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What is Passive Job Searching and Why Should You be Doing It?

02-01-2020
Job seeker advice

Passive Job seekers are those people who are happily employed and are not actively looking for a new role. This could be because they enjoy their job and see themselves in that position for the long term or that they simply haven’t thought about changing jobs.

In contrast, an active job seeker will engage with recruiters, upload their CV to relevant job sites and apply for multiple opportunities.

If you are someone who is happy in their current role it might not seem relevant to consider yourself as a job seeker but ultimately, nothing is ever guaranteed. No matter how much job satisfaction you get from your job, it is wise to be a passive job seeker in case anything should change.

How to be a passive job seeker

Being a passive job seeker will ensure you have one eye on the current job market, are aware of opportunities within your line of work but are not actively seeking out these opportunities. Instead, they are being presented to you and if or when the time should ever come that you may decide to act on one of these opportunities, you’ll be informed and ready.

Social media is key when it comes to being a successful passive job seeker. Firstly, you should ensure that you have a LinkedIn profile and that it is kept up to date with your work history, qualifications and achievements. Most recruiters will actively search for prospective candidates on LinkedIn using key words related to a specific job or industry so it’s important that you use these in your profile to ensure you’re easy to find in your field.

Make sure you’re connected and following companies that you align with. Most businesses will use their own social media platforms to share news of a vacancy so if there are businesses in your local area or even further afield that to aspire to work at, connect with their social media pages to see first-hand when jobs become available. If your circumstances change you’ll be able to act fast and reach out to the company in question.

As well as keeping your online CV relevant in the form of your LinkedIn profile you should also ensure your physical CV is kept up to date because this will usually be the first request of a hiring manager. If you’re happy at work it can seem pointless and time consuming making regular amends to your CV as you gain new skills but this is a far more practical way of ensuring you include everything and have it ready to go should you need it.

Being happy and content in a role is a fantastic place to be and shouldn’t be underestimated but it’s also very wise to keep the door ajar for any better opportunities that come your way. If you are approached by a recruiter wanting to share information with you about a role you have every right to decline but it is also worth bearing in mind that your circumstances may change in the future. This could be the time when that door needs opening as you look for your next opportunity.

Whether you are a passive or active job seeker looking for a new challenge, we have a team of expert recruiters who have been helping candidates find their dream automotive job for over 16 years.

Contact your local recruitment specialist today for a confidential discussion about your career options.