In today's heated job market, candidates clearly want toease the pain of the search by winnowing out positions that aren'ta fit, and instead learning more about those opportunities that maybe a winner before even filling out the application.

Unfortunately, many employers aren't aware that this is thecase.

A study from CareerBuilder examined answers from 4,500 jobseekers and 1,500 hiring personnel, identifying thistrend.

The research indicated that the time when job applicants filledout endless applications for jobs they knew little about, hopingone would bubble up as the top choice, is just a vestige of datedapplication processes.

Now, job seekers spend more time investigating jobs that soundpromising. But for many, they are not being met in their quest bythose who are doing the hiring. And this could account for theongoing complaint from hiring managers that they cannot find enoughqualified candidates for the job openings they're trying tofill.

To begin, let's see what the applicant process consists of:

• 76% say they are interested in a new job;
• On average, these job seekers use 16 resources during a jobsearch; only 36% say they do no research on a particularposition;
• Primary questions about a new employer pertainto day-to-day job duties (76%), essential skillsets(57%), and whether the candidate is the right fit (50%).

When considering a specific position, here's what applicantswant to know before they apply:

• 81% want to know the name and contact information of the personwho posted the job;
• 72% want to talk to a company recruiter or hiring managerfirst;
• 74% want to know the salary range ahead of time;
• 82% want an idea of the organizational structure to see wherethe position falls;
• 65% say location is the primary factor in their search.

So what's the disconnect on the employer side? Passive,painfully long recruiting.

More than half of companies wait for candidates to apply, andthe average time it takes them to fill a position is 26 to 34 days.This apparent lack of urgency in a tight job market is happeningdespite the fact that three-quarters of workers are apparently opento a new job, and most only apply for a position they believe theyare a fit for.

CareerBuilder also found that applicants aren't sufficientlyfamiliar with the current hiring process. For instance, 53% ofemployers said they don't get enough information on most resumes tomake a decision. They'd like to see more details, as well asa portfolio and cover letter, links to social media profiles, andprofessional recommendations.

Soft skills are becoming ever more of a factor in hiring.Two-thirds of employers said they look for soft skills such ascommunications, dependability, public speaking, and working withothers.

And not receiving a response following an application doesn'tmean “no thanks.” More than half of employers surveyed said theyrevisit their applicant pool — so following up is a worthwhileendeavor for those applying.

“Job seekers may have more of an edge in today's market asemployers grow increasingly competitive for labor — but need tofollow new rules of engagement,” Rosemary Haefner, chief humanresources for CareerBuilder said. “For employers, it's important toremember that the candidate experience starts from the very firstclick and can impact how effectively a company is able to recruitquality candidates, the popularity of its employer brand, thestrength and quality of its referrals, and even its bottomline.”