organisations, this represents a structural advantage. You are no longer competing with dozens of other employers for the same handful of active job seekers, but are targeting a group that no one else is approaching.

How can you reach passive jobseekers using data?

You can reach passive jobseekers by first identifying your target audience and then advertising specifically on the channels and at the times when they are online. It’s all about timing, targeting and a message that is tailored to their profession and region, rather than a standard job advertisement.

This is exactly where a data-driven approach makes all the difference. FosFor designs campaigns based on data from hundreds of recruitment campaigns, combined with public labour market data and target audience research. This way, you know in advance where your target audience is and what motivates them.

Here’s what it looks like in five steps:

1. Target audience analysis: Decide who you’re looking for, where they work and what conditions are important to them. Find out how to conducts target audience analysis for blue-collar vacancies.
2. Channel selection: Choose the platforms where your profile really stands out, from Meta and TikTok to LinkedIn.
3. Personalised message: Present the job advertisement as a reason to make a career move, not as a list of job responsibilities.
4. Timing: target: outside working hours, when someone is sitting quietly on the sofa and picks up their phone.
5. Measuring and adjusting: Track the figures for each channel and optimise your approach on a weekly basis based on what’s working.

That final step is crucial. Employers often discover, through data, that candidates have very different preferences to what they might expect – for example, that journey time or shift patterns carry more weight than gross salary. You can read more about this in our guide to Data-driven recruitment in practice.

Through which channels can you reach passive candidates?

You can reach passive candidates mainly via social media and search engines, as that is where they spend their time without actively looking for work. The right channel depends on the candidate’s profile: a mechanic scrolls differently to a sales manager.

The table below shows which channel is best suited to which type of latent jobseeker and which message works best for them.

No single channel is guaranteed to be successful every time. The trick is to tailor the mix to your target audience and measure, for each campaign, which channel delivers the lowest cost per qualified applicant. When it comes to technical roles, footage from the workplace often works better than text; see also which Social recruitment content works for the tech sector.

What message appeals to a passive jobseeker?

You attract a passive jobseeker by offering a specific reason to make a move, not by listing job requirements. Highlight what makes your employer brand better than the candidate’s current job: working hours, career development, colleagues, job security or earning potential.

As this candidate isn’t in any particular hurry, your offer needs to hit the mark straight away. Target audience data reveals which employment conditions carry the most weight, so you can highlight those in your message. This turns ‘we’re looking for a welder’ into ‘work closer to home with a permanent contract from day one’.

This approach also brings a sense of calm to your recruitment process. At FosFor, vacancies are filled within 3 to 8 weeks on average, and clients only interview the 2 to 4 best candidates per month, as we handle the entire pre-selection process. This means you can spend your time on interviews that really matter. Find out how our data-driven approach which makes that possible.

In specialised sectors such as shipbuilding, approaching passive candidates is often the only option. FosFor has extensive experience in the maritime sector, where there is a severe shortage of welders, pipe fitters and ship’s electricians. The results in the maritime sector demonstrate the benefits of a targeted approach.

Passive jobseekers and the role of UWV data

Public sources help you target your recruitment more effectively. The UWV’s Labour Market Tightness Indicator shows, by occupation and region, just how tight the labour market is, which immediately highlights where you will never find enough candidates through active recruitment (UWV, 2024). In professions with a severe shortage of candidates, passive recruitment is simply the only way to ensure a sufficient intake.

Getting started with passive talent

The key shift lies in your mindset: stop waiting for applications and start seeking out the skilled professionals you need. For hard-to-fill roles in engineering, logistics, sales and the maritime sector, this isn’t a luxury, but the only way to consistently attract top-tier talent.

Would you like to know how to reach your target audience before your competitors do? Book a no-obligation strategy meeting and find out where your best candidates are hiding.

Frequently asked questions about reaching passive jobseekers

What is the difference between an active and a passive jobseeker?

An active jobseeker is actively looking for a new job and applies for vacancies. A latent jobseeker is currently in work and is not actively looking, but is open to a better offer. This passive group is much larger and often includes the most experienced professionals.

How much does it cost to reach passive jobseekers?

The costs depend on your target audience, channel mix and region. Data-driven recruitment marketing is generally more cost-effective than traditional recruitment and selection or temporary staffing, as you advertise in a targeted manner and pay for reach rather than a fixed fee per placement. A consultation will provide a realistic assessment of your situation.

Which channel works best for passive candidates in the engineering sector?

For technical and blue-collar roles, Meta often delivers the best results thanks to its wide reach and precise targeting by profession and region. TikTok reaches younger engineers and career changers. You can determine the best choice by analysing target audience data and measuring the cost per qualified applicant for each channel.

How quickly does reaching out to passive jobseekers yield results?

With a targeted, data-driven campaign, vacancies at FosFor are filled within 3 to 8 weeks on average. The speed depends on the scarcity of the profile and the attractiveness of your offer. Reaching out to passive candidates requires precise timing, but often yields higher-quality candidates.

Does this approach also work for the maritime sector?

Yes. It is precisely in the maritime sector and shipbuilding – where the labour shortage is particularly acute – that approaching passive candidates is often the only way to find welders, pipewriters and ship’s electricians. FosFor has proven experience in this niche with data-driven campaigns targeting working skilled tradespeople.