For many employers, recruitment still begins with a familiar approach. Write a job advert, post it across a few platforms, and wait for applications to arrive.
In technical sales and engineering recruitment, this method rarely delivers the results businesses expect. While job adverts can support visibility, relying on them as the primary hiring strategy often leads to delays, poor shortlists and missed hires.
What employers see when job adverts do not deliver
Employers often come to us after advertising roles for weeks or months with little success. Common frustrations include:
- Very low response rates
- Applications lacking the required technical or commercial experience
- High CV volumes with little interview success
- Candidates withdrawing early in the process
- Offers being declined after lengthy interviews
In most cases, the issue is not the role itself. It is how the role is being taken to market.
Most experienced technical professionals are passive candidates
Recruitment research consistently shows that the majority of experienced professionals are not actively applying for jobs. LinkedIn Talent Solutions reports that more than 75 percent of the global workforce is passive.
In technical sales and engineering roles, this figure is often higher.
Why job adverts attract the wrong type of applicant
Job adverts typically attract candidates who are actively looking for work. In some cases, this can be useful. In specialist technical roles, however, it often creates misalignment.
Common challenges include:
- Candidates applying based on job title rather than real experience
- Underqualified applicants stretching their skillset
- Overqualified candidates seeking short-term moves
- Long screening processes with low interview-to-offer ratios
This slows down hiring and increases pressure to compromise on quality.
Why specialist recruitment outperforms advertising
Specialist recruitment takes a proactive approach. Instead of waiting for candidates to apply, recruiters identify and engage professionals who are already performing well in similar roles.
At Mase Consulting, this approach is central to how we recruit technical sales and engineering professionals.
Proactive search and targeted outreach
We map the market and identify candidates based on:
- Product and application experience
- Industry background
- Customer environment
- Commercial or technical capability
This allows us to engage passive candidates who would never respond to a job advert but may be open to the right opportunity.
Meaningful candidate conversations
Passive candidates do not respond to generic messages. Recruiter-led research shows engagement increases when outreach is relevant and informed.
Because we specialise in technical markets, our conversations focus on real products, real challenges and real career progression, not generic job descriptions.
Greater control over the hiring process
Proactive recruitment gives employers better control over:
- Candidate quality
- Salary expectations
- Interview timelines
- Offer acceptance rates
This leads to more predictable hiring outcomes.
Salary misalignment causes late-stage hiring failure
One of the most common reasons candidates disengage late in the process is salary misalignment. Job adverts often include wide ranges or vague information, which creates unrealistic expectations.
Salary benchmarking provides clarity early on. It allows employers to position roles competitively by role, industry and country, reducing offer rejections and delays.
Reducing hiring risk beyond the CV
A strong CV does not guarantee strong performance. This is particularly true in technical sales roles, where communication style, motivation and behavioural fit play a major role.
Behavioural assessment helps employers understand how candidates are likely to perform in real-world environments and how they will integrate into existing teams. We offer this service free of charge within our Retained and Ready-to-go recruitment models.
Hiring across the UK and international markets
Job adverts become even less effective when hiring internationally. Salary expectations, candidate behaviour and job titles vary significantly by country.
We support employers hiring technical sales and engineering professionals across the UK, Germany, France, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Italy, Belgium, Spain, Slovenia, Finland, Japan, Saudi Arabia, Mexico and Brazil.
Our international recruitment experience allows businesses to move beyond advertising and adopt a more reliable, market-led hiring strategy.
When job adverts still have a role to play
Job adverts are not obsolete. They can support employer branding and attract early-career or actively searching candidates. The challenge arises when they are relied upon as the main recruitment method for specialist roles.
For technical sales and engineering hiring, job adverts should support recruitment, not lead it.
Speak to a specialist recruitment partner
If your job adverts are not delivering the candidates you need, it may be time to take a more proactive approach. You can book a discovery call with one of our recruitment experts or speak to one of our consultants directly by calling +44 (0)161 870 5000 to discuss how specialist recruitment can support your hiring plans.
