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Pain Points & Motivations
The Random Recruiter
January 31, 2025
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Most recruiters think their job is to find a "good candidate."
Wrong.
Finding a good candidate is the easy part. Finding a good candidate with a high probability of accepting your offer? That’s the game.
And the key to winning? Understanding their pain points and motivations.
Why Do People REALLY Change Jobs?
People don’t leave jobs just because they got a random LinkedIn message. They leave because something isn’t working where they are.
Your job is to figure out what that something is.
Here are the real reasons candidates are looking (whether they say it outright or not):
They were passed over for a promotion.
Their bonus or raise was a joke.
They feel stagnant—no growth, no challenge.
The company is restructuring, and uncertainty is creeping in.
These are real reasons to leave.
Who’s a Flight Risk? And Who’s Just Window Shopping?
Not every job-seeker is created equal.
Some candidates are genuinely motivated. Others? They just got annoyed one day and took your call on impulse.
Here's how to tell the difference:
Red Flags:
Just had a small fight with their boss but overall, things are fine.
Curious about what’s out there but has no urgency to move.
Focused more on “exploring options” than actual problems they want to solve.
Green Flags:
Can articulate a specific, frustrating reason why they’re looking.
Have thought about leaving for a while, but the right role hasn’t come along.
Have clear goals for what they want next (comp, work setup, career growth, etc.).
The first group? High likelihood they back out at the offer stage.
The second group? Much higher probability of closing.
Recruiting Is Like Being a Doctor
Think about what happens when you go to the doctor. You say you have a stomachache. Do they immediately prescribe medication?
No. They ask questions.
Where does it hurt?
How long has it been happening?
What did you eat?
Have you had this before?
They dig deeper to find the real problem before offering a solution.
Recruiting is the same.
A candidate tells you they’re “open to new opportunities.” That’s just the symptom. Your job is to diagnose the real pain.
Why are they looking?
What’s missing in their current role?
What would make them excited about a new opportunity?
If you don’t ask, you’ll never know. And if you don’t know, you’re gambling with the offer.
The Secret Formula: Aligning Their Pain Points with Your Job
A strong recruiter doesn’t just match skills. They match pain points + motives to the job they’re hiring for.
It’s not just about: “You have the experience we need.”
It’s about:
“You’re frustrated by slow career growth, and this role has a clear leadership path.”
“Your company just cut bonuses, and this role offers a 25% comp increase.”
“You want remote work, and this is a fully remote opportunity.”
The more overlap between what they’re missing and what your job provides, the higher the stickiness of the process.
And stickiness = higher close rates.
The Final Takeaway
If you want to mitigate risk in recruiting, stop just looking at resumes.
Dig deep. Uncover pain points. Identify real motivations.
The more reasons someone has to leave AND the more your job solves those reasons, the better your odds of closing them at the finish line.
Good recruiters find good candidates. Great recruiters find good candidates who actually say yes.
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