Why Job Boards Only Show You 30% of the Market (and How to Access the Other 70%)
For many small businesses, posting a job ad online feels like the easiest and cheapest way to hire. But while job boards might deliver plenty of applications, they don’t always deliver the right hire.
In fact, relying solely on job boards means you’re only seeing a fraction of the talent pool. Research shows that around 70% of candidates are “passive job seekers” — they’re not actively applying for roles, but they could be interested if the right opportunity comes along.
If you want to hire the best person for your business, it’s critical to understand the limitations of job boards and how to go beyond them.
The Limitations of Job Boards
- You Only Reach Active Job Seekers
Job boards are designed to capture candidates who are actively looking. But most professionals, including some of the most skilled and reliable,aren’t scrolling SEEK or Indeed daily. By sticking to job boards, you miss out on the hidden 70% of talent. - Volume Doesn’t Equal Quality
A job ad can generate dozens or even hundreds of applications. The problem? Many of them won’t be qualified. That means hours wasted screening CVs, with little guarantee of finding the right person. - You’re Still on Your Own
From writing the ad to filtering applications and managing communication, the entire process sits on your plate. For time-poor small business owners, this quickly becomes overwhelming.
- No Safety Net
When you advertise directly, the money is spent regardless of the outcome. If you don’t find the right hire, you’re left with an empty role and a new round of costs to advertise again.
How to Reach the Other 70%
To truly compete for the best talent, small businesses need to expand their search beyond job boards. This means targeting both active and passive candidates through:
- Database search: Accessing candidates who have applied for similar roles before.
- Social media marketing: Reaching professionals where they spend their time online.
- Direct outreach: Contacting passive candidates who aren’t applying but may be open to the right role.
Recruitment services like Recruit Shop combine all of these approaches to give small businesses access to both active and passive candidates, ensuring you see the full market, not just the 30% who are actively looking.
Why Recruit Shop Is a Smarter Alternative
Recruit Shop is built specifically for small businesses across Australia and New Zealand. Here’s how we help you avoid the common pitfalls of job boards:
- Flat fee, no commissions. Just $2,995 + GST per campaign, around 80% less than traditional agencies.
- Access to passive candidates. We market roles across job boards, social media, and our candidate database, then actively search for talent job boards can’t reach.
- Faster hires. Our clients typically hire in 28 days. If you don’t, we’ll give you $1,000 back or keep your campaign open for another month at no cost.
- Guarantee for peace of mind. Add a guarantee, and if your new hire doesn’t work out for any reason, we’ll restart the search immediately.
- Less stress, better results. We handle the heavy lifting, so you can focus on running your business.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are passive candidates?
Passive candidates are skilled professionals who aren’t actively applying for jobs but are open to the right opportunity. They make up about 70% of the workforce, meaning most of the best talent won’t be found through job boards alone.
Why don’t job boards work for small businesses?
Job boards only target active job seekers, which is just 30% of the market. They also generate large volumes of unqualified applications, leaving small business owners with more work and no guarantee of a hire.
How can small businesses reach passive candidates?
To access passive talent, businesses need to use strategies beyond job ads, such as targeted database searches, social media outreach, and personalised invitations. Partnering with a recruitment service like Recruit Shop ensures these methods are built into your hiring campaign.
Final Thoughts
Job boards aren’t a complete hiring strategy. They only give you access to a fraction of the market and often create more work than they save.
Let’s talk! We can help you turn your hiring challenges into your competitive advantage, saving you valuable time and helping you find the talent your business needs to grow.
If you want to hire the right employee for your small business quickly, affordably, and with less risk, it pays to go beyond job boards and tap into the passive talent pool.
👉 Talk to Recruit Shop today to learn how we can help you find the right hire.
