According to recruiter Robert Half, employers are receiving more applicants for each job vacancy this year, with the average number up from 11.9 applicants in June, 2022, to 15.7 applicants in June, 2023. However, only 2.3 applicants are deemed suitable for a role, and only a little more than half (56%) of vacancies are being filled.

The Robert Half research asked employers to rate, on a scale of one to 10, how concerned they would be about a candidate’s suitability across 10 key areas.

The most concerning factors according to employers were:

  • frequent job hopping (29%)
  • unrealistic salary expectations (27%)
  • not holding the required qualifications (26%)

The least concerning factors, which may mean more willingness to negotiate with candidates, were:

  • requesting to work from home (8%)
  • unexplained employment gaps (4%)
  • unformatted or lengthy resumes (4%)

Suitability issue

Percentage of employers very concerned (ranked 9 or 10)

Percentage of employers not at all concerned (ranked 1 or 2)

Frequent job hopping

29%

2%

Unrealistic salary expectations

27%

1%

Not holding the required qualifications

26%

1%

Requesting to work from home most of the time

23%

8%

Listing vague job descriptions

22%

1%

Inconsistencies with LinkedIn or other online profiles

20%

4%

Resume incorrectly formatted or too long

19%

4%

Unexplained employment gaps

19%

4%

Including irrelevant buzzwords

16%

3%

Not tailoring the job application material to the role

16%

2%

Independent survey commissioned by Robert Half among 300 business leaders in Australia.  

Nicole Gorton, director at Robert Half said: "Employers are strategically seeking top-notch talent, recognising that their selections must add tangible value. In this meticulous selection process, red flags in a candidate's suitability are detectable. Spotting those warning signals in a candidate's profile is a skill that discerning employers continue to refine.”