Recruitment has become a battleground of sorts, where a constant battle is on for the best talent. To survive in this battle, one needs to have a strong recruitment strategy. However, prior to that, there is something that requires attention and is extremely important, sourcing, because the foundations of successful recruitment start with knowing where to find the best relevant candidates. A recruitment process needs to recognize sourcing as an integral part so that when a position is available, you have a ready-to-refer pipeline of candidates. Learn more about the significance of sourcing in recruitment.
Today, finding the right talent without effective sourcing methods in place is like finding the needle in the bundle. The talent deficiency has made the situation even more difficult, which is why sourcing becomes all the more important. But what makes sourcing a specialized field of its own?
What is strategic sourcing in the recruitment process?
The objective of sourcing is to discover and recognize matching candidates for a target profile. It is considerably more than performing a specialized resume search on the CV database or just examining the applications received in response to a job posting. That is what generally recruiters do. However, a sourcing specialist would proactively look for qualified passive candidates by creating interest around an open position and convincing candidates to apply. A sourcing specialist utilizes various methods and techniques, including social media or a Google resume search by creating Boolean strings to help broaden the search.
Why strategic sourcing of candidates is important
Strategic sourcing is presently considered a vital component of the overall recruiting process. As we know now, sourcing is all about building talent pipelines with a large pool of passive candidates of high calibre who can be recruited for a vacant position when needed. Investing in sourcing is essential to give you a long-term talent supply.
To improve the quality of recruitment
The shortage of qualified talent means that one needs to proactively investigate different resources to find candidates that may be interested and qualified for the available job. In the present job market, as much as 75% of eligible candidates are not actively looking for a change. These passive candidates are open to a job opportunity if provided with the right information, compensation, perks and benefits. A sourcing expert would know the methods and techniques to find these candidates and reach out to them. Sourcers are adept at creating a customized value proposition to attract and connect with top talent. With their sole focus on finding a candidate with the highest calibre that the hiring manager would want to hire, it’s easy to see how sourcing will improve the quality of recruitment.
Reducing Recruitment Time
In an organization where recruiters are doing the sourcing, you should expect some delays in the overall recruiting process. Recruiters already have plenty of tasks to complete, with little to no time to left for building a talent pipeline. Sourcing professionals, with their expertise and experience, can support them by surfacing talent they would want to hire for the available position. With talent sourcing in place, open positions are filled almost immediately as sources have already identified and vetted a large pool of talent, thus shortening the recruiting cycle and reducing the workload of recruiters. Recruiters now don’t have to spend time reaching out to candidates, know their expectations and if they align with that of the organization as that has already been taken care of.
Improving workforce diversity
Since sourcing solely concentrates on finding the right talent matching the job requirements, there is enough time to find and convince diverse professionals to consider your company as a perfect career destination for them. With their research and networking skills and no rush to sell, sourcers have the time and opportunity to attract culturally, and professionally diverse individuals and improve workplace diversity.
Recruiting and sourcing are progressively recognized as distinct activities with very different goals and outcomes, requiring very different skills and processes. Sourcing is far more than simply specialized resume search and candidate name generation. It has turned into a specialized field of its own, and if you don’t understand the difference between sourcing and recruiting, it will end up adding to the overall cost and time to recruit.
Closing Thoughts
What’s true is that an employee recruitment strategy is only as good as the most recent individual recruited. Being on top of your metrics will be one of the most effective tools for any person engaged in recruitment going forward.
Strategic sourcing of talent is possible from a variety of different areas and no plan is ever perfect. You will find some employers prefer the instantaneous, quantity driven online approach, and others prefer a direct, more personable and loyalty based tactic. Regardless of where you get yourself, embrace the possibilities around you and leave no stone unturned.
