Why DIY Hiring Stalls - and How Stopgap Helps Teams Move

Hiring marketing talent can look straightforward on paper. The market feels full, job boards feel busy and writing an ad seems like the simplest place to start. But for many organisations - especially those without dedicated marketing leadership or experience navigating recruitment in Sydney - the experience is surprisingly different. High application volume does not always translate into strong candidates, and weeks can pass without real progress.

At Stopgap, we see this all the time. Companies try to hire on their own with the best of intentions, but without deep knowledge of the marketing landscape - or strong, long-term relationships with talent - the process often stalls. Many teams rely on job ads alone rather than partnering with marketing recruitment agencies or specialists who understand how the market actually moves. The good news is that with the right guidance, things can shift quickly.

Here are 2 recent examples that show how small adjustments, clear advice and a strong candidate network can completely change the outcome.

Case Study 1: Same-day candidates for an independent agency

A well-known independent ad agency had been trying to hire a Senior Account Manager for more than a month. They advertised, screened and waited - but nothing aligned with their brief or culture. The talent they needed simply was not applying.

When they reached out to Stopgap, our Principal Consultant, Larisa, already had people in mind. Due to her agency background and long-standing relationship with her clients and candidates, she knew what the role entailed and who was quietly open to the right role. Within the same day the brief arrived, she presented 2 excellent candidates - one primary and one strong backup.

The client’s response was immediate:

"Fantastic. Amazing quality. Exactly what we needed."

This is the impact of staying close to talent. Our candidates were prepared, interested and understood the opportunity because we had kept in touch long before the brief even existed. This is also where a strong recruitment marketing agency can make the difference - we already know the people who won’t show up through job boards.

Case Study 2: Repositioning the role unlocked senior talent

A well-known consumer brand had been trying to hire a Marketing Director on their own for almost a month. As a smaller office that had never hired a marketer before, they did not realise the salary band they were offering did not match the seniority they were targeting. Tools like a salary guide can help, but without context, it’s still easy to miss the mark. Applications were not hitting the level required and nothing was progressing.

When our Senior Consultant, Hils, met with the hiring manager, she walked through the scope of the role, explained market expectations and helped refine the job ad. Once the role was accurately positioned, everything changed. Drawing from Stopgap's existing network, we presented 5 high-quality candidates within a single day - all of them progressed to interview.

The client said:

"Wow, Stopgap sent me so many great candidates it was almost hard to choose!"

Our candidates felt valued too:

"Thanks for keeping in touch with me - this is why we love Stopgap."

Because we invest in real relationships, talent is ready the moment a client needs them - including passive candidates who don’t apply directly.

Why DIY hiring often stalls

Even in a talent-rich market, teams can get stuck for a few reasons:

the role is positioned incorrectly for the level required
salary expectations and market reality are not aligned
job ads do not speak the language of marketers
high-volume applications take time without delivering the right fit
there is no network of passive candidates to draw from
cultural fit gets lost without someone who understands both sides.

And importantly - DIY hiring lacks the long-term relationships that unlock real traction. This is where teams often turn to recruitment agencies like Stopgap.

What Stopgap brings to the table

Our consultants are not commission-based, which means they focus on people, not transactions. We take the time to understand a role, the culture and the long-term goals behind every brief. We know the talent because we speak to them regularly, not just when they apply for a job.

Whether a client is exploring agency recruiting, advertising a leadership role, or needing support after they reject a job offer or are declining a job offer from a candidate, we help keep the process steady and clear.

This combination of insight, honesty and genuine connection is what shortens time-to-hire and strengthens the match.

When teams come to us, they are not just accessing our process - they are accessing our community.

Thinking about your next hire?

If your hiring process feels slow or unclear, or if your job ad is not bringing in the right level of candidate, we can help.

Even a quick conversation can save weeks of searching.

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We’re here when you’re ready.

Why DIY Hiring Stalls - and How Stopgap Helps Teams Move Forward