Struggling to Find Good People? It’s NOT the Labor Market
If I had a dollar for every time I heard a business owner say, "I just can't find anyone because the labor market is terrible," I could probably retire tomorrow. It is the single most common excuse in business today—and it is also the most dangerous one, because it gives you permission to stop trying.
Today we are going to have a hard conversation. We are going to talk about why your recruiting results are suffering, and I’m going to tell you right now: it is not the economy. It is not the "generation" you are trying to hire. And it is certainly not the labor market.
The reality is that even in the tightest markets, the best companies are still hiring the best people. They are fully staffed. They have a bench. They are turning people away.
So, if the market is the same for everyone, why are they winning while you are struggling?
It usually comes down to three uncomfortable reasons. Let’s break them down.
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1. You Are Not Their Best Option
This is the hardest pill to swallow for most leaders. We love our businesses. We put our blood, sweat, and tears into them. We think we are great employers.
But take a step back and look at it through the eyes of a top performer—someone who is currently employed, doing a great job, and getting paid well somewhere else.
Why should they leave that safety and stability to come work for you?
If your answer is "we have a great culture" or "we offer competitive pay," that is not enough. Everyone says that.
In 2026, candidates are smarter than ever. They don’t just read your job ad; they ask around. They talk to your former employees. They look at your reviews. They know your reputation before they ever apply.
If you are struggling to hire, there is a high probability that your Employee Value Proposition—your EVP—is weak.
And I don’t mean the marketing slogan you put on your website. I mean the actual experience of working for you.
Are your expectations clear? Is your leadership consistent? Do people get treated with respect when the pressure is on?
Top performers want to play on winning teams. They want to work for leaders who are clear, fair, and organized. If your internal reality is chaotic, if your equipment is constantly breaking down, or if your managers are burnt out and reactive, the market knows.
You cannot out-market a bad experience.
If you aren't attracting A-players, it's usually because you aren't offering an A-player environment yet. You have to be the best option in your market if you want to steal the best talent.
2. You Are Only Fishin’ in the Shallow End
Here is the second reason you are struggling: You are only talking to "active" candidates.
These are the people who are currently unemployed, unhappy, or desperate. They are the ones scrolling through Indeed or ZipRecruiter at 2:00 AM.
Now, don't get me wrong—there are some good people on job boards. But if that is your entire strategy—posting a generic ad and waiting for the resumes to flood in—you are fishing in a very small, very crowded pond.
The best people—the ones you actually want—are usually already working. They are "passive" candidates. They aren't looking for a job because they are busy kicking tail for your competitor.
They aren't reading job boards. They aren't looking at your "Help Wanted" sign.
To get these people, you have to stop "posting" and start "recruiting."
You need to be telling your story where they can see it. You need to be building a brand that makes them curious.
Think about how consumer behavior works. People buy products because they trust the brand, even if they aren't shopping for it right that second. Recruiting is the exact same thing.
Candidates today shop for teams like they shop for products. They research leaders. They look at LinkedIn profiles. They watch your social media to see if your team looks happy or miserable.
If you are invisible to everyone except the people actively searching for a job, you are missing out on 80% of the talent pool. And frankly, you are missing out on the best 80%.
You need to go get them. You need to interrupt their day with a story that makes them think, "Man, I wish I worked there."
3. You Treat Recruiting Like a Fire Extinguisher
The third reason is purely operational: You wait until you have a problem to start looking for a solution.
I see this constantly. A key foreman quits, or you land a big new contract, and suddenly it’s a five-alarm fire. You rush to post ads. You scream at HR to find bodies. You lower your standards just to get a pulse in the truck.
That is "Panic Hiring." And Panic Hiring leads to bad hires, which leads to turnover, which leads to more Panic Hiring. It is a death spiral.
The companies that don't struggle with the labor market treat recruiting like a dimmer switch, not a light switch. They never turn it all the way off.
They are always interviewing. They are always building a bench. They are always networking.
When they don't have an opening, they are still having coffee with talented people. They are saying, "Hey, we don't have a spot for you right this second, but I want to know you, because we are growing."
This builds a pipeline.
When you have a pipeline, you don't panic when someone quits. You make a phone call.
Furthermore, the best recruiting engine isn't even your recruiting team—it’s your own employees.
If you aren't getting a steady stream of employee referrals, that is a massive red flag.
Your employees know who the good workers are at other companies. If they aren't trying to bring those people into your organization, it’s because they don't feel confident recommending you.
When you fix your culture and your operation, your employees become your headhunters. And you can't out-recruit a company where everyone is a recruiter.
3 companies you can't out-recruit.
The Real Solution: Look in the Mirror
So, let's stop blaming the labor market. The market is just the weather. You can't change it, but you can dress for it.
If you are cold, put on a coat. If you can't find people, fix your house.
This isn't an HR problem. It is a leadership problem.
People join teams, not companies. They join leaders, not logos.
They want to know:
- What is my manager like?
- Is there a future here?
- Is this place chaotic or organized?
If you can answer those questions with confidence—and if your current employees back you up—you will find that the "labor shortage" disappears pretty quickly.
You have to build a team that people are proud to join. You have to be the destination, not just a pit stop.
3 ways to be a more appealing employer.
BR1 Can Help You Build It
I know this stuff is simple to say and hard to do. It takes time to turn a culture around. It takes effort to build a recruiting machine that runs year-round.
If you are tired of the panic hiring cycle, or if you want an objective look at why you aren't the "best option" in your market yet, we should talk.
At BR1, we don't just fill seats. We help you build the systems, the culture, and the leadership structures that attract the right people and keep them.
Whether you need help refining your message, training your hiring managers, or running a full-scale search for key talent, we act as your partner in building a stronger team.
Let's stop making excuses and start making progress. Contact us to start the conversation.
Until next time, keep building your stronger team!
