Right now, quality talent is scarce; it’s a candidate’s market and you’ll need to put your best offer forward to snag the candidates that are open to changing jobs. It can still be difficult to even find those candidates in the first place. That’s why it’s a fantastic time to consider re-recruiting candidates that are qualified but have been rejected in the past. 

Some candidates remove themselves from the process by dropping out or ghosting, but others are rejected from consideration due to a whole scope of different factors. While you won’t want to reconsider all the candidates that were rejected in the past, there are some situations where it’s definitely worth it. 

1. They dropped out of the hiring process/accepted another offer 

These candidates were qualified and interested, but for one reason or another, removed themselves from consideration for the role. They may have accepted a better offer elsewhere, or maybe they decided to stay at their current position after all. Maybe they were hesitant to relocate at the time or needed to finish an education program or family obligation. The point is that all circumstances change, and these are the best candidates to re-engage in a conversation about your open positions. 

2. The role you’re hiring for has changed/evolved 

As we go about filling open positions, our business is continually evolving. Sometimes the position we were originally hiring for evolves into something completely different that a past interested candidate might be a better fit for now. Always look back to your candidate pipeline for candidates that have been interested or engaged in the past. They’re the best bet for future hiring needs! 

3. They  were still working on fulfilling requirements 

Sometimes a certain degree, certification, or level of mastery is required for a certain role, and candidates that are really qualified in every other area just haven't reached that level quite yet. If they were in the midst of securing higher education or greater qualifications when you last spoke with them, they may have since finished. Check back in and see how their career has progressed in the last few months or years. They might be the perfect candidate now! 

4. Your policies have changed 

A lot of companies are evolving rapidly right now. Companies and positions that used to be in person only are now remote work friendly, or companies that previously wouldn’t hire a candidate with a felony record have dropped that policy. If your organization’s policies have drastically changed recently, reach out to those candidates that were previously rejected for not meeting your standards the last go-round.  

5. They didn’t fit the culture 

This used to be a buzz phrase for not hiring someone, but the current thinking is that you shouldn’t hire a candidate that is just like every other employee you have. Businesses now want to hire for culture add, not culture fit. Put another way: you should consider hiring the personality traits or soft skills that your organization is lacking, not more of what you already have. If you previously dismissed a candidate because you didn’t think they’d fit in with your company culture, consider revisiting their application and having them in for an interview. They might bring some skills your organization could really use. 

There are a lot of different circumstances in which you might want to re-evaluate past candidates that didn’t quite make the cut. These are just a few, and we encourage you to think outside the box on this one. Who have you rejected in the past that could be a great fit in your company? If you need assistance developing a strong candidate pipeline to pull from for future hiring needs, that’s our specialty! Contact us today to learn more about our recruiting services.