When job boards go quiet, many assume there’s no talent out there. But specialist candidates, the ones with niche expertise and in-demand skills, are rarely waiting by the phone. They’re already in jobs. Focused. Performing and not scrolling LinkedIn every lunch break.
That doesn’t mean they’re not open to new opportunities. But they won’t apply. You need to go to them.
When roles go live and applications trickle in (or don’t), here’s what actually happens behind the scenes:
We deep-dive the brief — What problem does this role solve? What does success look like in six months?
We build a map — Who in the industry is doing this well right now? Where are they based? What’s their background?
We reach out — Not with job ads, but with personalised, relevant messages based on what we know they care about.
We listen — to what they’re solving, what they’re lacking, and what it would take to make a move.
This isn’t about volume. It’s about precision.
That doesn’t mean they’re not open to new opportunities. But they won’t apply. You need to go to them.
Just last quarter, we placed a Commercial Manager who hadn’t updated their CV in three years.
They weren’t job-seeking. But we reached out, had a conversation, and over a few weeks, helped them see how the opportunity aligned with their long-term goals. The result? A hire the client wouldn’t have found through any advert.
Markets may be quiet, but good people haven’t vanished. You just need to know where to look and how to start the conversation. That’s where we come in.
If you’re stuck in the cycle of “no one good is applying,” it’s probably time to stop waiting and start searching differently. We’re already doing it.