What Makes a Top Candidate? Insights from Placement Data

In today’s fiercely competitive job market, companies across North America are refining their recruitment strategies to identify not just qualified candidates but top candidates. At Collavion, we’ve analyzed placement data across multiple industries including healthcare, finance, video games, and logistics to identify common traits among successfully placed talent.

So, what truly sets top candidates apart? From technical qualifications to adaptability and emotional intelligence, the answer is multi-dimensional, and increasingly data-driven.

Over the past five years, recruitment has evolved significantly. Employers now rely more heavily on AI-powered Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS), machine learning algorithms, and predictive analytics to evaluate candidate quality even before human eyes review the resume.

According to LinkedIn’s Future of Recruiting 2024 report, 74% of hiring professionals in North America now use AI tools to identify patterns in successful hires. These patterns are often based on:

• • Work history consistency
  • Use of relevant keywords
  • Experience aligned with job outcomes
  • Measurable impact in previous roles

In Canada, platforms like Workday and Ceridian have seen significant growth as employers seek smarter screening solutions. Meanwhile, U.S. companies are increasingly integrating AI-powered resume parsing and sentiment analysis during video interviews.

Key Insight: The top candidates often align well with both job-specific keywords and behavioral signals flagged by AI models highlighting the importance of both resume tailoring and soft skill demonstration.

Adaptability and Continuous Learning

In a rapidly evolving market, employers increasingly value candidates who show a growth mindset. According to a PwC Talent Trends Report (2024), 80% of CEOs in Canada and the U.S. say adaptability is one of the most critical traits they seek in new hires.

Industry Example:
In the video game industry, where tools and engines change frequently (e.g., Unity, Unreal Engine), developers who can quickly learn new platforms and iterate on feedback are far more successful. Studios like Ubisoft Toronto prioritize candidates who’ve shown progression through game jams, certifications, or side projects and not just formal credentials.

Communication & Collaboration Skills

While technical know-how is essential, candidates who can articulate their thoughts clearly, lead cross-functional discussions, and adapt to team dynamics tend to perform better.

Industry Example:
In healthcare staffing, we’ve seen RNs and allied health professionals with strong interpersonal skills being placed and retained more often. Hospitals in Ontario and B.C. often seek communication training or patient empathy workshops as differentiators in candidates.

Results-Driven Mindset

Employers want to see measurable outcomes: Did the candidate increase revenue, optimize workflows, reduce downtime?

Industry Example:
In logistics and supply chain, candidates who showcase metrics such as “reduced delivery lead times by 15%” or “cut operational costs by $200K through vendor negotiations” are preferred over those listing only duties.

While soft skills play a big role, certain certifications, experiences, and educational backgrounds frequently show up in successful placements. Here’s a chart of commonly observed qualifications across industries:

Trend Note: In both Canada and the U.S., bilingualism—particularly English and French—is considered an asset in many industries, especially in customer-facing roles and healthcare.

Modern hiring platforms use natural language processing (NLP) and predictive analytics to score candidates based on how closely their experience matches job descriptions and past successful hires. This creates both opportunities and pitfalls for candidates.

What the Systems Like:

• • Clear formatting and bullet points
  • Keywords that match job postings
  • Quantifiable achievements (e.g., “increased sales by 20%”)

What Gets Overlooked:

• • Creative or unconventional resumes
  • Job titles that don’t match standard formats
  • Valuable experience not worded “correctly”

Reference: A Jobscan report (2024) showed that 98% of Fortune 500 companies use ATS, and 75% of resumes are never seen by a human if not optimized for these systems.

Best Practice Tip: We advise candidates to create two versions of their resume: one that’s ATS-friendly (keyword-rich, clean formatting) and another that’s creative and personal for human readers.

At Collavion, we’ve placed professionals across AI, fintech, logistics, and healthcare industries. Here are a few anonymized real-world insights:

A machine learning engineer in Montreal secured a role in an AI startup not because of a master’s degree, but due to her GitHub portfolio and consistent contributions to open-source projects—highlighting the importance of demonstrable skill over pedigree.

In Alberta, a logistics manager was chosen over more experienced peers because his resume outlined specific digitization projects that improved warehouse throughput by 25%, aligning with the client’s digital transformation goals.

A nurse practitioner in British Columbia was hired into a senior care facility after emphasizing her bilingual abilities and completing additional dementia care training—a niche area the employer prioritized.

Today’s most successful candidates aren’t just ticking off boxes, they’re storytellers of their impact, able to show results and evolve with the market. Employers across North America are looking for that blend of technical expertise, emotional intelligence, and a growth mindset.

At Collavion, we combine human insight with data-backed tools to help our clients identify and place these top performers across healthcare, fintech, logistics, and beyond.

Whether you’re hiring your next game-changing developer or seeking a finance professional who can steer risk in uncertain times, understanding what makes a great candidate is the first step, and we’re here to help.