Why the Best Candidates Aren’t Looking—and How They Find You Anyway
For years, recruiting has been built around a simple assumption: candidates are actively searching for jobs. They visit job boards, type in keywords, compare listings, and apply.
But that assumption no longer reflects reality—especially for the candidates employers want most.
Today’s best candidates aren’t searching. They’re discovering.
The Shift: From Intent-Based Search to Feed-Based Discovery
Modern candidates spend far more time scrolling than searching. TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, and even Reddit have become the places where people learn, evaluate, and form opinions—including opinions about work.
Jobs now appear the same way new products, trends, and ideas do:
In a creator’s story
In a “day in the life” video
In a casual comment from someone they trust
This is job discovery—not job search.
And it matters because discovery happens before intent.
By the time a candidate visits a job board, they’ve already decided:
Which companies feel interesting
Which roles feel realistic
Which employers feel trustworthy
If your job isn’t discovered earlier, it often never enters consideration at all.
Why Traditional Job Boards Miss Passive Talent
Job boards are excellent for capturing active demand—but passive talent doesn’t behave that way.
Passive candidates:
Aren’t typing job titles into search bars
Don’t respond to generic employer branding
Rarely convert on cold “Apply Now” messaging
Instead, they respond to context:
Who is doing this job?
What does their life actually look like?
Would I belong there?
Those questions aren’t answered by listings. They’re answered by people.
How Jobs Are Actually Discovered Today
Jobs surface organically when they’re embedded into content candidates already consume. That might look like:
A creator sharing how they transitioned into a new role
Someone casually mentioning they’re hiring on their team
A peer explaining why they chose a specific employer
None of this feels like recruiting—but it’s incredibly effective at planting awareness.
This is why discovery-first strategies work:
They meet candidates where attention already exists
They lower skepticism by using trusted voices
They create interest without pressure
By the time a candidate clicks a job link, they’re not cold—they’re curious.
Rethinking the Top of the Funnel
If your recruiting strategy starts at “Apply,” you’re already too late.
The real funnel begins with:
Visibility
Relatability
Trust
Job discovery isn’t about replacing job boards. It’s about recognizing that discovery comes first—and that people, not platforms, drive it.