How to Recruit Passive Talent in France with Alternatives to LinkedIn

In France, only 18% of professionals are actively seeking a new job—meaning most of the talent pool consists of passive candidates who aren’t actively looking but may be open to the right opportunity. Relying solely on LinkedIn limits your reach and can make it hard to stand out in a sea of recruiters. To effectively attract these valuable but elusive candidates, companies need to adopt a more diverse and personalized approach. This article explores actionable strategies beyond LinkedIn to help you engage passive talent in France and build a robust talent pipeline.

"Today, passive recruiting has become essential for companies looking to access a broader pool of candidates. "

Adélaïde Sapelier
Recruiter
Eurojob-Consulting

In France, only 18% of professionals are actively seeking new job opportunities (source: YouGov study). This means that most skilled professionals are passive candidates, who, although not actively job-hunting, may be open to appealing career opportunities. Passive talents often bring high motivation and loyalty, as they are drawn to new roles out of interest rather than necessity.

Passive candidates can be divided into different types:

• Open Passives: Not actively looking, but open to interesting offers.
• Passive Observers: They stay informed about the job market and are open to new possibilities.
• Semi-Active Passives: Occasionally discuss potential opportunities with their network.
• Uninterested Candidates: Only very compelling reasons, such as substantial project responsibilities, would persuade them to change jobs.

A significant advantage of passive recruiting is reduced competition. By engaging passive candidates, companies avoid competing with numerous employers, which can be particularly advantageous in niche fields.

While LinkedIn is a valuable tool for recruiters, it has limitations. Not all professions are well represented on the platform, and some sectors, like technical, hospitality, and trades, are significantly underrepresented. Additionally, LinkedIn is crowded with recruiters, making competition fierce for popular roles.

Recent figures illustrate LinkedIn’s limitations:
- Only 26 million members in France, with only 12-13 million active monthly users.
- The average user spends only 17 minutes per month on LinkedIn, limiting engagement opportunities.
- LinkedIn removed 15 million fake accounts in 2021, highlighting that recruiters often waste time on inauthentic profiles.

With these challenges in mind, expanding your sourcing efforts to other channels is essential for attracting passive candidates.

To meet immediate hiring needs, consider personal social networks like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Snapchat, especially for fields that are underrepresented on LinkedIn. With targeted campaigns, companies can connect with younger talent or region-specific candidates.

Another effective strategy is employee referrals. A digital referral program enables employees to share job opportunities, increasing reach and attracting high-quality candidates. Studies show that 87% of referral hires were passive candidates who weren’t actively looking. A well-structured referral program can be enhanced with gamification features to encourage continuous employee participation. This approach taps into employees' networks, often reaching candidates not accessible through LinkedIn alone.

For a sustainable approach to talent acquisition, companies should focus on recruitment marketing and talent nurturing to establish long-term relationships with passive candidates. Regular contact and consistent updates on company culture and industry developments build your brand’s credibility, creating a pipeline of potential candidates.

CRM tools play a vital role in tracking passive candidates and engaging them over time with relevant, personalized content. A well-managed talent pool simplifies recruiting efforts, reducing costs and saving time. By building a CRM database, companies centralize contacts from multiple sources, like LinkedIn, social networks, past applicants, and referrals. Over time, the CRM becomes a valuable resource, enabling recruiters to find qualified candidates directly within their pool.

Passive candidates respond best to personalized, authentic communication that offers insights into a company’s culture, projects, and vision. To effectively reach them, diversify your approach with creative formats, such as videos, podcasts, and employee testimonials, that introduce them to your organization and foster interest.

Once a passive candidate expresses interest, the recruitment process must be swift and engaging. Transparency and timeliness are crucial to retaining their interest and securing their commitment. Successful passive recruiting involves a deep understanding of what each candidate values, a tailored engagement strategy, and a recruitment experience that matches expectations.

By employing a multi-channel strategy and a personalized approach, companies can tap into the wealth of passive talent in France, broadening their reach far beyond LinkedIn and ensuring a stronger, more committed workforce.

For more great tips :

• Engage French professionals: Best practices for increasing response rates in recruitment
• Boost your hiring success: How leadership culture can enhance recruitment in France
• HR Trends in France: Discover the Eurojob Consulting Employment Barometer

Olivier