Why high salary roles are often the hardest to fill
On the surface, high-salary roles should be easy to hire for.
Strong pay. Senior titles. Competitive benefits.
Yet in reality, these are often the roles that sit open the longest.
The reason isn’t budget.
And it isn’t a lack of talent.
It’s that high salaries alter candidate behaviour and most hiring strategies don’t adjust.
Why do high-salary roles make the talent pool smaller?
High-salary roles tend to demand specialist knowledge, industry-specific experience, or technical depth that cannot be easily replicated. So the lack of applications to your roles creates the impression that talent is scarce, when in reality it is just harder to identify.
Many of the strongest candidates:
• Are passive and not actively job searching
• Do not list full experience or niche skills publicly
• Are not active on LinkedIn or avoid it entirely
• Will only engage through trusted, discreet conversations
Without a clear view of the wider market, businesses risk competing for the same limited group of visible candidates while missing those best suited to the role.
Why LinkedIn alone is not enough for senior and specialist hires
LinkedIn is a useful starting point but it represents only a surface-level view of the market. For high-salary roles, this limitation becomes critical. Platform-based hiring relies on publicly available data, which often excludes the most valuable and in-demand professionals.
This is where market mapping and people intelligence provide a strategic advantage. Instead of waiting for candidates to appear, gain insight into where talent sits, how competitive the market really is and what motivates individuals to move.
The power of people intelligence and market mapping
At Vallum Associates, our people intelligence services go far beyond standard recruitment data. We hold specialised market information that is difficult to access without long-term industry focus, established networks and continual market analysis.
Through detailed market mapping, we identify and track:
• Hard to find niche skill sets across relevant industries
• Senior and specialist professionals not visible online
• Passive candidates within competitor and adjacent markets
• Talent pools aligned to both technical and cultural requirements
This intelligence allows us to approach the right individuals directly, with context, credibility and discretion. It also enables our clients to make informed hiring decisions based on real market insight rather than assumptions.
Reaching passive candidates saves time and reduces hiring risk
Passive candidates are often the strongest hires. They are proven performers who will only move for the right opportunity. Engaging them requires confidence, trust and accurate information, which is why direct outreach supported by people intelligence is so effective.
Working with a specialist recruitment partner saves time, reduces cost and significantly improves hiring outcomes. We provide access to talent pools that are not available through standard platforms, ensuring high salary roles are filled with individuals who deliver long term value.
Filling high-salary roles with confidence
If you are offering competitive salaries and benefits but still struggling to hire, the solution is not more advertising. It is better intelligence, broader market visibility, and a proactive approach to talent.
Vallum Associates helps clients navigate complex hiring challenges through people intelligence, market mapping, and targeted engagement with passive candidates. When roles are hard to fill, insight becomes the difference between delay and success.
