One of the most common requests recruiters receive sounds something like this:
“We’re looking for someone who has done this exact job, in this exact industry, with this exact background.”
On paper, that makes sense.
Hiring managers want to reduce risk. They want someone who can contribute quickly, require minimal onboarding, and make an immediate impact. The challenge is that the search often becomes centered on finding the perfect candidate rather than identifying the right person to help the business succeed. Those aren’t always the same thing.
Start by Defining Success
Before discussing resumes or candidate lists, I encourage hiring teams to answer one simple question: What does success actually look like in this role?
Roles evolve over time, and taking a fresh look at the position often reveals new priorities, responsibilities, and opportunities.
What does the business truly need this person to accomplish?
Once we define that objective, it becomes much easier to distinguish between essential qualifications, preferred experience, and skills that can be developed after hiring. That clarity allows recruiters to focus on candidates who can create long-term value rather than simply matching keywords.
Distinguish Requirements from Preferences
As recruiting projects progress, requirements tend to grow. An industry preference becomes a requirement. Additional responsibilities are added because ‘it would be nice if they could also…’
Preferred qualifications can sometimes cross over to being mandatory, but don’t always have to. Eventually, the search is no longer based on business priorities. One of the most valuable exercises a hiring team can do is review every requirement and ask: Is this truly essential for success, or are we assuming it is?
That conversation alone often opens the search to exceptional candidates who would have been overlooked.
Conversations Reveal More Than Resumes
A resume won’t always tell you why someone is considering a career move, or whether they’re open to relocation. It won’t tell you what motivates them professionally, what opportunities they truly have their eye on, or what they want to build towards.
These are the insights that come from meaningful conversations. These are, at its very core, the foundations of a good professional working relationship.
That’s why I believe recruiting should never rely solely on profiles and job descriptions. The best recruiting decisions happen when we combine verified information with meaningful conversations.
Think Beyond Today’s Opening
Each search creates opportunities beyond the current position. Candidates who aren’t selected today may become future hires, referral sources, hiring managers, industry contacts, or subject matter experts.
That’s why every interaction matters. Even when someone isn’t the right fit today, maintaining the relationship strengthens future recruiting efforts.
Build Hiring Processes That Scale
Organizations that consistently hire well usually have one thing in common: they rely on repeatable recruiting processes rather than perfect circumstances. They define objectives, communicate clearly, verify information rather than make assumptions, stay connected with talented professionals, and continually improve their recruiting systems based on what they learn.
Final Thoughts
Waiting for the perfect candidate can often delay important business decisions.
Building a thoughtful hiring process creates better results.
When recruiters and hiring managers focus on purpose instead of perfection, they identify talent more effectively, make more confident decisions, and strengthen their recruiting process for future searches.
The goal isn’t to eliminate every hiring risk. The goal is to create a recruiting system that consistently helps your organization make better hiring decisions.
If your team struggles with extended searches, inconsistent interviews, or difficulty finding the right candidates, the challenge may not be sourcing, it may be alignment.
About the Author
Trish Valenzuela is a Practice Director with Continental Search, specializing in Monogastric and Companion Animal Health and Nutrition. She focuses on helping organizations build relationship-driven recruiting systems, improve hiring processes, and create long-term talent pipelines through thoughtful recruiting strategies and meaningful professional relationships.
To continue the conversation, contact Trish.
Trish Valenzuela
Practice Director, Monogastric Nutrition & Health
Continental Search
trish@continentalsearch.com
