Imagine this scenario: Kayla, a Senior Vice President of Marketing, has been with you for years—a rising star. But Kayla has other plans and is leaving. You may not be able to fill her shoes, but you need to fill her spot. And so, the process begins.
Here is another scenario: Kayla, regretfully, tells her boss she needs to move on. She is going to strike it out on her own. You are sad to see her go, of course. But, you already have three or four good candidates in the pipeline who have the potential to be “the new Kayla.”
Which situation works for you? One where you have to comb the marketing universe for viable candidates or one where they are primed and ready to be approached? Increasingly, it is the latter. The proactive approach to recruitment is seeded in planning and monitoring the market. It is based on building relationships and sourcing talent. Instead of reacting to change, proactive recruitment helps you anticipate change and prepare for change when it happens.
The Proactive Funnel
The Proactive process has been characterized as a funnel with specific stages.
Stage 1: Connect with promising candidates. Your outreach requires you to connect with passive candidates. These individuals are usually employed and not actively looking for an opportunity, but they glance at what is out there on various job boards.
Stage 2: Interacting with potential candidates: This proactive recruitment aspect can be tricky since you connect with candidates. Nevertheless, it is vital to building relationships within the talent pool.
Stage 3: Converting candidates to employees: If you’ve consistently monitored social media and have regularly engaged with your talent pool, the potential candidates should be well-informed and interested in your organization. They would have the opportunity to assess how well their values and your organizational goals, and company culture compare.
Need help with your proactive recruitment? We can help. Contact us at rdc@rdcinc.com for assistance.
