You’re Getting Tons of Applicants—But Still No Great Hires? Here’s Why.

If you’re drowning in resumes but still struggling to make a great hire, you’re not alone. Many talent teams and hiring managers are frustrated by the same problem: lots of applicants, but very few who are actually qualified—or worse, even interview-worthy.

This post breaks down why this happens, what it says about your hiring process, and how to fix it with simple, high-signal changes that lead to better outcomes.

Why You’re Getting Quantity, Not Quality

Your Job Description Is Too Broad (Or Too Generic)

Vague, buzzword-heavy JDs cast a wide net—and that’s not a good thing. If your job post reads like every other “fast-paced team looking for a self-starter,” you’ll get resume spam. As Harvard Business Review notes, many companies fail because they don't define roles sharply enough, leading to misaligned applicant pools.

Fix: Write job descriptions that clearly define outcomes, must-have skills, and the context of the role. Be specific enough to repel unqualified candidates.

You’re Using the Wrong Channels

Platforms like LinkedIn Easy Apply or Indeed can generate tons of traffic—but mostly from unqualified candidates who mass-apply.

Fix: Use niche channels and targeted sourcing tools that prioritize quality over reach, like invite-only networks, community-driven job boards, or skills-based platforms.

Resumes Aren’t Telling You Anything Useful

Resumes have been turned into homogenous ChatGPT outputs optimized to pass filters—not to reflect real ability. Applicants know what keywords to include. You’re not screening for performance—you’re screening for formatting. Approximately half of job seekers are now using AI tools like ChatGPT to craft their resumes and cover letters, leading to a significant increase in application volume.

Fix: Introduce a lightweight, role-specific skills assessment or problem-solving challenge before the resume review. This immediately filters for ability, not buzzwords.

There’s No Signal in the Process Yet

If your screening step is just "review resumes and guess who seems good," you’re not actually filtering. You’re sorting noise.This lack of real signal is a known pitfall in hiring processes, contributing to why companies can't seem to find the right hires (HBR).

Fix: Put structure at the top of your funnel. That might mean skill screening, but it could also mean asking a pointed short-answer question or aligning interviewers with a rubric.

What This Means About Your Hiring Funnel

A top-heavy hiring funnel (lots of applicants, very few interviews) is a signal of misalignment, not just "bad candidates."

It often means:

• You're marketing the role broadly without filtering relevance

• You're asking too little upfront (e.g., no challenge, no question, no barrier to apply)

• You’re still prioritizing volume over qualification

A healthy hiring process makes it easy for the right people to stand out—and makes it harder for the wrong ones to waste your time.

What to Do Instead (The Fixes That Work)

Use Job Descriptions That Self-Select

Focus on role clarity, real deliverables, and what success looks like in 30/60/90 days. People who can’t do the job will opt themselves out.

Introduce a Simple “Effort Filter”

This could be:

• A 1-question prompt: “How would you approach X in this role?”

• A short project or async technical task

• A skill screener that takes < 45 mins

Even a small bit of friction filters out low-effort applicants.

Rethink the Order of Operations

Instead of screening resumes first, flip the funnel:

1. Let applicants self-select via effort or skills

2. Only review those who meet a performance threshold

3. Interview with a clear rubric focused on job-relevant work

Track Funnel Dropoff Rates

Look at metrics like:

• Application-to-screen %

• Screen-to-interview %

• Interview-to-hire %

• Offer-to-acceptance %

Jobvite reports that the average application-to-interview ratio is 8.4%, and the interview-to-offer ratio is 36.2%.

If your interview-to-hire ratio is worse than 5:1, you’re wasting time on the wrong people.

Tools That Can Help

To move from quantity to quality, consider tools that:

• Create structured role profiles and skill maps

• Replace or augment resume screening with performance-based filters

• Provide hiring managers with real interview insights, not vibes

• Detect misrepresentation or AI-generated answers

(Like SkillsProject 😉—but more on that later.)