How Expandable Matches Help Employers Adapt Their Offer

This article is part of the Potential and Expandable Matching guide.

An expandable match is a candidate whose current profile falls slightly short of the employer’s stated requirements — but where a specific, targeted development investment would close the gap. Acting on expandable matches is one of the most direct ways employers can adapt their offer to the real shape of the talent market.

When expandable matches make strategic sense

Expandable matches are worth pursuing when:

• The development investment required is modest relative to the cost of leaving the role unfilled
• The candidate is otherwise a strong fit in terms of experience, attitude and intent
• The employer has (or could build) the infrastructure to support the development
• The expected tenure of the resulting hire is long enough to justify the investment
• The qualification or skill gap is one that can realistically be closed within a defined timeframe

What adapting your offer looks like in practice

Acting on expandable matches requires a change in how you think about your offer. Instead of "we need someone who already has X," the question becomes "are we prepared to invest in X for the right candidate?"

This is not a lower standard. It is a broader strategy. The employers who do this consistently and well end up with loyal, well-developed hires who are harder to poach than those who arrived fully formed — because the employer invested in their development.

Over time, the pattern of expandable matches also tells you which qualifications and skills are consistently in short supply in your market — which can inform training partnerships, apprenticeship programmes and longer-term workforce development strategy.

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