So you never want to miss a potential candidate right? You own / work for an amazing beauty business which is growing and you want the best of the best to join you. Someone that may not be actively looking for a job but may prick up their ears if you tell them about your company and what a great place it is to work.

Passive recruiting means courting potential candidates who are not currently looking for a job. Think it's a waste of time? Think again! It's actually a great investment in your talent pipeline. Since passive candidates are not actively looking for a job, they are less likely to be interviewing with other companies so you'll be ahead of your competition right away.

HR managers and recruiters are accustomed to actively pursuing candidates. They post job openings in different outlets and wait for the applications and press releases to start rolling in. They go to networking events and put the word out there about the company and its positions. They have a talent pipeline primed and are ready to fill in positions as they open up.

Why are passive candidates worth investing in?

They’re more likely to stay with your company longer, since their conscious decision to leave a good job and join your team would likely be based on certain alluring benefits such as professional advancement, a better salary, or a more suitable work-life balance.

The key to a passive recruiting strategy is to remember to take it slow and steady, as this will help you win over the top candidates. You have to look at it as dating or courting—take your time to establish and build a relationship, promoting your company’s many positive attributes in a passive way, so that the first place they think of when they’re ready to make a change is YOURS.

Here are six tips to get you started on a slow and steady and successful passive recruiting strategy:

Spread the word...

Recruiting top talent is a full time job in itself. Your team members can help your recruiting strategies, especially passive recruiting. Since the idea is to make sure candidates out there know about your company (whether they’re actively looking for a job or not), you have to get yourself out there and, as in dating, passively let people know what you’re about. Whatever the size of your company there are many creative ways and means to go about this. Invest in professional branding, engage in social media, encourage your employees to spread the word about why they love their job...

By familiarizing people with your brand, you’re opening the door to a conversation with passive candidates in which you won’t have to waste time explaining who you are—just mention the company name and watch them nod with recognition.

Get posting!

Everyone's on social media right? Goes without saying this is where you need to be. One way to reach passive candidates and lay the groundwork for future contact is by using social media to further your brand exposure. Any successful company these days has a strong web presence, and that means having active social media pages. However many followers you have, your social media followers can be the foundation for passive recruiting. Keep in mind that social media is a two-way street, so try to engage with your followers without spamming them about openings at your company. Make sure you post quality pictures too that people will want to share and comment on.

Your employees are your brand ambassadors!

A happy work force is a happy company. Just like the marketing and communications departments can help your passive recruiting strategy, so can every employee in the company. Making sure employees are happy, motivated, rewarded, and encouraged is the best way to create ambassadors for your company—employees who want to share how great your company is with everyone they meet and who promote its benefits to potential candidates without taking an outright recruiting approach. They’re just touting your horn to everyone, including people you might contact about a position later. They can also bring in top talent through referrals, since they are glad to suggest the company as a great place to work.

What's your expertise?

What is your company's USP? Do you offer a unique service or in-house training programmes for your staff?  Potential candidates are likely to be interested in a company which offers something they don't currently already get. Perhaps your business is award winning or goes along to regular trade shows? Consider for a moment the passive candidates you might be interested in. What are their interests? Where do they keep up with the industry? Put yourself in their shoes and then establish a company presence in the places where you think they go like industry blogs, and related websites. Show off your expertise in these places so more people see and appreciate that your company is a field leader and therefore would be a great place to grow professionally.

Coffee or wine anyone?

Again, remember that passive recruiting is like dating, so consider inviting passive candidates to visit your salon or business premises for a friendly informal introduction. You could also consider Inviting them to company events where they can mingle with other team members and professionals in their industry.The worst that can happen is that they politely decline, but if they agree to go, it’s a great step toward building a relationship that can end in talent acquisition for you.

The woo factor is the X Factor!

Most of all, remember that passive candidates need to be wooed. You have to make sure they know you like them and think they would be a great fit for your company. Show off your attributes without coming on too strong. The important thing is to establish a relationship that can last a long time, since in many cases a candidate won’t be ready to make a change right away.