Why some key positions remain unfilled for months

For the fourth month in a row, the HR meeting agenda has included the same frustrating item: an unfilled Operations Director position. The job advertisement is posted on major job boards, promoted for maximum visibility, and has already attracted dozens of applicants.

Yet none of the candidates are truly suitable, and the need to fill the role is becoming increasingly urgent.

This situation perfectly illustrates the illusion of choice in today’s labour market. A single job advertisement receives an average of 40 applications, yet key positions often remain vacant for months. Traditional recruitment methods are reaching their limits because a job posting only reaches a fraction of the actual talent market.

Meanwhile, the empty seat in the organisation comes at a cost. In HR, this is known as the Cost of Vacancy. According to research by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), the financial impact of an unfilled management role can amount to three to five times the position’s annual salary.

“The biggest challenge in recruitment today is not the lack of CVs. Companies often receive more applications than ever before. The real challenge is identifying the person who can move the organisation forward and convincing them that this opportunity is worth considering,” says Petra Sabóová, Team Leader & Strategic People Partner.

The best candidates may never see your job advertisement

The challenge with today’s labour market is that job boards only reach people who are actively looking for a new job. In practice, this represents just 25–30% of the market. While this approach gives companies access to interested candidates, it does not necessarily connect them with the most suitable ones.

The remaining 70–75% of the market consists of so-called passive candidates – professionals who are not actively seeking a new role but may respond to the right opportunity. In technology, IT, and highly specialised fields, this imbalance is even more pronounced.

Let’s return to the search for that Operations Director

That person exists somewhere. Most likely, they are currently leading their own Monday management meeting at another company. And job boards? They probably have not visited one for four years, since accepting the position they still successfully hold today.

Such a professional is unlikely to apply for your vacancy voluntarily. Not because your company is unattractive or because the role lacks appeal. Simply because they will never see the job advertisement.

“When hiring for C-level positions, posting an advertisement and waiting for responses is no longer enough. Most successful executive placements happen through direct outreach to candidates who were not originally considering a career change. Success is no longer about the visibility of a job offer, but about the ability to build a credible dialogue with high-performing professionals who are already successful in their current roles.”

This trend is not limited to executive positions. The same dynamics can be seen across the labour market, particularly in roles with highly specific requirements.

“The most sought-after specialists already have stable employment and only consider a move when they see a clear career, personal, or values-driven opportunity. Recruitment is therefore evolving from process administration into relationship building, motivation, and long-term trust development,” Petra explains.

HR departments are facing an increasingly difficult challenge

If companies want to reach passive candidates—the 70% of the market that is not actively searching—they must fundamentally rethink their recruitment approach.

For internal HR teams, this creates a difficult situation. They need to adapt to a changing market while simultaneously managing operational tasks, onboarding, employee retention, compliance, and internal training. They simply do not have the capacity to spend dozens of hours identifying prospects, building relationships, and conducting discreet headhunting activities.

It is not a matter of HR professionals lacking expertise. The reality is that hiring for critical positions can no longer be treated as just another task on a long to-do list—it has become a specialised discipline in its own right. Expanding the internal HR team is one option, but that would require additional hiring.

This is exactly when companies often turn to us. We do not wait for candidates to respond to advertisements. We identify the right people, engage them in meaningful conversations, and support your internal HR team throughout the process.

Most importantly, together we will identify leaders who can turn your brave plans into reality.