Definitions:
Passive candidate—a potential new hire who’s currently busy working for another firm and not really thinking about making a move, doesn’t know your position exists, and really doesn’t care…yet.
Active candidate—someone who’s looking for a new job (and typically unemployed).
O.k.—I know I’m going to take some hits on this post, so I’ll raise my metaphorical garbage can lid to shield the criticism when I admit that 95%+ of my candidates are passive, even in this somewhat “down” economy.
I know--I should feel badly about not assisting the unemployed; but let’s get real: The primary reason that an outside recruiter (me) receives a position to fill is because it’s a very challenging one. Typically, jobs that are less challenging to fill are handled by my client’s HR department. By the time I get them, they've probably been posted on various high-tech job boards for a while--and nobody qualified has responded. Qualified is the operative word here.
So far this year, of all the candidates I've found, screened, reference-checked and submitted, only one has been active and unemployed. Ironically, even he turned down my client's strong offer of a six-figure salary plus a nice signing bonus because he believed he could wait a little while and do even better down the street. That’s how tight the positions that I recruit for are right now. There are very few, if any people with strong, in-demand skills and experience who are unemployed--unless it's by choice.
Personally, I believe anyone who’s been out of work for six months or more and has been unsuccessful in their job search should plan on choosing an activity from the following list:
• Moving to a different market—the grass might actually be greener there.
• Reducing his or her price—stale merchandise is always marked down, before…well...umm...o.k. then.
• Finding a new field—hopefully not one that offers fries with that order; but hey—it’s America and all work is honorable.
• Moving to the beach to sip little umbrella drinks while reprising Michael Douglas's classic role as an unemployed defense contractor in Falling Down. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-eREiQhBDIk
Sorry to be the bearer of the Cold Hard Truth, but isn’t it time we collectively began to embrace this logic? Not the movie Falling Down, which is really the study of an unemployed guy (Michael Douglas) and his psychotic behavior vis-à-vis cause and effect--but the concept that long-term active candidates are usually still active for what are often pretty good reasons. There are exceptions to every rule, of course.
Perhaps instead of waiting for some fairy-tale stimulus package, long-term unemployed professionals should get back into the game by taking a job in their field that’s perhaps a step or two below where they were, or spend the time wisely to improve their skills to remain competitive. To me, both are viable options, especially when compared to irresponsibly shot gunning resumes to semi-matching job posts while collecting unemployment benefits. If you’re an unemployed engineer, perhaps it's time to get smarter on ANSYS http://www.ansys.com/instead of Halo http://www.halo.xbox.com/.
There’s a lot of buzz these days about active candidates and age discrimination; I hear it, but I don’t see it. Let’s not confuse the lack of technological competence with age discrimination. If you’re 40, 50, or 60+ and refuse to learn something new or worse yet “don’t really need it”, well—you’re plain and simply a dolt, just as someone in their 20s or 30s would be if they thought the same way.
Is it a stretch to wonder why nobody really wants people who can't use the latest, sharpest tools of the trade? It’s not age (or any other protected class)—it’s mindset. My take: This kind of thinking probably keeps people “active” in their job search for a lot longer than they're willing to admit. In fact, it may be why they're active now. Again, there are exceptions to every rule.
A near truism that I didn’t invent: Generally speaking, the best people get the best jobs. If they’re unemployed and seriously looking for about six months, they’re either “not the best” (meaning their skills are not competitive), or their entire field has simply downsized to the point they need a new career direction.
If you’re waiting for the Pony Express or Bronze Age to pick back up, I sympathize—but you might consider moving on to something else. Please stop crying because the need for certain aluminum CNC components has declined with the adoption of new carbon fiber assemblies, or that the demand for hand cranks on telephones is now somewhat weak.
Me—I have no problem with active candidates. If I find the right one and they pass the same phone screening and reference checks as anyone else I submit, I’m good with it. In fact, I'm elated. In the mean time, I’ll trust my instincts and dial-up someone who might be able to “help”.
Will Baumann is a recruiter specializing in difficult to fill technical and leadership positions.
LinkedIn profile: http://www.linkedin.com/in/willbaumann
Company site: http://www.anrgroupinc.com/
