For a prominent construction client, their robust growth had created a consistent demand for top-tier talent, particularly for critical Superintendent positions. And their database had grown considerably over the past five+ years.
The Challenge
While their applicant tracking system (ATS) housed a wealth of previously engaged candidates, this valuable pool of potential hires largely remained untapped. Like many organizations, their team lacked the dedicated bandwidth and resources to proactively re-engage these individuals.
This meant that promising candidates who hadn’t been a fit for previous roles often went uncontacted, effectively becoming “dormant” within the system.
When new opportunities arose, the team only had enough time in the day to speak with applicants and newly sourced candidates. If they came across someone previously spoken to, the client’s team had to essentially restart those conversations and candidate relationships from scratch.
This reactive approach not only slowed down the hiring process for crucial roles but also risked losing out on qualified individuals who might have been open to new opportunities if nurtured effectively.
The challenge was clear: how to efficiently and effectively reactivate their existing talent pool to meet immediate hiring needs and build a sustainable pipeline for the future.
The Solution
Recognizing the untapped potential within the client’s ATS, their Director of Talent Acquisition partnered with Field of Talent to implement a strategic talent re-engagement and nurturing program.
Field of Talent designed and executed a multi-touch campaign tailored to the client’s brand and specific needs. This comprehensive approach involved a carefully orchestrated sequence of personalized communications delivered through various channels.
The campaign included engaging email outreach to reintroduce the client and highlight current opportunities, targeted text messages for timely updates and reminders, and direct phone calls to foster deeper connections and gauge candidate interest.
By branding all communications as coming directly from the client and keeping their data segmented and locked for them, Field of Talent acted as an extension of their internal talent acquisition team, ensuring a consistent and familiar experience for the candidates. Because the marketplace for this level of talent is so fiercely competitive, we are keeping our client’s name confidential.
This approach allowed the client to pick up candidate conversations where they had previously left off, leveraging existing rapport and understanding. Several candidates expressed genuine appreciation for being remembered and re-engaged. Many even shared updates on their current projects and indicated when they’d be available, asking to be contacted again in six months should new opportunities arise. This level of openness and forward planning reflects the strength of the relationships nurtured through the campaign.
Furthermore, the ongoing nurturing aspect of the program ensured that even candidates not immediately available were kept engaged for future opportunities, building a warm and readily accessible talent pipeline.
The Results
Within the first two months of the engagement, Field of Talent’s proactive pipeline program yielded significant results for the Indianapolis-based construction client. The multi-touch campaign achieved an impressive average response rate of 30% from the previously dormant candidate pool.
More importantly, this re-engagement effort directly resulted in three successful hires for high-priority Superintendent positions. These were candidates who likely would have remained untouched without Field of Talent’s intervention.
The client was able to quickly fill critical roles with qualified individuals who were already familiar with their company, significantly reducing time-to-hire and associated recruitment costs.
By consistently nurturing their existing talent database, the client is now equipped with a readily available pipeline of engaged candidates, reducing their reliance on constant new sourcing and fostering stronger, longer-term relationships with potential future hires.
The partnership with Field of Talent has transformed their dormant ATS into a dynamic and valuable asset, empowering them to proactively address their talent needs and build a sustainable competitive advantage in the talent market.
Ready to unlock the hidden potential in your candidate database?
Contact Field of Talent today to learn how our talent re-engagement and nurturing programs can drive impactful hiring results for your organization.
