When considering candidates for a role, employers weigh eligibility (100% match to minimum job criteria) and suitability (does not meet all of the criteria…..yet).   As recruiters, we increasingly find that employers are getting too attached to their ‘first prize’ eligibility criteria. As a result two things happen 1) this drives the like for like approach to head hunting from competitors – particularly in specialist disciplines and 2) this hampers talent development from within. The latter increases traffic into my inbox. Think about it.