When you’re struggling to hire the right person, it can feel like hitting a brick wall. Either there’s limited interest, or you’re flooded with all of the wrong kind of applicants.

Or what’s even more frustrating, you end up hiring someone who’s the wrong fit for the job spec or your company culture.

Any of these signs show it’s time to go back to basics. Here are a few common reasons behind your hiring struggles along with our troubleshooting tips on how to fix them.

1. You don’t know what your ‘ideal’ is

You need crystal clarity on the skills and qualities you want from your new hire. Ask yourself: “Do I know exactly what is non-negotiable and what is desirable?”

“Are we aligned as a team or do we need some further conversations internally?”

It can be common to feel out of step with the hiring manager if you’re working with one. You waste hours and hours searching for the perfect candidate who ticks all of their boxes, just for them to be rejected.

As a tactic for dealing with this, try sharing a shortlist based on a quick search rather than spending too much time initially, and ask the hiring manager which profile is the closest to what they have in mind.

Sometimes people don’t know exactly what they want until they’ve seen what they don’t want.

2. The terms aren’t attractive enough

There is nothing more devastating than finding the perfect candidate only to hear that the salary doesn’t meet their expectations.

Compensation packages, terms of employment and job perks all play an important part in attracting your ideal candidate.

Thorough competitor research gives you a benchmark so you can get the budget signed off before you start hiring. Working with a solid recruitment agency is a huge benefit here, as they have up-to-the-minute insights of the going rates for your industry.

Recruitment agencies’ insider knowledge also helps you to highlight gaps that aren’t salary related. Flexibility is a great example in the market right now, could you offer benefits to give you that competitive edge?

3. You aren’t reaching the right people

If your target audience doesn’t know about the role in the first place then your chances of finding the perfect person are exactly zero.

Recruitment agencies are skilled at knowing where your ideal candidates are and how to target them. Take out the guesswork and opt for a more targeted approach.

Agencies can broaden your talent pool by uncovering potential hires who might not be actively searching. We are in close contact with our candidates who we regularly help reassign to new roles so you could snap them up at the perfect moment.

4. Your interview process is lacking

If new hires are repeatedly failing to pass probation or not working out, there could be a problem with your hiring process. Sometimes a 30-minute interview with a candidate just isn’t enough time to determine if they’re a good fit.

As a recruitment agency we have built relationships with trusted candidates over years not minutes.

The strength of our network means we have a deep understanding of candidates’ skills, values, personalities – and their shortcomings. That means you know exactly who it is you’re hiring.

5. It’s a challenging market

If you’re struggling to hire right now, you’re not alone. According to an REC survey in October 2025, of the UK employers facing barriers to hiring, 41% say it’s a lack of candidates with the right skills and qualifications that’s to blame.

Industries such as construction are facing significant skills gaps despite recent signs of the skills shortage narrowing. A recent report shows that close to a million new tradespeople will be needed by 2032 for the industry to keep functioning (MyBuilder).

To tackle this, industry-specific recruitment agencies like ours have never been more vital.

Skilled candidates absolutely are out there. Get in touch with our team at hello@citycalling.com to get help finding them.