The vacancy stays open
A vacancy that stays open for months is rarely bad luck. There is almost always an identifiable cause behind it, and it can be found. On this page: the causes, the diagnosis and what to do about it.
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Why does my vacancy stay open?
Usually a combination of causes: the profile asks more than the market offers, the offer is not competitive, the vacancy does not reach the audience, or candidates drop out of a slow process. The solution starts with determining which cause applies to you, not with adding yet another channel.
How we determine what worksLikely causes
In practice, a vacancy that stays open for a long time almost always comes down to one or more of these:
- The profile does not match the market: you are looking for a combination of requirements that barely exists, or at a salary level that ignores the scarcity.
- The offer does not convince: salary, benefits or development opportunities lag behind what comparable employers offer.
- Too little reach: the vacancy sits in places where your audience does not look.
- Active job seekers only: for scarce profiles, most candidates are not on job boards. Advertise only and you miss them. Read how to reach passive talent.
- Slow follow-up: candidates who wait days for a response are gone.
- A leaking funnel: long forms, mandatory resume uploads and unclear next steps quietly cost you candidates.
- An unknown employer brand: when in doubt, candidates choose the name they know.
- Internal friction: hiring managers who give late feedback or requirements that change mid-process.
How to diagnose it yourself
You do not have to guess which cause it is. Run through these checks:
- Compare your offer with three similar vacancies from competitors. Are you losing on visible points?
- Look at the numbers per step: how many people saw the vacancy, how many clicked, how many started the application, how many finished it? The step with the biggest drop-off is your bottleneck.
- Ask the last three candidates who dropped out why they did. Uncomfortable, but worth gold.
- Time your own response speed: for your last applicant, how much time passed between the application coming in and first contact?
Solution paths
The solution follows from the diagnosis. If the profile is wrong, no channel will help and you need to go back to the intake. If the offer is the problem, that is a conversation with leadership, not a marketing question. If reach is the bottleneck, think targeted campaigns or active sourcing. If the funnel leaks, start with your application process.
SocialFind tackles this in an integrated way: we first check profile, offer and funnel, and only then build the campaign or sourcing that fits. So you do not pay for reach on a vacancy that is stuck for a different reason. Read how that works at our way of working.
OUR APPROACH
From stuck to filled
This is how we tackle a vacancy that has been open for months.
- 1
Analysis of vacancy and market
We lay the profile next to the labor market: does this candidate exist, where are they and what moves them?
- 2
Sharpening proposition and story
We rewrite the vacancy from the candidate's perspective: why would someone trade their current job for this?
- 3
Deploying the right mix
We choose the channels per audience: campaigns, sourcing or a combination. No standard package.
- 4
Funnel and follow-up tight
A short application route, fast personal follow-up and clear next steps, under your name.
PROOF
Vacancies that did get filled
Willy Naessens
Willy Naessens is long leading giant in the construction sector. As their dedicated recruitment partner, we help find talent across an incredibly broad spectrum of roles.
JWM Metaalservice
JWM is a multidisciplinary metalworking company, focused on machine-, equipment-, and interiormanufacturers.
Methorst
Methorst is the go-to specialist in suction and blowing technology. Whether it’s roof gravel, soil, shells or sand; they are the ultimate alternative to traditional digging and shoveling. We supported Methorst in finding both office staff and field workers (earthmoving specialists), and with great success. The campaign delivered the right people in no time, combining smart targeting with a strong employer brand message.
Frequently asked questions about open vacancies
Further reading
This vacancy just needs to be filled
Tell us which role it is and what you have already tried. We will show you where it is stuck and how we get it moving.
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