Why Qualified Isn’t Good Enough

Paid post on why "qualified" ist just half the battle

When most people think about recruiting, they imagine finding a resume that checks every box.

"Great candidate," they say. "Perfect qualifications. Let’s send them to the hiring manager."

Easy, right?

Not even close.

Finding a qualified candidate is just the start.

The real skill—the one that separates great recruiters from average ones—isn't just sourcing someone qualified. It’s finding the candidate who's qualified, genuinely interested, will breeze through the interview process, accept the offer enthusiastically, start on schedule, and stick around long-term.

It sounds straightforward, but trust me when I say—it isn't.

Let's break this down.

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Qualification vs. Motivation

Here's the reality most recruiters ignore:

• Qualifications get you in the door.

• Motivations and circumstances get you through the door and keep you inside.

What do I mean by this?

Think about compensation, location, industry, career trajectory, pain points, and personal goals. These factors aren't extras, they're essentials. Your candidate isn’t just comparing your offer to their current job. They're comparing it against every other possible option they might encounter during the process.

And here's something most people won't tell you:

Recruiters and hiring managers aren't just searching for reasons to hire someone, they're actively looking for reasons to disqualify candidates.

Not maliciously, but practically. They’re analyzing each candidate's situation compared to others, gauging who’s not just most qualified, but also most likely to accept and stay committed.

Here’s how I like to think about it:

Every job opening is a high-stakes investment. The client is spending serious money on a new team member. They want ROI. They want certainty. They want to reduce risk. So the lens we look through isn’t just: “Can you do the job?” It’s: “Will you actually take the job and thrive in it?”

And that brings us to a very real-world story.

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Meet Jerry: A Case Study in Candidate Risk

I'm currently working with a financial services client seeking a mid-level Senior Software Engineer. The max salary: $180,000.

Jerry’s LinkedIn profile screamed "perfect fit." His skills were exactly aligned. His location was ideal. Industry experience, check. Everything looked great on paper.

I reached out via LinkedIn, gave him the salary info upfront, and he confirmed $180k would work. But I asked a critical follow-up:

"Jerry, out of curiosity, what's your ideal compensation, just so I can keep an eye out for other roles?"