The best active and passive candidates always have multiple options. As a result they need more convincing that the job you're offering is better than the other opportunities they're considering. For passive candidates, they need to be convinced that your job is even worth evaluating. Convincing these top candidates to proceed in the hiring process and then to accept a fair offer is what recruiters need to do to be successful. Recruiting is not about finding and hiring candidates who need another job. Anybody can do this. These candidates will do whatever you suggest.

The key to recruiting top candidates – especially those that are passive – is by maintaining "applicant control." Strong candidates who have other opportunities are always in a more advantageous position than the company trying to hire them. Good recruiters can reverse this position by offering a better job among the competing alternatives. Then they can use this stronger opportunity as a lure to pull the candidate through every subsequent step of the hiring process. This is a more sophisticated form of recruiting and much more effective than aggressive pushing, which is typical of how many recruiters work.

When working with top people expect resistance at each step. First they won't take your calls. Then they won't answer your questions. Then they won't like the job or the company. If that's not enough, once all of these hurdles are passed they won't come in for an interview at a convenient time. Recruiters need to effortlessly handle and overcome these concerns and temporary roadblocks. Don't complain about competing offers, or lack of interest after the first interview, or anything else that goes wrong. Expect things to go wrong; then deal with them. These are the times when recruiters need to get involved and take a leadership role in the process.

How to Handle the Basic "Making a ‘No’ Decision with Little Information" Issue. Frequently candidates will stop the process with limited information. It's usually because they're not convinced it's worth spending time on. Be aware of this at every stage, and when a candidate says "no more," determine if the concern is real, or if it’s due to lack of information. If it's lack of information, it's time to insert some doubt into the mix. First, you need to get their attention, and then you must get them to think about why they're coming to a flawed conclusion.

Try this if the problem occurs on your first call: "It seems like you're making a long-term career decision using short-term information." This is the attention getter. Now try, "A career move is a critical decision, and even though you haven't given it much thought, a potential opportunity has just presented itself. I'm sure you wouldn't buy a new TV or appliance without spending a few hours comparing models. By you refusing to even consider exploring this situation, you've just basically made a major career decision with less information than you would in buying a TV. When looked at in this light, doesn't it make sense to spend at least five minutes to see if the new opportunity is worth spending serious time on?"

No matter what the candidate says, if she or he doesn't have the information needed to come to a well-thought out conclusion, it's your job to persist and make sure they get the information. You start by making them aware that they could be making a major decision with minor information. Use this line, it will work: “Are you making a major decision with minor information?” Here are some other techniques you can use to overcome a candidate's reluctance to move forward in the hiring process.

"Your job isn't too appealing." You must anticipate this concern before you ever discuss the job with the candidate. Always obtain the candidate's profile before you tell him or her too much about the job. You can also parse this out in small bites, sharing information each step of the way. Start with a vague title with challenging work. For example, "We're looking for a senior marketing person leading our new product launch. Can you tell me a little of what you've done in this area?" Ask a few more questions and give a little more about the job. Look for gaps in the candidate’s background that your opening fills. These can be used as reasons why the job represents a career move. If the candidate seems too heavy, still obtain the complete profile. You'll be able to use this later on for networking.

"The money isn't enough." It never is. Your job is to demonstrate that the long-term opportunity more than offsets a modest increase right now. You'll have to know the job really well and understand what the candidate brings to the table. By creating this opportunity gap you are in a good position to describe the job stretch. You can't talk or BS your way through this one. You must describe actual projects the candidate will work on, and give examples of others who have progressed in similar ways. If the job really offers stretch, the money issue is less important. Here's a good rule to follow: rather than increase the compensation, increase the growth rate and stretch. In a year or two, this type of growth maximization career strategy more than offsets a focus on compensation increases.

“I’m concerned about the economy.”  It’s important to handle this with perseverance and insight, especially given the current economic challenges. I tell candidates that while they should be concerned about the risk associated with moving to a new company, there could be more risk associated with doing the same job for another year or two. If the person’s personal growth has stagnated for the past few years, adding another few years on top of this doing the same type of work has serious long-term implications. A job plateau of 3-5 years in length could negatively impact their whole career. Most quickly agree. I then suggest that we spend some time discussing the opportunity to see if the risk associated with the move has some long-term offset.

The key to recruiting top passive candidates is to persevere, not take “No” for an answer, make sure the candidate has enough factual information, and move in small steps. Don’t sell the job; instead sell the idea of a series of discussions that provide the candidate with enough information to determine if the job represents a sound career move. This is the essence of applicant control and essential to recruiting top candidates, whether they’re active or passive.