Passive vs. Active Candidates: How to Approach Each

If you’re new to recruiting, you’ve probably heard the terms “passive candidate” and “active candidate” thrown around. But what do they actually mean? And more importantly, why does it matter?

Simple explanation:

Active candidates = People who are actively looking for a job (they’re applying, updating their LinkedIn, searching job boards)
Passive candidates = People who aren’t looking for a job (they’re employed, happy, not searching)

Why this matters: Most great candidates are passive. They’re not on job boards. They’re not applying to your postings. If you want to find the best talent, you need to know how to approach both types.

“The best candidates are often passive - they’re already employed and doing great work. Your job is to find them and convince them that your opportunity is worth considering.” - Lou Adler, author of “Hire With Your Head”

What Are Active Candidates?

Active candidates are people who are actively job searching. They’re:

Applying to job postings
Updating their LinkedIn profiles
Posting “open to work” on social media
Responding to recruiter messages quickly
Attending job fairs and networking events
Actively interviewing with multiple companies

Real example: Sarah is a marketing manager who’s been at her current company for 3 years. She’s not happy with her manager, feels underpaid, and wants more growth opportunities. She updates her LinkedIn to “open to work,” applies to 10 jobs this week, and responds to every recruiter message within hours. That’s an active candidate.

Characteristics of Active Candidates

They’re motivated:

They want to make a change
They’re responsive and engaged
They move quickly through the process
They’re often willing to negotiate less

They’re available:

They can interview during business hours
They’re ready to start relatively soon
They’re not juggling multiple competing priorities

They might be desperate:

Some are unemployed (red flag - why?)
Some are running from a bad situation (also a red flag)
Some are just ready for a change (this is fine)

The challenge: Active candidates are easier to find and engage, but they might be active for a reason. You need to figure out why they’re looking.

What Are Passive Candidates?

Passive candidates are people who aren’t actively job searching. They’re:

Currently employed and (usually) happy
Not applying to jobs
Not updating their profiles
Not responding to recruiter messages (or responding slowly)
Not attending job fairs
Focused on their current work

Real example: Mike is a senior software engineer at a tech company. He’s been there 5 years, loves his team, gets paid well, and has great work-life balance. He’s not looking for a job. But if the right opportunity came along - maybe a startup with equity, or a chance to work on cutting-edge AI - he might be interested. That’s a passive candidate.

Characteristics of Passive Candidates

They’re selective:

They don’t need a job, so they can be picky
They’ll only consider opportunities that are clearly better
They take their time making decisions
They might not respond to your first message

They’re often top performers:

If they’re happy and employed, they’re probably good at what they do
Their current company wants to keep them (that’s why they’re happy)
They have options, so they’re not desperate

They’re harder to engage:

They’re not checking job boards
They might ignore your LinkedIn message
They need more convincing
The process takes longer

The opportunity: Passive candidates are often the best talent, but you have to work harder to find and attract them.

Why Most Great Candidates Are Passive

Here’s the reality: The best candidates usually aren’t looking for jobs.

Why?

They’re already employed and doing well
Their current company values them (good pay, good culture, growth opportunities)
They’re not unhappy, so they’re not motivated to search
They’re focused on their work, not job hunting

The numbers:

Only about 15-20% of the workforce is actively job searching at any given time
But 80% of people would consider a new opportunity if the right one came along
The best performers are almost always in that 80% (passive) group

Real example: You’re hiring a VP of Sales. The best candidates are currently VPs of Sales at other companies. They’re not looking for jobs - they’re busy running their sales teams and hitting their numbers. But if you can find them and show them a better opportunity (more equity, better team, bigger challenge), they might be interested.

How to Approach Active Candidates

Active candidates are easier to engage, but you still need to do it right.

1. Respond Quickly

What happens: They’re applying to multiple jobs and interviewing with multiple companies. If you’re slow, they’ll take another offer.

Real example: An active candidate applies on Monday. You wait until Friday to call them. By then, they’ve already accepted another offer. You lost them because you were too slow.

Best practice: Respond within 24 hours. Ideally, call them the same day they apply.

2. Be Clear About the Process

What happens: They want to know what to expect. How many interviews? How long will it take? When can they start?

Real example: You call an active candidate and say “We’d love to interview you, but I’m not sure when. Maybe next week?” They’re interviewing with 3 other companies that have clear timelines. They’ll go with the company that’s organized.

Best practice: Tell them exactly what the process looks like: “We’ll do a 30-minute phone screen this week, then 2 interviews next week, and we’ll make a decision within 2 weeks.”

3. Move Fast (But Not Too Fast)

What happens: Active candidates want to move quickly, but you still need to evaluate them properly.

Real example: An active candidate is great, but you rush through the process and skip reference checks. You hire them, and they’re not as good as you thought. You moved too fast.

Best practice: Move quickly, but don’t skip steps. You can do a phone screen the same week, interviews the next week, and make a decision within 2-3 weeks. That’s fast enough for active candidates without rushing.

4. Understand Why They’re Active

What happens: Some active candidates are active for good reasons (ready for growth, relocation, etc.). Others are active for bad reasons (got fired, can’t keep a job, etc.).

Real example: An active candidate has had 4 jobs in 2 years. They’re always “looking for the right fit.” That’s a red flag. Compare that to someone who’s been at the same company for 5 years and is now ready for a new challenge. That’s a good reason to be active.

Best practice: Ask why they’re looking. If the answer doesn’t make sense, dig deeper. If they can’t give a good reason, that’s a red flag.

How to Approach Passive Candidates

Passive candidates are harder to engage, but they’re often worth the effort.

1. Find Them First

What happens: They’re not on job boards. You have to find them through:

LinkedIn searches
Industry events
Referrals
Social media
Professional communities

Real example: You need a senior data scientist. You search LinkedIn for “data scientist” at companies similar to yours. You find someone great, but they’re not looking. You send them a message anyway. That’s how you find passive candidates.

Best practice: Use LinkedIn Recruiter, Boolean search, and your network to find passive candidates. Don’t just post jobs and wait for applications.

2. Make Your First Message Count

What happens: Passive candidates get a lot of recruiter messages. Most are generic and get ignored. Yours needs to stand out.

Bad message: “Hi, I saw your profile and thought you’d be great for a role at our company. Interested?”

Good message: “Hi [Name], I saw you built [specific project] at [company]. We’re working on something similar at [your company] - we’re [specific thing you’re doing]. I’d love to chat about what you’re working on and see if there’s a fit. Are you open to a quick conversation?”

The difference: The good message is specific, shows you did research, and focuses on them, not just the job.

3. Be Patient

What happens: Passive candidates might not respond for days or weeks. They’re not in a rush. Don’t give up after one message.

Real example: You send a message to a passive candidate on Monday. They don’t respond. You send a follow-up on Friday. Still nothing. You send one more the next week. They finally respond: “Sorry, I’ve been busy. Let’s chat.” That’s normal for passive candidates.

Best practice: Send a follow-up after a week, then another after 2 weeks. If they don’t respond after 3 attempts, move on. But don’t give up after one message.

4. Show Them Why It’s Better

What happens: They’re not looking, so you need to show them why your opportunity is worth considering.

What to highlight:

Better compensation (if true)
Better growth opportunities
Better team/culture
More interesting work
Better work-life balance
Equity or other benefits

Real example: A passive candidate is happy at their current job, but you offer:

20% more salary
Equity in a growing startup
Chance to build a team from scratch
More autonomy and impact

That might be enough to get them interested, even though they weren’t looking.

5. Respect Their Time

What happens: They have a job, so they’re busy. Don’t expect them to drop everything for you.

Real example: You want to schedule an interview, but they can only do it during lunch or after work. That’s normal for passive candidates. Be flexible.

Best practice: Offer to meet during lunch, after work, or on weekends. Make it easy for them. They’re doing you a favor by considering your opportunity.

When to Focus on Active vs. Passive Candidates

Focus on active candidates when:

You need to fill the role quickly
The role is entry-level or easy to fill
You have a strong employer brand (people want to work for you)
You’re hiring for common roles (lots of active candidates available)

Focus on passive candidates when:

You need top talent (the best people are usually passive)
The role is senior or specialized
You’re in a competitive market
You’re willing to invest time in finding the right person

Best practice: Do both. Post the job to get active candidates, but also proactively search for passive candidates. You’ll get the best of both worlds.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Mistake 1: Treating Everyone the Same

What happens: You send the same generic message to active and passive candidates. Active candidates might respond, but passive candidates will ignore it.

Fix: Tailor your approach. Active candidates want speed and clarity. Passive candidates want to know why your opportunity is special.

Mistake 2: Giving Up Too Early on Passive Candidates

What happens: You send one message to a passive candidate. They don’t respond. You give up. But passive candidates often need multiple touchpoints.

Fix: Follow up 2-3 times over 2-3 weeks. If they don’t respond after that, move on. But don’t give up after one message.

Mistake 3: Moving Too Slow with Active Candidates

What happens: An active candidate applies, but you take 2 weeks to call them. By then, they’ve accepted another offer.

Fix: Respond to active candidates within 24 hours. Move them through the process quickly (but still thoroughly).

Mistake 4: Not Understanding Why They’re Active

What happens: You hire an active candidate without understanding why they’re looking. Turns out they got fired from their last 3 jobs. That’s why they’re active.

Fix: Always ask why they’re looking. If the answer doesn’t make sense, dig deeper. Red flags include: frequent job hopping, vague answers, or negative reasons.

The Bottom Line

Active candidates are easier to find and engage, but you need to move quickly and understand why they’re looking.

Passive candidates are harder to find and engage, but they’re often the best talent and worth the effort.

The best strategy: Do both. Post jobs to attract active candidates, but also proactively search for passive candidates. You’ll fill roles faster and with better talent.

“The best recruiters don’t just wait for candidates to apply - they actively find and engage passive candidates who aren’t looking but might be interested in the right opportunity.” - Shally Steckerl, sourcing expert

Next Steps

Audit your current approach: Are you only focusing on active candidates? Start searching for passive candidates too.
Improve your messaging: Write better outreach messages that are specific and show you did research.
Be patient with passive candidates: Don’t give up after one message. Follow up 2-3 times.
Move fast with active candidates: Respond within 24 hours and keep the process moving.
Track your results: See which approach works better for different types of roles.

Resources

LinkedIn Recruiter: Premium tool for finding and messaging passive candidates
Boolean Search Guide: Learn advanced search techniques to find passive candidates
Outreach Templates: Templates for engaging both active and passive candidates
Candidate Relationship Management: Tools for managing relationships with passive candidates over time

Recruiting 101: Complete Beginner Guide

ATS vs CRM: Complete Comparison Guide

Recruiter Sourcing Playbook: Complete Guide

Passive vs Active Candidates: How to Approach Each

Passive vs. Active Candidates: How to Approach Each