How to recruit for hard to fill roles

If you’re trying to work out how to recruit for hard to fill roles, it can get frustrating pretty quickly. You put the role out, get a few CVs through, maybe speak to a couple of people… but nothing really sticks. Then a few weeks pass and you’re still in the same place.

Most people assume it’s just a lack of good candidates. In reality, it’s usually not that simple. More often, something in the role or the process is putting the right people off, even if it’s not obvious straight away.

Quick answer: what actually helps fill these roles?

Hard to fill roles tend to move when a few key things are in place.

You need a clear role that actually makes sense in the market, a process that keeps moving, and a reason for candidates to stay engaged from start to finish. On top of that, you usually need to look beyond just the people actively applying.

None of this is complicated on its own. But when one or two of these areas slip, it becomes much harder to get the right outcome.

What actually makes a role “hard to fill”?

Some roles are genuinely niche. You might need a very specific skill set, industry experience, or someone who can cover a few different areas at once. In those cases, it’s expected that hiring will take longer because the pool is smaller to begin with.

But a lot of roles that get labelled as “hard to fill” aren’t really about scarcity. They’re about how the role sits in the market and how it’s being presented. Things like salary not quite matching expectations, the scope being too broad, or the progression not being clear enough can all quietly put people off.

That’s why these roles often get some interest, but not the right kind. Or candidates engage early on, then drop out somewhere in the process. It doesn’t feel like a big issue at first, but over a few weeks it becomes obvious that something isn’t quite landing.

There isn’t a single change that fix that will make those tricky roles easier to fill. But what tends to work is tightening a few key areas so the whole process feels clearer and more consistent, both internally and from a candidate’s point of view.

Get clear on what you actually need

A lot of hiring starts a bit too wide. Job descriptions become a list of everything the business could possibly need, rather than what the role is actually responsible for day to day.

That makes it harder for candidates to see where they fit, and it often leads to mixed opinions internally about who’s right for the role.

It’s usually worth pulling things back. Thinking properly about what success looks like in the first few months and what the role genuinely needs to deliver.

Once that’s clear, it becomes much easier to attract the right people and assess them consistently.

Make sure the role actually fits the market

This is where a lot of roles quietly fall down.

Candidates have a good sense of what they’re worth and what similar roles look like elsewhere. If there’s a gap between what’s being offered and what they expect, they’ll pick up on it quickly.

Sometimes that shows up as low application numbers. Other times, candidates go through part of the process and then drop out or turn the role down at the end.

This is one of the more common hiring challenges, especially for businesses that are growing quickly or hiring into new areas. Small adjustments here can make a noticeable difference.

Don’t let the process drag

You can have the right role and still lose people if the process isn’t moving.

From the outside, small delays don’t feel like a big deal. An interview gets pushed back a couple of days, feedback takes a bit longer than expected, or a decision needs another internal conversation. It all feels reasonable at the time.

But from a candidate’s point of view, it creates uncertainty. They start to question how organised things are, or whether the role is actually a priority. Meanwhile, they’re still speaking to other businesses who might be moving quicker.

That’s usually when people start thinking about how to speed up the recruitment process. Not by rushing decisions, but by tightening the gaps between stages and keeping communication clear. It’s often those small changes that make the biggest difference.

Look beyond people applying to the role

If you’re relying purely on job applications, you’re working with a smaller pool than you think.

A lot of strong candidates aren’t actively applying for roles. They’re open to the right opportunity, but only if it’s presented to them in a way that feels worth exploring.

That means taking a more proactive approach. Reaching out, starting conversations, and being clear about what the role offers.

It takes a bit more effort, but it usually leads to better conversations and stronger outcomes.

Think about how the business comes across

Candidates don’t just look at the job description. They’ll check your website, your messaging, and what they can find about the business online.

If that feels unclear or a bit inconsistent, it can create doubt, even if the role itself is strong.

This is where things like digital marketing for small businesses start to link back to hiring. The way the business presents itself has a direct impact on whether someone feels confident engaging with the opportunity.

Be open where you can

Roles that feel too rigid tend to be harder to fill.

That doesn’t mean changing everything, but it does mean thinking about where there’s room for flexibility. That might be around working patterns, responsibilities, or how the role develops over time. Even small shifts here can open things up and make the role feel more realistic for a wider group of candidates.

Know when it’s a capacity issue

Sometimes the issue isn’t the role or the strategy. It’s the time available to manage the process properly. Hiring often sits alongside everything else. It gets picked up between meetings, projects, and day-to-day work. That’s when things start to slow down without anyone really noticing.

Feedback takes longer, communication drops off, and candidates lose momentum. This is often when businesses start thinking about outsourcing the hiring process. Not as a replacement, but as a way to keep things moving and make sure the process is handled consistently.

What happens when roles stay open too long

When a role sits open for a while, it starts to affect more than just hiring. Work gets spread across the rest of the team, which can slow things down and add pressure. Projects take longer, and priorities start to shift. Over time, that pressure builds to fill the role, which can change how decisions are made.

The risk of getting it wrong

When there’s pressure to hire, it’s easier to compromise. Someone who feels “close enough” gets through, just to get the role filled. That’s where the cost of a bad hire becomes very real. It’s not just the salary, it’s the time, the disruption, and having to start again if it doesn’t work out.

It’s not always a talent problem

Some roles are genuinely difficult to fill, and that’s part of hiring. But a lot of the time, it’s not about a lack of candidates. It’s about how the role is set up and how the process is run. When those things improve, roles that felt stuck tend to move in a more steady, predictable way.

If you’re struggling to fill roles

If roles are staying open longer than they should, or you’re losing people partway through, it’s usually a sign that something in the process needs tightening up. We are Manchester Staff, part of UK Staffing Group, and we take pride in supporting businesses with admin recruitment, marketing recruitment, and a range of other hiring needs.

If you need a more consistent, structured approach to hiring, it’s worth taking a closer look at where things might be slowing down. Speak to our team by calling 0161 532 8252.

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