Jarvis Johnson

In today’s financial climate it’s not unusual for Talent Teams to use internal resource to source candidates directly. Where there is a good pool of local candidates this can be very successful, but it can be frustrating. Lisa Johnson from Jarvis Johnson discusses some challenges which might sound familiar!

When sourcing directly there are two 2 main methods that Food Manufacturers tell us they use; Advertising and searching on LinkedIn.

 Advertising

Indeed and LinkedIn are often a starting point for direct advertising, obviously used in conjunction with a company’s own “vacancy page” where they have one. Assuming you have a well-crafted job ad, the quantity of applications will often not be a concern, but it can sometimes seem like a needle in a haystack to sift through irrelevant applications to find a golden nugget! Here’s our top tips for getting the most out of your advertising campaign :

• To maximise the quality of responses, ensure the job ad is very specific about the skills required – if you’re going to discount anyone without the right product expertise then be clear about what they MUST have
• Utilise the in-built filtering / screening questions on the platforms (e.g. select that candidates need to be commutable or easily able to relocate for roles that are site-based).
• Have a plan for dealing with rejections in a timely and efficient manner as there can be a LOT of unsuitable applications. If the candidate is completely unsuitable for any future positions with your company then a quick auto-reject on the platform of choice may be a good option. However, candidates who may not be right for the particular vacancy but whose details you may want to retain for future vacancies (GDPR-permitting) warrant a more tailored response.
• We ensure EVERY application is responded to – even completely unsuitable ones. Not responding can harm your reputation – particularly where applications have come directly from your own website. Job application response rates have declined significantly since 2021, with applicants now three times less likely to hear back than three years ago. Research from Upplai in April 2025 reveals that Indeed offers the highest response rates (20-25%) compared to LinkedIn (3-13%) with Company Websites bringing up the rear with a very poor 2-5%. Many candidates are not getting the courtesy of a response to their applications, so ensuring you reply will set you apart.
• The ultimate frustration is where a candidate has applied but then “ghosts you” (why do they do that?!). This can be particularly frustrating when a CV comes through with an “Indeed-generated” email address. Indeed creates a unique, masked email address for each application to forward emails between the employer and candidate as long as the job post and message thread are active. So make sure you ask for the candidate’s own email address as early as possible in the process so you don’t suddenly lose contact.

Searching

• If you have an extensive, relevant LinkedIn network or a professional licence then searching yourself on LinkedIn can seem like a great (and sometimes free!) option. But how many times do you send out a connection request or Inmail only to hear nothing back?
• It can be so frustrating when it seems that you’ve found a perfect candidate only for them to ghost you…or when you do get in touch you find out they have relocated or moved to a more senior role – some people have multiple LinkedIn profiles or rarely update them.
• To maximise response rates to LinkedIn messages:
  • Try and personalise every message by mentioning their product type, site, or a career milestone.
  • Keep it short: 3–5 sentences max.
  • Focus on why it’s relevant to them – not why you need candidates.
• Only a tiny percentage of LinkedIn profiles have publicly visible contact details and if someone doesn’t respond to your connection request or Inmail then you can be stuck. You’re allowed one “nudge” via Inmail but if the recipient declines the message or doesn’t respond within 90 days, the thread closes — you can’t send more messages unless they reply or connect.
• In our experience multi-channel outreach is most effective as some candidates very rarely log into LinkedIn. Combining LinkedIn contact with a sequence of Emails, Phone Calls and SMS or WhatsApp massively increases the response rate – everyone has their preferred method of communication!
• Another frustration with using LinkedIn searches and some CV platforms is that you have limited (or no!) information about critical details such as salary and whether the candidate is able to relocate. Meaning you have to “kiss a lot of frogs!”.
• These challenges can be compounded by internal pressure from Managers with over-stretched teams and crucial deadlines to meet (such as audits or product launches) who can’t understand why they’ve not got a stronger shortlist. It can feel time-consuming and fruitless to spend time searching and reaching out to candidates, particularly if it’s not the only part of your role you’re trying to juggle. Consistency and Persistence are key!

If you’re not entirely satisfied with your shortlist and have a nagging feeling there could be candidates out there who would suit your business better long-term, then feel free to reach out to Lisa at Jarvis Johnson for a no-obligation / non salesy conversation. We have a nurtured and detailed database of over 18000 Technical, QA, Specs, Hygiene, Lab, NPD, Process Development and H&S candidates plus proven tools for mapping out Food Manufacturers near YOU and identifying “new to us” hidden candidates. Over 90% of our placements in 2025 have come from our database and network rather than from advertising.

Lisa Johnson, Managing Director, Direct Line : 01302 987301, lisa@jarvisjohnson.co.uk

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