Passive Candidate Recruiting
Recruit the Top 10% Who Aren't Applying
Most of the talent you want isn’t looking. They are winning somewhere else. We give you access to the hidden market and deliver signed offers in 3-4 weeks.
Why a Specialized Recruiting Partner 10x’s Your Return
The Trust Factor
Candidates trust our judgment because we’ve helped their friends or colleagues land career-defining roles. They know we prioritize fit over filling a seat, so they listen when we vouch for you.
The Truth Filter (Salary & Risk)
Candidates tell us things they won’t tell you. We get the raw truth on salary expectations, hesitations, and competing offers. We filter the noise so you avoid wasted time.
High-Signal Response Rates
Top talent ignores internal recruiters because they feel “sold to.” They reply to us at a much higher rate because our outreach signals market opportunity, not just a transaction.
The Off-Market Radar
We hear about top performers before they start looking. Our “whisper network” alerts us to talent ready to move months before they update their LinkedIn profile.
How We Recruit Passive Talent
Most companies fight over the 25% of candidates active on job boards. We unlock the 75% of the workforce who are passive. We grant you access to the “Invisible Market” of employed high-performers your competitors can’t reach.
1. The Off-Market Radar (Identification)
We don’t wait for applicants. We track relationship equity.
Instead of competing for active candidates on job boards, we scan our proprietary database and track career inflection points to identify top talent before they update their LinkedIn status.
2. Narrative Architecture (Messaging)
We don’t send job descriptions. We sell missions.
Passive candidates don’t move for a list of tasks; they move for impact. We rebuild your employer story to highlight the challenge, the equity upside, and the “Founder Vision”, transforming your role from a transaction into a career-defining opportunity.
3. High-Signal Outreach (Engagement)
The “Third-Party Advantage” in action.
The best candidates are protective of their time. They reply to us because our outreach signals a vetted market opportunity rather than a cold sales pitch. We use deep research to earn their attention, securing initial calls with high-performers who rarely respond to job inquiries.
4. The 48-Hour Rule (Momentum)
Friction kills deals. Speed is our unfair advantage.
Passive candidates are busy professionals. We respect their time by delivering benchmark profiles within 48 hours of our strategy kickoff. We manage the schedule aggressively to ensure momentum never drops between the first call and the final interview.
5. The TAG™ Vetting & Close (Selection)
We verify fit and ensure a conflict-free negotiation.
Every candidate must pass our TAG™ Test (Trust, Attitude, Grit). Once vetted, we act as the “Truth Filter.” We uncover the salary realities they won’t share with you directly, managing counter-offers to secure the signed offer without the back-and-forth.
Our passive candidate recruiting timeline
Off-Market. Vetted. Hired in 30 Days.
Week 0: Strategy & Alignment
Deep-dive session to define role, culture, and compensation (including attraction strategy). We align on the specific “hooks” needed to attract off-market talent.
48 Hours: Market Calibration
We deliver 3-5 benchmark profiles immediately. We ensure total alignment on seniority and fit before executing the full search.
Weeks 1-3: Curated Shortlist
You receive a curated shortlist of 3-5 fully vetted leaders. Skip the screening calls and move straight to high-impact interviews.
Weeks 3-4: The Close
Expert negotiation and counter-offer defense. We guide the candidate through resignation to ensure the deal crosses the finish line.
Post-Hire: Long-Term Success
30/60/90-day check-ins to ensure smooth integration. We identify friction early to guarantee the hire sticks.
See What Our Clients Are Saying
“Adam and the team at Linkus Group helped us recruit a world-class executive team. They not only quickly understood our business and culture needs but also provided a very high-level service throughout the process. The knowledge of this team is exceptional. We can’t recommend them enough!”
“Linkus is a determined team with grit that showed up consistently to support our hiring efforts at Optimy for a unique, hard-to-fill executive-level role on our team. They care about our success, and we recommend them to startups looking for support in hiring an early team.”
