The Missed Opportunity — Why Active Candidates Aren’t the Whole Picture

You’re Only Seeing Half the Talent Pool

When most companies sit down to define their recruitment strategy, they tend to follow a familiar formula:

• Write a job spec

• Post it on the usual platforms

• Wait for applicants to roll in

And they usually do. But often, what follows is disappointment:

• “None of them really fit.”

• “They’re all job-hopping.”

• “Why can’t we find someone who already has these exact skills?”

What many organisations fail to realise is that this strategy is only scratching the surface of the talent pool.
In fact, studies show that 70% of the global workforce is made up of passive candidates — people who aren’t actively applying for jobs, but are open to new opportunities if the right one comes along. These professionals aren’t scrolling job boards, but they are watching. Listening. Evaluating.

At Level Up, we call this the “invisible market.” It’s made up of highly skilled professionals who are currently employed, engaged, and successful in their roles — but who might consider a move if they see:

• A values-aligned culture

• A new professional challenge

• Career progression

• Greater purpose

And here’s the kicker: passive candidates are statistically more likely to be high performers than active ones. Not because active candidates are bad — far from it — but because high performers often aren’t desperate to leave. They’re stable, committed, and invested. But they’re also ambitious.

So here’s the big question:
Is your recruitment strategy leaving your best possible candidates on the table?

This week, we’ll show you how tapping into the passive market can shift your entire hiring outcome — and how Level Up has built winning strategies that consistently unlock this hidden advantage for our clients.