Inbound Vs. Outbound Recruiting: Which is the Better Strategy?

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Most companies practice inbound recruiting, typically by posting their open positions on a job board and then waiting for the right candidate to apply. But, is waiting for your perfect candidate to drop into your inbox really the most effective and efficient strategy?  

We work with organizations of all sizes and types, and a recurring theme is that Human Resources leaders and company executives both tend to underestimate the value that outbound recruiting can add to their talent acquisition strategy.  

If you’re stuck waiting for the perfect resume to be delivered to your lap from a job posting, read on; here are some things to consider when deciding between an inbound versus outbound recruiting strategy. 

What is Inbound Recruiting? 

Inbound recruiting is a passive approach to recruiting in which you wait for candidates to come to you, instead of seeking them out. It’s not necessarily a bad strategy, if you aren’t seeking to fill open positions immediately.  Occasionally adding to your candidate pipeline is a great way to keep the door open for future hires. Inbound recruiting takes less effort, fewer resources, and can provide a much larger pool of candidates than an outbound strategy. 

However, when the hiring need is more urgent, waiting for candidates to come to you could be a costly mistake. The longer a position remains unfilled, the more money you’re losing in productivity.  

Outbound Recruiting – An Active Approach 

Outbound recruiting is when a company sources and approaches candidates directly, instead of waiting for them to apply. The advantage of outbound recruiting is that you can focus on passive candidates - candidates that are currently employed elsewhere. For more about passive candidates, check out our past blog post. 

You can also think of it this way: outbound recruiting is sales, while inbound recruiting is marketing. Both tactics get you customers (candidates), but outbound gets you there faster, while inbound builds your brand and candidate pipeline over time.  

Which is the better strategy? 

Neither! Or both, depending on your view. Rather than being an either/or situation, these tactics can be used in different scenarios, depending on your needs and priorities.  

A position that does not need to be filled quickly or needs to be filled at very little cost, and requires few strict criteria for the applicant, could benefit from an inbound recruiting strategy. Posting the position on a popular job board is likely to bring in a myriad of applications, and the applicants are likely to be qualified enough to screen.  

In comparison, a position that must be filled quickly or has strict requirements for qualification should not be left to chance. It’s best to attack these unfilled positions with outbound recruiting, specifically by reaching out to passive candidates directly, as well as asking for qualified referrals from colleagues and employees.  

You can use both tactics at the same time, or switch between them as your needs change.  

How to Begin Outbound Recruiting 

If you aren’t sure where to start, you aren’t alone! Outbound recruiting can be intimidating, and requires time, money, and strategic communication with a certain type of candidate. If you have a high volume of positions to fill that require outbound recruiting, we recommend outsourcing that effort to a third party, like Skywalk Group. It can often be more cost and time effective to outsource your high-volume hiring than to attempt to complete it in-house.  

To know who you are looking for, it’s important to clarify and specify the job requirements. A reminder: only include those requirements and qualifications that are completely necessary to the successful completion of job duties. If someone with a high school diploma could easily do the job, it doesn’t make sense to reduce your talent pool by requiring a college degree.  

Next, you’ll want to start reaching out to passive candidates that match your desired qualifications. You will need to sell both the position and your organization, something we call “employer branding”. If you don’t position your company as a place where people want to work, there will be very little interest to draw potential candidates in. You can read more about recruiting marketing here.  

Other Considerations 

There are a few things to keep in mind when contemplating an outbound recruiting strategy.  

One is budget: outbound recruiting takes more financial resources than simply posting a job and waiting for someone to apply. The time spent sourcing and screening applicants can be extensive, especially if it is a new process that comes with a learning curve. This is why it can actually be more cost effective to work with a third party experienced in recruiting passive applicants, and which specializes in outbound recruiting tactics.  

It is extremely time-consuming, too. Writing emails, reaching out to candidates, selling the organization and the position, following up, phone screens, scheduling interviews... it all takes time from someone else’s day. One person alone can’t manage outsourced recruiting, even as a full-time position, it truly takes a village (or a department!).  

Outsourced recruiting is a great strategy for those positions that are more nuanced, have more stringent requirements, are in company leadership, or for positions that need to be filled urgently. It takes time and effort to master, along with a strong organizational brand. But we really do recommend an outbound strategy for organizations of any size and budget when the time and position are appropriate. 

If you have any questions about improving your current recruiting strategy, please reach out to us today! We have an entire team of experienced, professional recruiters ready to help fill your difficult positions with a background of recruiting passive candidates.  

By Jessica Palmer