What are active job seekers and what are latent job seekers?

Active job seekers are people who are actively looking for a new job. They may be currently unemployed or may have a job but are actively looking for another position. Active job seekers are often active on job boards, send their resumes to companies and respond to vacancies. They take the initiative themselves in their search for a new job.

Latent job seekers are people who currently have a job and are not actively looking for a new position. However, they are open to new opportunities as they arise. They are usually not actively looking for vacancies or are not actively sending out their CV, but they may become interested if they are approached with an attractive offer. Latent job seekers can also show interest if they hear about an interesting vacancy through the grapevine.

For recruitment it is important to approach both groups. While active job seekers are already looking and are likely to respond more quickly, latent job seekers can be valuable candidates who might not be reached through traditional recruitment methods.

Research shows that on average 79% of all job seekers are latent, while only 21% are actively looking for work.