Welcome to The Hero 🗞️. This is approximately a 3-minute read.
🏆 Why "silver medalists" beat new searches every time
🪜 How to re-engage runners-up without being awkward
🔄 The simple ATS move that turns old interviews into instant offers
TL;DR
You already found great candidates - you just ghosted them.
Every role ends with one hire + three or more strong maybes...
Most companies let them disappear -
Then scramble when a new role opens.
Forgeting about their silver medalist…
Sitting in your ATS right now.
Nurturing these candidates can double your hiring speed - without any new sourcing.
You're Incinerating Your Best Leads
You hire one stellar PM.
But you also interviewed eight others who crushed the panel.
You said, “We’ll keep in touch.”
Then...
Crickets.
90 days later, another PM role opens.
But instead of reaching out to that runner-up who nailed the prior interviews, you post on LinkedIn and start all over again…
The average recruiter screens 10+ candidates per role.
That’s 10 conversations - and 9 go nowhere.
Companies with a structured silver medalist process fill roles 73% faster on average.
You’re sitting on a pre-vetted, high-intent talent pool.
You just forgot it exists…
How to solve that just below - don’t miss it 😉
Links of the Day:
🔗 Best Links
Here are some of the best links I’ve found since last time I emailed you:
🗺️ Interview Strategy
🔎 Recruitment Strategy & Industry Trends
🤖 ATS & Recruiting Platforms
✅ Examples
Build a Second-Place Pipeline
1. Flag Them in Your ATS
Create a tag: "Runner-Up: Revisit"
Add one-line context:
"Great, just too junior for this scope"
"Timing issue"
"Lost to competing offer"
2. Set a 90-Day Reminder
Use this template:
"Hey [Name], you were one of our strongest finalists for the [Role] role.
I’ve had you in mind since 😀
We’ve got a new opening that feels like it could be a great fit - would love to reconnect if you’re still open to new opportunities."
Short. Genuine. Zero fluff.
Just a reminder that you remember who they are.
3. Build a Weekly Review Habit
Every Monday, pull up your ATS and ask:
"Who did we almost hire in the last 90 days?"
"Do I have a role opening that fits them now?"
"Should I ping them just to stay warm?"
“Them” being the candidate 🙂
Keep it simple:
Name | Why they didn't get it | When to follow up
That's it. No fancy dashboard. No Airtable overkill.
Just a recurring calendar block + a habit of remembering people exist.
4. Re-Pitch With Role Expansion
Some candidates don't fit Role A...
But they'd crush Role B.
When you reach back out to past candidates:
Show progression: position the new role as a step forward, not a second chance.
Highlight opportunity: emphasize new scope, impact, or visibility since they last interviewed.
Personalize the message: mention something specific they said or did that stood out.
This isn’t about filling a seat -
It’s about continuing a relationship with someone you already know can perform.
To Sum It Up…
Your fastest hires are people you already vetted.
A little CRM hygiene + follow-up can:
Cut your time-to-hire in half
Boost offer acceptance rates
Create an on-demand pipeline of proven talent
And To Wrap It Up…
Everyone obsesses over sourcing.
But silver medalists?
That’s sourcing you’ve already paid for.
Don’t let great candidates die in your ATS - they’re already halfway home.
Tag runner-ups
Set 90-day reminders
Then watch your pipeline transform without posting a single new job.
HOW WE CAN HELP?
There are a few ways:
Or you can just reply to this email.
I reply to absolutely everyone who writes me back 🙂
