February 21, 2025
Recruitment has changed.
Traditional job boards used to be the go-to solution for attracting candidates, but today’s hiring landscape looks very different. The best people aren’t always scrolling through job sites—they’re excelling in their roles, completely unaware that a new opportunity could be waiting for them.
So, if your hiring strategy is still relying only on job ads, you might be missing out on a huge pool of passive candidates—talented professionals who would be open to a move if the right role landed in front of them. The question is: how do you reach them?
The Problem With Traditional Job Ads
Posting on job boards is still a key part of recruitment, but it has a major limitation: it only targets active job seekers. This means:
- Your job ad is competing with thousands of others, making it harder to stand out.
- You’re limiting your reach to people already looking, while the best fit for the role may not be actively searching.
- The cost per application is increasing as competition for talent grows.
The Power of Reaching Passive Candidates
Passive candidates make up 70% of the workforce. These are skilled professionals who aren’t actively applying but could be the perfect fit for your role if presented with the right opportunity.
Rather than waiting for them to find you, modern recruitment marketing puts your jobs in front of them, where they already spend time online. That’s where social media, search engine marketing, and digital targeting come in.
How to Get Your Jobs in Front of the Right People
1️⃣ Use Social Media & Search Targeting
Platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and Google allow you to target potential candidates based on their job title, interests, and online behaviour. This means your job ad can appear before they even start looking.
2️⃣ Build Employer Brand Awareness
The best candidates want to work for organisations that stand out. Running employer branding campaigns helps position you as an attractive employer—so when candidates are ready to move, you’re already on their radar.
3️⃣ Engage Candidates Before They Need a Job
Passive candidates might not apply immediately, but by consistently getting in front of them with tailored ads and content, you create interest and increase the likelihood of engagement when the time is right.
Future-Proofing Your Hiring Strategy
The recruitment landscape will continue to evolve, and relying on traditional job ads alone will no longer be enough. By targeting passive candidates through social media, digital marketing, and employer branding, businesses can build stronger, more sustainable talent pipelines and reduce hiring time and costs.
Companies that invest in these strategies now will be the ones attracting top talent in the future.
How Elevate Can Help
Elevate is designed to help organisations reach passive candidates with precision. By leveraging AI-driven advertising, social media targeting, and real-time campaign optimisation, Elevate ensures your job ads are seen by the right people—even before they start searching. Whether you’re looking to build employer brand awareness, target specific skill sets, or reduce recruitment costs, Elevate offers a smarter, more efficient way to hire.
Want to see how Elevate can transform your hiring strategy? Get in touch today.