How to find candidates for hard-to-fill roles

Sponsored MoneyWatch: Managing Your Money How to find candidates for hard-to-fill roles We may receive commissions from some links to products on this page. Promotions are subject to availability and retailer terms. .chip { background-image: url('/fly/bundles/cbsnewscore/images/chip-bgd/chip-bgd-moneywatch.jpg'); } By Angelica Leicht Angelica Leicht Senior Editor, Managing Your Money Angelica Leicht is the senior editor for the Managing Your Money section for CBSNews.com, where she writes and edits articles on a range of personal finance topics. Angelica previously held editing roles at The Simple Dollar, Interest, HousingWire and other financial publications. Read Full Bio Angelica Leicht May 19, 2026 / 3:20 PM EDT / CBS News Add CBS News on Google If you're struggling to find the right candidates for niche or hard-to-fill roles, you may need to change your approach. Rachata Amnataree/Getty Images Hiring has become more complicated for employers in the current market, particularly for companies trying to fill specialized or high-demand positions. While layoffs and hiring slowdowns continue in many sectors, employers in industries like healthcare, skilled trades, logistics and manufacturing are still competing for qualified workers. At the same time, a lot of candidates are now more selective about compensation, flexibility and workplace culture, making the hiring process even more challenging for those with urgent openings.That disconnect has created a frustrating hiring landscape for many businesses, with job postings often culminating in a large number of applications, but few qualified candidates. And, in certain cases, employers may struggle to generate any meaningful interest at all. As a result, roles that require more specialized skills, niche certifications, technical expertise or substantial experience can remain open for much longer than anticipated, putting extra pressure on existing staff and slowing growth plans.As hiring timelines stretch longer, some...