Cracking the Code: Solving the Challenge of Hard to Find Talent
Filling a job role isn’t just about finding someone to tick the boxes—it’s about finding the right person to add value, lead effectively, and help the organisation thrive. But some roles are notoriously hard to fill, often requiring niche skills, specific leadership qualities, or experience in complex environments. It is hard to find the right talent!
For HR leaders and hiring managers, leaving these roles vacant for too long can significantly impact business operations, morale, and growth. According to industry research, 70% of HR leaders rank talent scarcity as their top concern, with specialised and leadership roles presenting the biggest challenge.
This guide explores why some roles are so difficult to fill, the cost of leaving them vacant, and actionable strategies to secure exceptional talent for your team.
Common Reasons Roles For Hard to Find Talent
- Skill Shortages
Industries like digital transformation, renewable energy, and defence often demand skills that are in short supply, creating intense competition for top talent.
- High Competition
The best candidates often have multiple offers, requiring employers to move quickly and position themselves as the employer of choice.
- Poor Employer Branding
Without a compelling employer brand, organisations may struggle to attract interest, even for otherwise desirable roles.
- Unclear Job Descriptions
Overly broad or unrealistic job descriptions can confuse or discourage potential applicants.
- Location or Flexibility Constraints
Strict geographical requirements or a lack of hybrid/remote working options can shrink your talent pool.
The Cost of Leaving Roles Unfilled
Unfilled positions don’t just disrupt the hiring process—they create ripple effects throughout the organisation:
- Lost Productivity: Teams often struggle to meet goals without critical expertise or leadership.
- Employee Burnout: Existing staff may take on additional workloads, increasing stress and reducing morale.
- Missed Opportunities: Business growth, innovation, or transformation projects may stall, leading to financial losses.
Research suggests that every unfilled role can cost a company up to three times its annual salary. For senior or specialist positions, the impact is even greater.
Effective Strategies for Filling Hard to Find Talent
Understand the Role in Depth
Collaborate with hiring managers to define the role clearly, distinguishing between essential skills and “nice-to-haves.” This ensures the search is focused and realistic.
Understand the Business Context
Start by understanding the role’s purpose within the organisation and how it aligns with business goals:
- Ask probing questions:
- What problem is this role solving?
- What outcomes does success in this role look like?
- How does this role fit into the broader team and organisational strategy?
Example:
For a Digital Marketing Manager role:
- Business Goal: Increase online visibility and drive website traffic.
- Role Purpose: Manage campaigns to improve SEO, paid ads, and content performance.
Outcome: This context ensures you focus on skills like SEO expertise or analytics over more general marketing skills.
Separate “Essential” from “Nice-to-Have”
Guide hiring managers to prioritise key qualifications:
- Focus on the must-haves: Skills, experience, and attributes critical to the role’s success.
- Challenge assumptions: Question whether certain “nice-to-haves” are genuinely critical.
Effective Questions:
- What would happen if a candidate didn’t have this skill or experience?
- Can this skill be learned on the job, or is it immediately necessary?
Example:
For a Project Manager role:
- Essential: Strong stakeholder management, budgeting experience, and proficiency in project management methodologies (e.g., Agile or Prince2).
- Nice-to-Have: Industry-specific experience or advanced certifications like PMP (if they already have strong project experience).
Define Success Metrics
Work with the hiring manager to outline the expected impact of the role within the first 6–12 months:
- Clarify deliverables and performance indicators.
- Map the skills required to achieve these outcomes.
Example:
For a Sales Manager role:
- Success Metric: Increase revenue by 15% within the first year.
- Essential Skills: Proven track record in sales growth, leadership abilities, and CRM proficiency.
- Nice-to-Have: Experience in a specific industry or with a particular CRM software.
Use Competency-Based Frameworks
Frame discussions around behaviours and competencies, not just technical skills:
- Define behaviours aligned with the organisation’s culture.
- Identify transferable skills for more flexible and inclusive hiring.
Example:
For a Customer Service Lead role:
- Competency (Essential): Conflict resolution and people management.
- Skill (Nice-to-Have): Familiarity with a specific ticketing system like Zendesk.
Build a Prioritised Role Profile
Turn the discussion into a clear, tiered document:
- Tier 1: Must-Have Skills
- Required qualifications and experience directly impacting success.
- Tier 2: Nice-to-Have Skills
- Secondary qualifications that enhance performance but aren’t critical.
Example Document: Software Developer Role
- Must-Have: Proficiency in JavaScript, experience with React.js, and ability to work in Agile teams.
- Nice-to-Have: Familiarity with DevOps tools (e.g., Docker) and knowledge of the fintech industry.
Challenge Unrealistic Expectations
Gently address concerns if a hiring manager’s expectations are overly rigid or unrealistic:
- Provide data or benchmarks to show market realities (e.g., salary expectations or candidate availability).
- Suggest trade-offs to balance priorities (e.g., hiring for potential vs. perfection).
Example Conversation:
- Hiring Manager: “I want someone with 10+ years of AI experience in a startup environment.”
- Response: “AI is a newer field, so candidates with that level of experience will be rare. Would you consider someone with strong machine learning skills and a proven ability to innovate, even if they have less experience in startups?”
Use Examples to Ground the Process
When presenting profiles, include examples of real or hypothetical candidates:
- Show how one candidate meets “essentials” but lacks “nice-to-haves,” and vice versa.
- Discuss trade-offs with the hiring manager to refine expectations further.
Regular Check-Ins
Keep the hiring manager involved throughout the search:
- Review candidate profiles together and discuss how well they meet the agreed criteria. Sometimes the most obvious profiles aren’t the right fit and thats the reason why it is hard to find talent.
- Adjust the profile as needed based on feedback or changing business needs.
Expand Your Talent Pool to Source Hard to Find Talent
Target Candidates with Transferable Skills
How to Identify Transferable Skills:
- Break down the core competencies required for the role (e.g., problem-solving, leadership, communication).
- Identify industries or roles where these competencies are commonly developed.
- Use psychometric tools or behavioural interviews to assess how these skills can be applied in your organisation.
Practical Steps:
- Broaden job descriptions: Emphasise skills over specific industry experience (e.g., “proven project delivery in fast-paced environments” rather than “10 years in FMCG”).
- Cross-industry research: Use platforms like LinkedIn to identify candidates from parallel industries (e.g., a logistics expert in retail could transition into a tech supply chain role).
Example: For a customer service leadership role, consider candidates from industries like hospitality or airlines, where they’ve managed high-pressure customer interactions and operational challenges.
Tap into Alumni Networks
Why Alumni Networks Work:
- Alumni are often highly engaged with their former institutions or employers and have diverse career trajectories.
Practical Steps:
- University alumni networks: Partner with universities’ career services or alumni offices to advertise roles.
- Former employees: Reach out to alumni from your own organisation who may have gained valuable skills elsewhere and are open to returning.
Example: For a leadership role in technology, contact alumni of top engineering schools or business schools, especially those who have progressed into leadership in diverse industries.
Leverage Professional Associations
Why Professional Associations are Valuable:
- They provide access to specialised networks of talent with skills aligned to your needs. Hard to find talent isn’t always where you might expect it and it takes effort to uncover it.
Practical Steps:
- Join relevant groups: Engage with professional organisations in your target sectors (e.g., Chartered Management Institute for leadership talent or CIPD for HR specialists).
- Advertise roles: Post vacancies or reach out directly to members through association directories.
- Attend events: Network at industry conferences or webinars where potential candidates are likely to gather.
Example: If hiring for a sustainability role, collaborate with associations like the Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment (IEMA) to source candidates with a deep understanding of sustainability practices.
Explore Global Talent Markets for Hard to Find Talent
Why Global Markets Expand Your Pool:
- Access to diverse perspectives and a broader range of skills will make hard to find talent easier to access.
- Potential to find talent in regions with specific expertise (e.g., technology hubs like India or Germany).
Practical Steps:
- Use global platforms: Advertise on international job boards such as Glassdoor, Indeed, and LinkedIn.
- Partner with global recruitment agencies: They can provide insight into talent availability and salary expectations in different regions.
- Leverage work visa schemes: Familiarise yourself with local visa policies, such as the UK Skilled Worker visa, to enable international hiring.
Example: For an IT leadership role, consider candidates from global tech hubs like Bangalore or Silicon Valley who have experience scaling technology solutions.
Build a Referral Network
Why Referrals Work:
- Employees and industry peers often know high-quality talent that traditional recruitment methods miss.
Practical Steps:
- Internal referrals: Create a structured programme where employees are incentivised to refer candidates from diverse backgrounds.
- External referrals: Reach out to trusted contacts in your industry to recommend candidates with relevant skills.
Example: For an interim finance role, ask senior leaders in your network if they know experienced professionals who’ve managed finance transformations in complex environments.
Engaging Passive Candidates is the Key to Source Hard to Find Talent
Why Passive Candidates are Valuable:
- Many high-calibre professionals aren’t actively job hunting but may be open to the right opportunity.
Practical Steps:
- Social media engagement: Share thought leadership content on LinkedIn to attract candidates who align with your organisation’s vision.
- Personalised outreach: Use tools like LinkedIn Recruiter to approach candidates with tailored messages highlighting how their skills can impact your organisation. This can really help engage hard to find talent.
Example: For a digital marketing role, approach candidates on LinkedIn who are currently managing high-profile campaigns in adjacent industries.
Invest in Inclusive Hiring Practices
Why Inclusivity Broadens Your Talent Pool:
- A more inclusive approach naturally attracts talent from non-traditional backgrounds.
Practical Steps:
- Review job ads: Ensure they use inclusive language and don’t unintentionally deter underrepresented groups (e.g., avoid jargon or overly prescriptive requirements).
- Blind hiring: Use tools to anonymise applications and reduce unconscious bias.
- Community partnerships: Collaborate with organisations that promote diversity in employment (e.g., Women in Tech, Stonewall, or Black Young Professionals Network).
Example: For a leadership role, engage with organisations that support underrepresented groups to access a broader talent base.
Partner with Recruitment Specialists
Partnering with experts like re:find can make all the difference. With deep expertise in executive hiring and interim leadership, we have a track record of placing top talent in the most challenging roles.
Real-Life Success Stories
Case Study 1: Appointing a Head of Strategy for a Leading Consumer Business
When a leading consumer business needed a Head of Strategy to steer its future direction, they partnered with re:find. The role demanded exceptional strategic thinking and sector expertise, making it a particularly challenging vacancy. This really was a brief where it was was hard to find talent.
We worked closely with the client to deeply understand their business and cultural needs, using our tailored search approach to identify and engage exceptional candidates. Within weeks, we placed a high-performing leader who hit the ground running, delivering immediate value to the organisation.
Read the full case study: Appointing a Head of Strategy.
Case Study 2: Building Long-Term Success with a Leading Defence Business
Hard-to-fill roles often require long-term partnerships, and our ongoing work with a leading defence business demonstrates this. Over the years, we’ve successfully placed multiple senior leaders and transformation specialists into their team.
Through our deep understanding of their industry challenges and cultural dynamics, we’ve built a trusted relationship that ensures a seamless recruitment process for even the most specialised roles.
Read the full case study: Building Long-Term Success.
How We Can Help
At re:find, we specialise in solving complex hiring challenges. With extensive expertise in executive hiring, interim leadership, and talent management, we excel at finding the right people for hard-to-fill roles.
Why partner with re:find?
- Proactive Search: We don’t just post job ads—we headhunt the top 5% of candidates who match your needs, even those who aren’t actively looking.
- Deep Sector Expertise: From consumer goods to defence and digital transformation, our experience spans multiple sectors and complex industries.
- Proven Track Record: We’ve placed senior leaders and specialists in roles that others struggled to fill, ensuring our clients can continue driving success.
- Broader Talent Management Services: Beyond recruitment, we support organisations with transformation, restructuring, and leadership challenges, providing a full lifecycle solution.
Whether you’re looking for a strategic leader or a niche specialist, we delivers results.
Visit refind.co.uk to explore our services or book a consultation today.
Struggling to fill a critical role? Need support with hard to find talent? Don’t let it hold your business back.
Contact our Managing Director James Cumming at re:find today to discover how we can help you find exceptional talent, fast.
Visit refind.co.uk or call us on 0121 314 0350 to schedule a consultation. Let’s take the stress out of recruitment and get your team back on track.
