24th June 2025

So Many Candidates... So Little Choice

Have you noticed how easy it is to apply for a job nowadays but how difficult it is to secure an interview?

If you've found yourself undertaking a job search recently, either through ambition or necessity, you can't have failed to notice how easy it is to apply. All you need to do is push a couple of buttons, and your CV wizzes its way off to a potential employer.

Of course, if it's easy for you, it's easy for everyone else- and that’s the problem!

I spoke to a jobseeker recently, and they told me they'd applied for 350 jobs in the last couple of months.

Now, at first, that sounds like a very high number until you understand that it's not really applying for a job. It's just pushing a button and sending a CV.

This puts both the job seeker and the employer in a difficult position.

As the Job seeker, what can you do?

To stand out from the crowd, job seekers need to move beyond simply hitting 'apply' and take a more strategic approach.

Before applying, take the time to carefully read the job description, tailor your CV to highlight the most relevant skills and experience, and craft a compelling cover letter that demonstrates genuine interest in the role and company.

Networking can also be invaluable - connecting with industry professionals and recruiters or even reaching out to hiring managers directly can help get your application noticed.

Quality over quantity is key; rather than applying for hundreds of roles indiscriminately, focus on the ones that truly align with your skills and aspirations, and make every application count.

The Employer’s Viewpoint

Now look at it from the employer's point of view. We're increasingly receiving feedback that employers are receiving hundreds of applications but not any suitable ones. Is it any wonder when it’s so easy to apply?

And that means that, even if a candidate is suitable and turns up for an interview, they may know little about your role and may have little interest in it, which is a waste of time for all concerned.

What must you not do as the hiring company if you receive 100+ CVs?

Well, the first thing to understand is that you should never use an open AI platform to sift through CVs, despite what you may have heard. That's a total breach of GDPR, as all open AI companies will make it clear they cannot guarantee that your data is protected. It’s not surprising when confidential details about a candidate could end up being shared in other answers!

So, what can you do?

Now, you can look at each CV in turn, which is a massive task and not that fruitful. You can use a tracking tool to seek certain aspects mentioned in the CV, or you can use a headhunter (often called an executive search firm). There's a thought.

So if you receive 100+ applicants for a vacancy which looks attractive online, how many do you think a headhunter will send you? This might surprise you, but It’s likely to be between 3 and 5 qualified candidates for an attractive position or for a rare or difficult-to-fill role, even fewer …and, of course, the quality of a candidate from a headhunter is likely to be much higher than that from a direct job advert.

Why is that?

Because the executive search firm is doing all the hard work for you.

• Firstly, they're fishing in the right pool and can persuade people who are not applying for these jobs that this might be the right job for them.
• Secondly, they're finding only the right applicants, and they're stopping those unsuitable or less qualified applicants from reaching your shortlist by using a series of qualification questions and interview techniques.
• Thirdly, they have expertise in your niche, which means they can “SELL” your opportunity much better than the standard advert can, with all the restrictions placed on you.

Would you rather have 100 CVs from off-the-shelf candidates who clicked a couple of buttons or 3-5 qualified CVs from high-quality specialist candidates who meet your brief and have a genuine interest in your role? 

If it’s the latter, you should consider using an executive search firm with expertise in your sector.

Isn't it about time you thought about using a headhunter instead of leaving your recruitment to the fastest finger first brigade?

Visit Paul Harper Search

Business Development