For many businesses, advertising on SEEK has long been the default recruitment move. It’s familiar, easy, and feels like the logical first step when a role becomes vacant. But in today’s market—where the best talent is rarely actively job-hunting, SEEK is no longer enough. Relying solely on job boards means you’re only fishing in a small part of the talent pool, often missing the highest-quality candidates entirely.
Here’s why SEEK isn’t the most effective standalone recruitment strategy, and why forward-thinking organisations are shifting toward more proactive, evidence-based approaches like the methodology used by ForgeHR & Recruit.
The Limitations of SEEK
- SEEK only captures active job seekers
- These are candidates who are already dissatisfied, unemployed, or ready to jump.
- The strongest performers—the ones you actually want—are generally not browsing job ads.
- High competition means your ad gets lost
- Dozens (sometimes hundreds) of ads compete for attention in the same category.
- You’re often relying on keyword optimisation → not necessarily meaningful candidate quality.
- You get volume, not precision
- SEEK often delivers large numbers of applicants, but:
- Many lack the required skills
- Many apply blindly to multiple roles
- Screening becomes time-consuming and inefficient.
- SEEK often delivers large numbers of applicants, but:
- It’s reactive, not strategic
- You wait for candidates to come to you.
- In a talent-short environment, passivity equals missed opportunities
The Passive Job Seeker: The Real Gold Mine
The passive candidate market is where the top talent lives. These individuals:
- Are currently employed and performing well
- Aren’t actively scanning job boards
- Are open to a conversation—but not to scrolling SEEK
- Move only when something truly compelling is presented
If your recruitment strategy doesn’t deliberately target passive job seekers, you’re ignoring up to 70–80% of the available talent market.
And this is where SEEK falls apart: it simply doesn’t reach them.
Where ForgeHR’s Recruitment Methodology Shines
Companies like ForgeHR & Recruit have recognised that modern recruitment requires more sophistication than simply posting a job ad. Their methodology is designed to find, attract, and convert passive candidates through a proactive and strategic approach.
ForgeHR & Recruit’s model typically includes:
- Direct sourcing campaigns
- Actively reaching out to passive candidates through curated networks, digital sourcing, and personal outreach.
- Capability-aligned selection, not keyword filtering
- Assessing candidates based on competencies, culture alignment, and long-term potential.
- Employer brand positioning
- Crafting compelling messaging that resonates with high-performing passive candidates.
- Human-centred engagement
- Building relationships instead of treating recruitment like a transactional activity.
- Research-based market insights
- Understanding candidate drivers, role attractiveness, and competitive positioning.
This is fundamentally different from “post and pray.”
The Bottom Line
If your recruitment strategy relies heavily or entirely on SEEK, you’re reaching only a fraction of the talent market. You’re missing high-performing passive job seekers, diluting your talent pipeline with irrelevant applications, and slowing down your hiring process.
By embracing a proactive and evidence-based approach, such as the recruitment methodology used by ForgeHR & Recruit, you significantly increase your chances of attracting better talent, faster, and with long-term alignment.
SEEK is a tool. ForgeHR & Recruit uses a strategy. And in today’s job market, strategy wins. Curious….want to learn more about accessing the passive market email us at info@forgehr.com.au or www.forgehr.com.au/contact
