The Math of Recruitment: Why 100 Contacts = 1 Hire

We just placed an HRIS Analyst. Contract role. Needed solid Workday experience.

I contacted 97 people to find the right fit.

When I posted about it on LinkedIn, someone commented: “97? That seems like a lot.”

And yes, it is. But here’s the thing—that’s actually a little below my average. For most specialized searches, I’m reaching out to around 100 people. Sometimes more.

That Senior Geologist we just placed? 75 people. That Senior Buyer who needed to be bilingual in English and Mandarin with EPC oil and gas experience? 24 people total even existed. We contacted all of them.

These numbers aren’t random. They’re not because I’m bad at my job. They’re the reality of quality technical recruitment in Alberta’s energy sector.

And I think it’s time someone explained what these numbers actually mean.

The Math Nobody Talks About

When recruiters say “we reached out to 100 people,” what does that actually look like? Let me break it down.

The Funnel

Here’s a typical search progression for a specialized role:

100 people contacted

• 60-70 respond (many immediately say no)
• 25-30 have genuine conversations with
• 12-15 meet basic qualifications after deeper screening
• 6-8 express real interest and availability
• 3-5 strong enough to present to client
• 2-3 make it through client interviews
• 1 gets the offer
• 1 accepts and starts

That’s the reality. From 100 contacts to 1 hire.

Sometimes the numbers are better. Sometimes they’re worse. But this is the typical pattern for specialized technical roles in Alberta’s energy market.

Why the Numbers Are What They Are

Let’s look at why so many contacts are needed:

Many people aren’t available. They’re happy in their current roles. They just accepted another offer. They’re not open to contract work. They don’t want to relocate. The timing is wrong.

Some don’t meet requirements on closer inspection. The resume said “Workday experience” but it was six years ago and minimal. They have oil and gas experience, but not in the specific area needed. They have the job title but not the depth.

Others are interested but not qualified enough. They meet 70% of the requirements. That’s not enough when you’re competing against people who meet 100%.

Communication drops off. People ghost. They stop responding. They were interested last week but something changed. Life happens.

Clients don’t move forward with everyone. You might present 5 strong candidates and the client interviews 3. That’s their choice. And it’s smart—you can’t interview everyone.

Sometimes offers don’t work out. Compensation doesn’t align. Start dates don’t work. The candidate accepts another offer while you’re finalizing yours.

This is why volume matters. You need that wide top-of-funnel to end up with one successful placement at the bottom.

What “Contacting” Actually Means

When I say I contacted 97 people, what did I actually do?

The Research Phase

First, I identified who might be qualified. This isn’t random. I’m looking at:

• People with the right job titles at relevant companies
• LinkedIn profiles showing Workday or specific system experience
• Previous candidates I’ve worked with who might be a fit
• Referrals from other candidates
• People in my network who match the criteria

This research takes hours. For that HRIS Analyst role, I probably looked at 150+ profiles to identify the 97 worth contacting.

The Outreach

Then I reach out. Not with generic spam. With personalized messages.

LinkedIn message or email explaining:

• Who I am and who I’m recruiting for
• Why I’m reaching out to them specifically
• Brief overview of the opportunity
• Ask if they’re open to a conversation

Some people respond immediately. Some take days. Some never respond.

The Screening Conversations

For people who express interest, I have real conversations. Phone calls, usually 15-30 minutes.

I’m assessing:

• Do they actually have the skills required?
• What’s their real interest level?
• What’s their availability and timeline?
• What are their compensation expectations?
• Would they be a good cultural fit?
• Do they have the soft skills needed?

These conversations matter. This is where I learn whether someone is truly qualified and genuinely interested, or just casually exploring.

The Follow-Up

People need time to think. They need to talk to their spouse. They need to understand the opportunity better.

So there’s follow-up. Answering questions. Providing more details. Checking back in after they’ve had time to consider.

Sometimes people who said no initially come back a week later and say yes. Sometimes people who seemed interested go quiet.

This back-and-forth is time-consuming but necessary.

The Presentation

The candidates who make it through all of that? Those are the ones I present to clients.

By the time someone gets presented, they’ve already been screened multiple times. They’ve confirmed interest and availability. They understand the opportunity. I’ve verified their qualifications.

That HRIS Analyst search? From 97 contacts, I presented 4 strong candidates. The client interviewed 3. One got the offer.

That’s how the numbers work.

The “Average 100” Standard

You might have noticed I mention contacting “around 100 people” frequently. That’s not an accident—it’s based on years of data.

For specialized technical roles in Alberta’s energy sector, 100 contacts is roughly what’s needed to produce a successful hire.

When It’s Less

That Senior Geologist? 75 people. Below average.

Why? The talent pool was larger because geologists have been hit hard for years. There were more available candidates. The requirements, while specific (SAGD experience), weren’t ultra-narrow.

Even at 75, that person had a career gap and needed someone to tell their story. But the larger pool meant I had more people to work with.

When It’s More

That Senior Buyer? We identified only 24 people who met the requirements: bilingual English/Mandarin, EPC experience, oil and gas background.

I contacted all 24. That was 100% of the available talent pool.

When the pool is that small, you can’t afford to miss anyone. And you need a bit of luck—timing has to be right for at least one person.

Why 100 is Actually Efficient

You might think: “Can’t you be more selective upfront and contact fewer people?”

The answer is no. Here’s why:

You can’t predict who’ll be available. That person who looks perfect might have just accepted another role. You can’t know until you ask.

You can’t predict interest level. Someone who seems like a long shot might be very interested. Someone who seems perfect might have zero interest in moving.

You can’t predict how qualifications look on closer inspection. Resumes and LinkedIn profiles don’t tell the whole story.

The only way to find the right person is to cast a wide net and thoroughly screen everyone who responds.

According to research from LinkedIn’s Global Talent Trends, the average cold outreach response rate is 8-10% in technical recruiting, and the conversion rate from response to qualified candidate is approximately 30-40%. That means from 100 contacts, you might get 8-10 responses, leading to 2-4 qualified candidates.

Our numbers are actually better than that because we’re not doing cold outreach—we’re doing targeted, personalized outreach in markets we know well. But the principle holds: you need volume.

What This Means for Timelines

This is directly connected to why quality technical recruitment takes 8-12 weeks.

Reaching out to 100 people doesn’t happen in one afternoon. Neither does screening everyone who responds, having multiple conversations, coordinating with clients, and managing the interview process.

Let’s break down the timeline:

Week 1-2: Research and Initial Outreach

• Identify the right people (might review 150+ profiles)
• Craft personalized outreach messages
• Send initial wave of contacts
• Start getting responses

Week 2-3: Screening Conversations

• Phone calls with people who respond
• Deeper qualification assessment
• Follow-up with people who need time to think
• Continue reaching out to additional people as needed

Week 3-5: Presentation and Client Interviews

• Present shortlist to client
• Coordinate interview schedules
• Support candidates through interview prep
• Gather feedback and manage communications

Week 5-8: Offers and Onboarding

• Negotiate offers
• Handle counteroffers or complications
• Manage notice periods
• Coordinate start dates

That’s 8 weeks minimum for a smooth search. And that assumes everything goes well.

If the first batch of candidates doesn’t work out? You’re back to more outreach. If the client is slow to interview? Timeline extends. If someone declines the offer? You might be starting over.

The volume of initial outreach is what makes the process work. You can’t shortcut it.

The Rejection Reality

Here’s something candidates need to understand: if I contacted 97 people and only one got hired, that means 96 people heard “no” at some point.

Some heard “no” from me during screening. Some heard “no” from the client after interviews. Some said “no” themselves when they learned more about the role.

Rejection is the norm, not the exception.

For Candidates: You’re Not Alone

If you’re applying for roles and getting rejected—or worse, hearing nothing at all—you’re not alone. You’re part of the 96, not the 1.

That doesn’t mean you’re not qualified. It means:

• Timing wasn’t right
• Someone else was slightly better fit
• Your specific experience didn’t match what they needed
• The role requirements changed
• Budget got cut
• They went a different direction

Most rejection has nothing to do with you being unqualified or unemployable. It’s just math.

When I contacted those 97 people for the HRIS Analyst role, many of them were excellent professionals. Talented. Experienced. Totally capable of doing the job.

But only one could get hired. Everyone else got rejected through no fault of their own.

For Employers: This Is Why It Takes Time

When we tell you a search will take 8-12 weeks and we need to contact 100 people, this is why.

We’re not padding the timeline. We’re not being inefficient. This is genuinely what’s required to find you the right person.

If another recruiter promises to fill your role in 3 weeks, ask them how many people they plan to contact. If the answer is “we’ll post it and see who applies,” you’re not getting thorough recruitment. You’re getting luck-based recruitment.

Maybe you’ll get lucky. Maybe you won’t.

The Specialized Role Challenge

The more specialized the role, the harder this gets.

The Workday Example

That HRIS Analyst needed Workday experience. Workday is specific software not everyone uses. And right now, Workday expertise is in high demand.

So my pool of candidates with general HRIS experience is large. My pool with Workday experience is much smaller. My pool with Workday experience who are available for contract work right now? Smaller still.

That’s why I needed 97 contacts. The pool was already constrained.

The Bilingual Example

That Senior Buyer needed English and Mandarin fluency, plus EPC experience in oil and gas.

Each requirement narrows the pool:

• All senior buyers: thousands
• Senior buyers in oil and gas: hundreds
• Senior buyers in oil and gas with EPC experience: maybe 100-150
• Senior buyers in oil and gas with EPC experience who speak Mandarin: 24

We contacted all 24. That was the entire available pool.

This is why some roles are harder to fill than others. It’s not that recruiters aren’t trying hard enough. It’s that the math is brutal.

When Contract Adds Complexity

Contract roles add another filter. Many professionals prefer permanent positions. They want stability. They want benefits. They want to know where they’ll be in a year.

Contract work is common in Alberta’s energy sector, but it still eliminates some candidates from consideration.

That HRIS Analyst role was contract. Some of those 97 people I contacted said “I’m only interested in permanent roles.” That’s fair. But it narrows the pool further.

The Human Element

Behind these numbers are real people. Real conversations. Real relationships.

The People Who Say No

Many of the 97 people I contacted for that HRIS Analyst role said no. But those conversations matter.

Some said “not right now, but keep me in mind for future opportunities.” Those relationships are valuable. Maybe the next HRIS role will be perfect for them.

Some said “not for me, but I know someone who might be interested.” Referrals are gold. Some of our best placements come from referrals.

Some said “I’m not qualified for this, but what else are you working on?” Sometimes I’m recruiting for multiple roles and someone who’s not right for one is perfect for another.

Every conversation has value beyond just this one placement.

The People Who Almost Got It

Some of those 97 were strong candidates who made it far but didn’t get the offer. Maybe they came in second. Maybe they interviewed well but another candidate was slightly better.

Those relationships matter too. I stay in touch. When the next similar role comes up, they’re on my list.

This is about building a network, not just filling roles.

The One Who Got It

And then there’s the person who got hired. They were one of 97. They beat out strong competition. They happened to have the right skills at the right time with the right availability.

They got the opportunity. And now they’re working.

That’s what makes the 97 contacts worth it.

What “Good” Recruiting Looks Like

When you work with a recruiter, you should expect this level of effort.

If they tell you they’ll “post it and see what happens,” that’s not strategic recruitment. That’s hoping for luck.

If they present one or two candidates and then shrug when those don’t work out, they’re not trying hard enough.

Good recruiting means:

• Proactive outreach to many qualified people
• Thorough screening of everyone who responds
• Multiple strong candidates presented
• Market intelligence about what’s realistic
• Persistence when the first batch doesn’t work

When we tell clients we contacted 97 people, that’s transparency. That’s showing our work.

Some recruiters would just say “we’re working on it” without explaining the process. We think you deserve to know what “working on it” actually means.

The Bottom Line

Perseverance pays. But perseverance looks like numbers.

97 people contacted for one hire. 75 for another. 24 for another (and that was everyone).

This isn’t inefficiency. It’s thoroughness. It’s what quality recruitment requires in specialized markets.

For candidates: understand that rejection is normal. You’re competing against many other qualified people. Keep trying. The right opportunity will come.

For employers: understand that this takes time and effort. When your recruiter says they’ve contacted 100 people, that’s not an excuse—it’s evidence of real work.

For everyone: good outcomes require perseverance. There are no shortcuts. There’s just doing the work, every time, until you find the right match.

That HRIS Analyst? Number 97 turned out to be the right one. But I had to contact 96 others to get there.

That’s the job. And it’s worth it when it works.

Ready for Recruitment That Actually Does the Work?

If you’re tired of recruiters who post jobs and wait, or who give up after presenting two candidates, let’s talk.

We do the work. We reach out to the right people. We screen thoroughly. We persist until we find the right match.

For employers: We’ll show you our process, explain our timeline, and deliver candidates who’ve been properly vetted.

For candidates: If you’re one of the qualified professionals out there, we want to talk to you—whether it’s for this role or the next one.

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