Perhaps one of the most critical skills to have as a recruiter is the ability to source candidates. A strong sourcing strategy considers not only active candidates, but “passive” candidates as well. Passive candidates are those who are not actively job seeking, but still have the qualifications and potential you’re looking for. Recruiters have many different sourcing strategies to help them hire efficiently, attract top talent, and build relationships effectively.
Align with your client at all times
Prior to sourcing, be sure to connect with your client and determine what a strong candidate looks like to them. You want to be on the same page both before and during the sourcing process, so you’re not wasting time in the wrong talent pool. Understand which skills and experiences make a good fit for the position, while also considering role-specific keywords.
Establish and utilize your own brand
When reaching out to new candidates, especially those considered “passive,” always remember that they don’t know who you are. You are a brand new face and possible connection. Your online presence, specifically your LinkedIn profile, should reflect who you are not only as a recruiter, but a person as well. The “About” section of your page should highlight you work experience, as well as unique traits and common ground you’d want candidates to know about. “Every recruiter says they have LinkedIn experience,” says Brooke Stemen, Director of Talent Acquisition at Green Key. “But the connections and engagement speak for themselves.”
Begin your outreach
Every recruiter has a different way of sourcing. And what works for one will not always work for another. For example, sourcing for a travel nurse positions will very different than sourcing for a cloud engineer. Knowing how to engage with specific candidates is the first step. Certain industries use social media, such as LinkedIn or Facebook, to network with other professionals. Other industries, however, might not use social media at all. You may have to consider sourcing through your company’s ATS, attending in-person events, or other sourcing channels dedicated to the field you’re searching in.
Nevertheless, you will always need to be prepared with curated messages when reaching out to them online. Indeed advises, “Create a subject line to interest potential candidates, which can encourage them to open your message. Include relevant information in the message that explains why their credentials impressed you. You can then provide a brief overview of the open role and the organization. The final section of your message can describe how you believe they can contribute valuable work to the team.”
Review your metrics
As you work, always remember to track and review your metrics. For instance, if a certain strategy is receiving more responses than another, it’s a good idea to take note of that going forward. This can help you run A/B tests and determine the best way for you to attract candidates. As noted earlier, not every strategy is going to work for every industry, position, or company.
Contact Green Key
If you’re interested in a fulfilling career in recruiting, check out our Join Green Key page and browse our internal jobs. Your next great career move could be around the corner!
