Why Targeting Passive Candidates Is a Game-Changer & Creating a Big Impact

Published:09/09/2025 | Posted by Juan Moreno, Managing Director - International - Executive Search

In today’s global talent market, forward-thinking companies are shifting beyond traditional hiring methods to recruit passive candidates and high-performing professionals who are not actively job hunting but are open to compelling new opportunities. These individuals can be transformative at both the executive and operational levels, particularly when filling mission-critical roles across complex industries like mining, agriculture, and energy.

Are you looking in the right place for top talent to fill critical roles?

What is the hiring secret most companies using job boards and hiring posts on social media don’t know? Most executive roles that are filled, which typically require confidential, targeted search, come from the passive candidate pool – those not actively looking for new job opportunities. Both U.S. and international data point to roughly two‑thirds to over 90% of C‑level and executive hires coming from passive candidates (LinkedIn Talent research, 2023–2025).

Globally, research shows a very high passive‑hire rate for leadership and high-level roles. LinkedIn’s 2023 Talent Trends research indicates about 70% of the global workforce is passive (not actively job‑seeking). This approach is especially valuable for companies expanding or hiring across borders, including in strategic regions such as Latin America and Canada, where local knowledge and cultural fluency can make or break a hire.

The Strategic Value of Passive Candidates: Unlike active job seekers, passive candidates are typically excelling in their current roles and not browsing job boards. Yet they represent some of the best talent available—if you know how to reach them. Here’s why they’re worth pursuing:

• High-Caliber Talent: Passive professionals are often leaders in their field, already contributing significantly to their current organizations. Bringing them into your company injects proven expertise.
• Lower Competition: Because these individuals aren’t actively applying, your company avoids the crowded candidate pool and gains a competitive edge in attracting them.
• Cultural Compatibility: Passive candidates tend to make thoughtful moves. When approached correctly, they bring a strong likelihood of long-term retention and cultural alignment.
• Fresh Industry Insight: These professionals often bring innovative strategies and niche knowledge, especially valuable in complex or heavily regulated industries.

Recruiting passive candidates internationally, particularly in regions like Latin America and Canada, requires far more than job ads and LinkedIn posts. It calls for a consultative, research-driven approach that combines global reach with deep local insight. This hiring situation is where executive search and talent advisory firms like StevenDouglas provide a critical advantage. With over 40 years of experience placing top-tier leadership and specialized professionals, my team at StevenDouglas is uniquely positioned to help companies access passive talent across borders and we employ a number of strategies to be successful.

5 Ways We Help Companies Find High-Performing Passive Talent:

1. Specialized Industry Expertise: We understand the complexities of the mining, agriculture, and energy sectors—including the operational nuances and workforce demands specific to Latin America and Canada.
2. Local Networks, Global Reach: With embedded teams and deep connections throughout Latin America and Canada, we connect with passive candidates that are invisible to internal HR teams or job boards.
3. Customized Talent Solutions: Whether you need executive search, interim leadership or professional recruiting, we adapt our strategy to fit your organization’s goals and timelines.
4. Confidential, Targeted Outreach: Passive candidates value discretion. We approach them thoughtfully and professionally, building trust and interest through a tailored narrative that includes privacy and confidentiality for both the companies and candidates involved in the hiring process.
5. Time-Efficient Delivery: Our team does the heavy lifting for companies we represent so that taking on these covert searches isn’t a time-consuming process for leadership. From market mapping and benchmarking to candidate vetting— we do the backend work and research so you can focus on decision-making with confidence.

Many companies find long-term ROI in a passive recruitment approach. Investing in a strategy to attract passive international talent pays off and companies that successfully secure these professionals benefit from stronger leadership, faster market adaptation, and sustainable growth. In an increasingly global and competitive business environment, your ability to hire game-changing talent can define your success, so we guide candidate searches with precision, discretion and a results-driven strategy.

5 Techniques to Overcome Global Hiring Challenges: Attracting passive candidates, especially across borders, comes with its own hurdles:

1. Strong Employer Loyalty: These candidates often require compelling offers involving meaningful work, leadership opportunities, or relocation support.
2. Cultural & Legal Nuances: Hiring across Latin America or Canada means understanding regulatory frameworks, labor laws, and cultural expectations.
3. Competitive Compensation: Top talent expects market-aligned packages that reflect both expertise and location-specific cost-of-living factors.
4. Persuasion Over Promotion: Passive candidates are moved by vision and values, not job titles. Effective recruitment requires an authentic, relationship-based approach.
5. Counteroffers & Retention: Employers often fight hard to retain these professionals. Having a well-thought-out engagement and onboarding plan is essential.

Start hiring internationally with confidence by having an expert who understands the specific expertise or market you’re hiring for. Whether you’re expanding into Latin America, building teams in Canada, or seeking world-class leaders in niche industries, I am always advising and assisting my clients on how to identify and retain the best talent whether they are actively or passively looking for new opportunities. My team has a successful track record reaching passive talent that drives a company’s global success.

Are you ready to hire internationally or search for the next passive candidate super star in the Americas? Reach out to me anytime at 954-982-8601 or email me at [email protected] with questions on the current market, help with understanding international hiring trends or industry intel that I can provide you with to make better hiring decisions for positive, high-impact outcomes that help my clients grow their business across the globe.

About the Author: Juan Moreno is the Managing Director – International – Executive Search at StevenDouglas and leads our Latin American Executive Search practice, providing clients with quick access to in-country talent in Latin America across different industries including: manufacturing, natural resources/mining, banking and wealth management, and power/alternative energy. He’s an expert in international employment needs, specializing in expatriate placements as well as successfully recruiting Heads of Latin America that are based in the USA and Canada. Juan has significant experience in recruiting and executive search in Latin America and Europe, where he built successful management teams in IT, Operations, Finance, Marketing and Government Relations.