Most high-performing professionals are not scrolling through job boards. They’re happily employed, they’re busy, and they’re selective with career moves, known as passive candidates. So, when hiring companies say, “No one with the right experience is applying,” the issue usually isn’t a lack of qualified talent. It’s a lack of the right approach to the talent market. 

Given that passive candidates dominate the workforce talent pool by an estimated 70%, their lack of response to job postings is no surprise. However, many are open to new opportunities that align with their career aspirations. They’re also the most-hired candidates for high-level, mission-critical roles at a lot of companies. How do employers find them? 

Passive candidates most often make career moves when someone they trust brings an ideal opportunity to them at the right time. 

Successful hiring companies and competent talent recruiters take a different approach to the talent market. We know why high performers don’t apply for jobs and how companies find them. Specifically, we know where to find and target top-tier candidates who aren’t actively searching for jobs, and how to approach and engage them in confidence. 

Targeting top-performing candidates is not about job descriptions or competitive compensation 

After years of working closely with job candidates and leadership teams as a talent acquisition specialist, I continue to see the same patterns noted above among top-tier professionals. Their motivations, reasons, and methods for changing jobs are just different. 

Passive top performers simply don’t operate the same way as active candidates. They don’t apply to dozens of job postings, chase bigger titles, or respond to generic outreach from recruiters or hiring managers. 

Instead, high performers job hunt silently – but intentionally: 

• They concentrate on excelling in current roles and building professional reputations. 

• They maintain strong professional business networks. 

• Their bona fides are visible on talent recruiting platforms like LinkedIn. 

• They quietly consider their next professional steps while protecting their reputations and career trajectories. 

• They only consider opportunities if a new role aligns with their goals, when a company’s leadership feels credible, and when the recruiting message feels thoughtful rather than transactional. 

• They evaluate risks and long-term fit long before entertaining or accepting an interview invitation.  

Companies that consistently onboard high performers are strategic: They approach candidates with right-fit career opportunities 

Job boards play an essential role in talent recruiting, but they primarily attract and capture applications and resumes from active job seekers – people who are under pressure to make a move, looking to change jobs or careers, or casting a wide net for new opportunities that align with their skills and potential, and offer competitive compensation.  

There’s also no question that active job seekers include talented employees with high productivity levels, many of whom become sought-after passive candidates.  

No matter which talent pools are targeted, active or passive, smart employers and their recruiting firms don’t rely on volume or hope that the right people will come forward for open positions. Here’s what effective hiring teams are doing today: 

• They focus on precision, taking the time to define what success truly looks like in a specific role. 

• They move decisively and quickly when they find the right talent. 

• They treat recruitment and hiring as a relationship-driven process rather than a transaction.  

• Instead of asking who’s available, they ask who would genuinely thrive in their environment – and why that person would say yes to a job offer.  

Strategy matters! 

The hiring market is shifting, and candidates are driving the change 

Today, hiring success isn’t about broadcasting job openings across multiple job boards. It’s about projecting clarity, credibility, speed, and targeted alignment between job openings and potential candidates. 

The strongest candidates are watching how companies hire just as closely as what they offer. They draw conclusions from how roles are presented and positioned (in job postings as well as private outreach), how interviews are conducted, how leaders communicate, and how long hiring decisions take. 

Every step sends a signal into the hiring and job market, impacting how employer brands are perceived. 

If your talent recruiting process isn’t attracting the talent you want, it isn’t a failure. Rather, the market is telling you something. Organizations that listen, adjust to a shifting market, and lead with intention and precision are the ones building the strongest teams.  

Strengthen your strategy and attract talent with the right skills 

Whether you’re a leader navigating today’s hiring challenges or a professional quietly open to the right next career move, this is a dialogue worth having with a recruitment specialist.  

Connect with me on LinkedIn and let’s continue the conversation. My name is Theresa Rickette and I am a Recruiting Partner with Goodwin Recruiting, which is repeatedly recognized by Forbes and Statista as a Best Professional and Executive Recruiting Firm. I would value the opportunity to support your search!