Passive candidate
A passive candidate is someone performing well in their current role who is not actively looking for a job, but may consider the right opportunity if approached directly. Passive candidates are usually the strongest talent for a role and the main target of headhunting.
Because they are not applying anywhere, passive candidates have to be sourced and approached directly through headhunting.
Engaging them well means leading with a specific, credible opportunity, not a generic job posting. The bar for getting a reply is higher because they are not looking, which is exactly why the strongest hires usually come from this pool.