Let’s cut to it: If your hiring strategy relies only on inbound applicants or employee referrals, you are absolutely missing out on people who could move the needle.
Top performers are usually heads-down, focused, and winning at what they do. They are not scrolling job boards or refreshing LinkedIn – not because they wouldn’t consider a move, but because they are fully engaged where they are. If your outreach doesn’t reach them, they won’t even know the opportunity exists, and if you're not in front of them, someone else will be.
The best hires rarely apply out of nowhere; so, if you want them on your team, you have to go get them. Here are some ideas to keep in mind as you attempt to attract your next potential “A Player”:
1. Your job post isn’t a magnet.
A job posting is not a recruiting strategy; it is a listing. It assumes the right person is not only looking but will also find it, be interested, and apply. Those are three steps that often depend on chance.
2. Referrals come with blind spots.
Referrals are easy and familiar, but they often result in lookalike candidates with similar backgrounds and mindsets. If you want to evolve, expand capabilities, or challenge the status quo, relying only on your team’s network can keep you stuck in the same hiring loop, and it can also prevent diversity of thought.
3. Urgency matters, but so does precision.
Hiring quickly is important, but hiring the wrong person often just creates turnover, lost time, and frustration. When stuck in the inbound funnel, you are sorting through piles of resumes and wasting time on unqualified interviews. When you are headhunting, you are talking to vetted, aligned professionals who are qualified from the first conversation.
4. Take calls even if you are not looking.
The idea that people need to be “on the market” to make a move is outdated. The right candidate might not be looking at all, but they will talk if the opportunity makes sense. Reaching those people takes active outreach, not wishful thinking.
5. Stop simply filtering.
If you are only reviewing applicants, you are really just filtering based on who is available to make a change, not who is best for the job. That’s not hiring – it is settling.
6. Be a headhunter.
Recruiting is not about casting the widest net; it is about casting it in the right place. Headhunting means understanding the market, identifying who is doing great work, and making thoughtful, well-timed approaches. It is built on relationships and precision, not volume.
7. Invest in critical roles.
The people driving revenue, customer experience, and operational stability should never be treated like an afterthought; however, too often even key roles are filled using the same passive, outdated methods. You invest in sales strategy, infrastructure, and technology – why would you not also invest in the people leading those efforts?
