1. Change in business circumstances
The reason a candidate was initially passed over may be no longer relevant. For example, your company’s needs may have changed or the team they were initially considered for has grown and requires different characteristics in a candidate. While the candidate may not have been the top choice for a position that was previously available, their skills may be better suited to new opportunities that arise in your business.
2. Improved skills
Since being passed over, a candidate may have taken steps to improve their skills, achieve new certifications or expand soft skills. As a result, the silver medalist candidate may now be a great fit.
Contacting a resurfaced candidate about new opportunities at your company is also a great chance to assess their work ethic. If they haven’t taken any steps to boost their resume and skill set since you last saw them, that could be considered a red flag. However, if you see that they have taken the initiative to better themselves and learn new skills after receiving a rejection from you previously, it’s clear they have a strong work ethic and drive to succeed.
3. Unique perspectives
If you’re rigidly considering specific skills, you may miss out on candidates who could bring a unique perspective to the team. Building teams that are diverse and inclusive allows your company to benefit from a wide range of skills, valuable insights and different perspectives.
4. They have already been vetted
When you opt for silver medalist recruitment, you can accelerate the hiring process because the candidate has already been sourced and vetted. There is no need to waste time and resources listing the job posting online, reviewing application emails and resumes or hosting a significant number of interviews for new candidates. Instead, you can simply contact the silver medalist candidate with the details of the new position and dedicate time to one interview or conversation with them.
5. You know they have an interest in your company
When spending time interviewing a silver medalist candidate for a new role at your company, you already know that this person is genuinely interested in working for you. They have gone through your hiring process once before, so the fact they’re entering into it again demonstrates just how passionate they are about being part of your business. This is an excellent quality in an employee and can boost your retention rates long term.
6. They’ve gained experience since you last saw them
Depending on the amount of time that has passed since the resurfaced candidate last interviewed with your company, it’s reasonable to assume that they now bring additional experience to the table. This makes them a more valuable asset to your business than they were the first time around, and even then, they were a top contender.
Use a phone or in-person interview to chat with the silver medalist candidate about these experiences and how their work or education since the last recruitment period better positions them for success.
How to resurface candidates
It doesn’t have to be complicated or time-consuming to focus on silver medalist recruitment. Start by revisiting your previous candidate pools and taking another look at the silver medalists. You can also contact your recruitment partners and ask them to keep an eye out for these candidates.
Identify your silver medalist candidate
The first step in resurfacing candidates is to identify your second choice for previous hiring campaigns. Your HR (human resources) department is likely to have a record of this person if they made it to the end of the recruitment process. You may also have their resume on file. If you were not in charge of the previous hiring initiative, get in touch with the employee who was so you can get the relevant contact information and details about the candidate from them.
Make contact with them
From the last time you were in conversation with the candidate, you should have a record of their pertinent contact information and details about which method of communication they prefer. If it’s on file that they prefer email communication to phone calls, respect this when reaching out to them.
Prepare the email or the message you’re planning to deliver over the phone in advance. Depending on how long ago the individual applied for this position, you may need to refresh their memory about your company and who you are.
Provide details so they can make an informed decision
Be mindful of the fact that when you resurface candidates, you are actively recruiting them for the position without knowledge of what they are doing currently. After you initially hired another candidate, the silver medalist may have accepted a job offer elsewhere. If months or even years have passed since you last spoke, the individual might not be in a headspace where they’re open to receiving an unexpected job offer.
Knowing that you now want them on your team for another role, it’s a good idea to approach the conversation with respect for the fact they might be in a different place in life than you left them. Open with a transparent discussion about why you’re suddenly interested in hiring them, what attributes you value in them as a candidate and be sure to answer the question that’s likely on their mind: why now?
Be clear that while they weren’t right for the previous role at the time, they’ve remained top of mind for you and the company based on their skills and qualifications. Sell yourself to them by refreshing their memory regarding your company culture, the salary range and the benefits of being an employee at your business.
Give them time to think
After you communicate the details of the available position, including the parameters of the role and the salary expectations, give the candidate time to consider your job offer. Since hearing from you is likely an unexpected event, this person needs at least 24 hours to weigh the pros and cons of switching jobs to work for you. Provide a clear timeframe for consideration (24-48 hours is common), and let them know how they should contact you when they have made a final decision.
