Top Talent Does Not Wait Around

04 Jun Top Talent Does Not Wait Around

Last night’s NFL Draft had a moment that felt very familiar from a recruiting standpoint.

The Pittsburgh Steelers were reportedly on the phone with Makai Lemon, the USC wide receiver they expected to draft.

And this was not just some fallback option.

Lemon was one of the top receivers in the draft. Big production at USC. Biletnikoff Award winner. The type of player who can change what an offense looks like.

Pittsburgh thought they had him.

They believed Dallas would make the pick at No. 20.

They believed Dallas would not trade that pick, especially to the Eagles.

Then Howie Roseman, Eagles GM, made the move.

The Eagles traded up with Dallas, jumped Pittsburgh, and took Lemon.

Just like that, the Steelers went from confident to empty handed.

Now, I will admit, as a diehard Philadelphia Eagles fan who has been a season ticket holder for 20 years, I absolutely loved seeing that unfold.

But from a recruiting standpoint, there is a bigger lesson here.

Hiring Works the Same Way

In recruiting, confidence is not the same thing as control.

A company may think they are in great shape with a candidate.

The interviews went well.

The candidate seemed interested.

The compensation range was discussed.

Everyone liked each other.

Leadership feels good about it.

The hiring manager thinks, “We’ve got this.”

Maybe you do.

Maybe you do not.

Because until the candidate accepts your offer, you do not have the candidate.

You have interest.

You have momentum.

You have a possibility.

But you do not have a hire.

That distinction matters.

Assumptions Are Expensive

The Steelers were not wrong about the player.

They just lost control of the process.

That happens in hiring every day.

A civil engineering firm assumes the candidate is not talking to anyone else.

A manager assumes the candidate will wait until next week.

A company assumes compensation will not be an issue.

Leadership assumes nobody else will move faster.

The internal team assumes there is no real competition.

Then another firm calls.

Another interview happens.

Another offer comes in.

Another company moves with more urgency.

And suddenly the candidate who seemed like a lock is gone.

Not because your opportunity was bad.

Not because the candidate was dishonest.

Not because you did anything terrible.

But because you assumed you had more time than you actually did.

Top Civil Engineering Talent Moves Quickly

The best candidates in civil engineering are rarely sitting around waiting.

Strong Project Managers are busy.

Senior Engineers are buried.

Department Leaders are being contacted by other firms.

Future Principals and Practice Leaders are usually already employed, already valued, and already in demand.

If they are open to a move, that window may not stay open very long.

A good candidate may be talking to multiple firms.

They may be weighing a counteroffer.

They may be finishing a major project.

They may be trying to decide whether a move makes sense for their family.

They may be interested, but not desperate.

That is why speed and communication matter.

If you like someone, keep the process moving.

If you need internal approval, get it.

If you want to make an offer, make it.

If there are concerns, address them directly.

Do not let a strong candidate sit in silence while your internal process wanders through five layers of “let’s circle back.”

That is how you get jumped.

There Is Always Another Company Working Behind the Scenes

One of the biggest mistakes companies make is assuming they are the only game in town.

They are usually not.

In civil engineering recruiting, especially for high-demand roles, there is almost always someone else working behind the scenes.

Another firm may be calling.

Another recruiter may be reaching out.

Another client may be selling a better career path.

Another company may be offering more flexibility, stronger compensation, better resources, ownership potential, or a faster path to leadership.

You may not see that activity.

But that does not mean it is not happening.

Just like Pittsburgh could not control what Philadelphia and Dallas were doing, a hiring company cannot control what every other firm in the market is doing.

What they can control is their own process.

They can control urgency.

They can control communication.

They can control preparation.

They can control follow-up.

They can control whether the candidate feels wanted, respected, and properly informed.

Speed Does Not Mean Panic

Moving with urgency does not mean being reckless.

It does not mean skipping due diligence.

It does not mean hiring someone just because you are afraid of losing them.

That is not the point.

The point is that good hiring processes should be intentional, organized, and decisive.

You should know who needs to meet the candidate.

You should know what questions need to be answered.

You should know the compensation range before things get too far.

You should know who has authority to approve an offer.

You should know what makes your opportunity attractive.

You should know how to keep the candidate engaged between steps.

Too many companies lose candidates because the process is vague.

First interview.

Long pause.

Second interview.

Internal discussion.

Another pause.

Maybe one more meeting.

Then someone goes on vacation.

Then compensation needs approval.

Then HR needs to review it.

Then the candidate accepts another offer.

And everyone acts surprised.

That is not a candidate problem.

That is a process problem.

The Best Firms Control the Process

The companies that hire well usually do a few things consistently.

They move quickly when they find someone they like.

They communicate clearly.

They do not assume interest will last forever.

They sell the opportunity, not just evaluate the candidate.

They answer questions.

They keep momentum.

They remove unnecessary delays.

They make the candidate feel like there is a real plan.

That does not guarantee they will land everyone.

Nobody does.

But it gives them a much better chance.

In a competitive civil engineering market, the firms that move with urgency and strategy usually have the advantage.

Final Thought

There is a simple recruiting reminder in all of this:

You do not have the candidate until they accept your offer.

Not when the interview goes well.

Not when they say they are interested.

Not when the team likes them.

Not when you think the other company will not move.

Not when you believe they will wait.

Until the offer is accepted, the process is still alive.

And so is the competition.

The Steelers thought they had their guy.

Then someone else moved faster.

Hiring works the same way.

The best candidates, the ones who can actually move the needle, are rarely available for long.

And the companies that move with urgency, clarity, and strategy are usually the ones that land them.