Are you posting jobs, waiting patiently and still not getting the CVs you want? You're not alone. As one of the best recruitment agencies in Manchester, one of the most common frustrations we hear from hiring managers is, "We're getting loads of applications, but none of them are actually right for the role."
On paper, job boards seem like the easy answer, post a role, then wait for the talent to roll in. But the reality? You're left with inboxes full of irrelevant CVs, generic applications, and candidates who simply aren’t the right fit.
If that sounds familiar, here are five reasons why you're not seeing the quality you need and what you can do to fix it.
An 'Apply Anyway' Culture is Diluting Your Talent Pool
Job boards are built to get your advert seen by as many people as possible. But that doesn’t mean the right people are applying.
According to iHire’s 2024 State of Online Recruiting report, over 63% of employers said they receive too many unqualified applications through job boards. It's not hard to see why. A lot of candidates apply for jobs in large quantities, often without carefully reading the job description or knowing what the position fully entails.This implies that you wind up losing time and slowing down your recruiting process by sorting through a large number of applications that are of low relevance.
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The solution? Improve pre-screening procedures and, above all, move the emphasis from reactive job postings to more focused, proactive sourcing.
AI Is Flooding You with Templated, Copy-Paste CVs
We’re officially in the age of the ChatGPT CV. The rise of artificial intelligence in job searching has fundamentally changed the application landscape.
A recent Capterra survey showed 58% of job seekers now use AI tools to help write their applications. While that might make CVs look more polished, it also makes them feel more generic. You’re seeing a wave of generic applications that hit all the right buzzwords but lack authenticity or any real sense of the candidate’s personality or interest in the role.
This leaves hiring managers with dozens of nearly identical CVs and no clear way to spot genuine talent.
The Best People Aren't Browsing, They're Being Hunted
Here’s the reality no one wants to admit: the top talent in your industry probably isn’t actively job-hunting.
High performers are usually looked after by their current employer. They’re not scrolling job boards or uploading their CV to every platform, they’re busy doing a great job. If your recruitment strategy relies solely on incoming applications, you’re only speaking to a very small section of the market.
To access the people who aren’t applying but might be open to the right role you need to go beyond job boards and start tapping into the passive candidate market.
You're Losing Out to Faster, More Proactive Competitors
In a market where skilled candidates have options, timing is everything.
It's likely that your ideal candidate has already been approached from two or three other, more proactive companies by the time they post their CV to a job board. Top talent is frequently snatched up before they even press "apply" by recruiters and internal talent teams that are out there headhunting, networking, and cultivating candidate connections.
You're already late to the party if all you're doing is acting after a CV arrives in your inbox.
Yesterday's Methods Can't Win Today's Candidates
Job boards are inherently reactive. You post a job. You wait. And then you hope.
But recruitment in 2025 is a proactive, relationship-led game, you can no longer rely just on job boards when looking to hire. The companies seeing the best results are the ones consistently mapping talent, reaching out directly, building long-term relationships, and creating talent pipelines before roles even open up.
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Proactive sourcing lets you:
Target specific experience and skills
Engage with candidates aligned to your values and culture
Build trust before the hiring conversation even begins
Reduce time-to-hire dramatically
This is where partnering with a recruitment agency, particularly those that are sourcing experts, can help. We constantly produce results by using a strategy that puts quality above quantity, from talent mapping to individualised outreach and candidate nurturing.
So, What Can You Do?
If your hiring process feels like a constant cycle of poor CVs and wasted time, it might be time to shift your approach.
The best hiring practices consist of the following:
Targeted headhunting to engage passive talent
Industry networking to build long-term relationships
Referral incentives that tap into trusted networks
Professional recruitment partners who understand your sector and already have access to the talent you want
Quality candidates don’t always come knocking. Sometimes, you need to go out and find them.
The key to great hiring isn’t about receiving more CVs, it’s about getting the right ones.
That won’t happen by relying solely on job boards. To consistently draw in top talent, businesses need to combine both traditional advertising and smarter, proactive sourcing strategies. Build the pipeline before it’s needed. Engage in discussions before the vacancy even exists.
If you want to move beyond the constraints of job boards and access the hidden talent market, it's time to use proactive sourcing techniques. Your next great hire is out there, they're just not looking for you yet.
Ready to stop wasting time on the wrong CVs?
Let’s talk about how we can help you access the talent others can’t.