This article regarding sourcing strategies was originally published in 2021, all relevant statistics and information has been updated as of February 2023.
In today's rapidly evolving landscape, recruiters are faced with the challenge of staying ahead in an increasingly competitive hiring marketplace. To make a lasting impression on prospective talent and increase their chances of success, they must be willing to think outside the box when it comes to connecting with candidates across the world.
This requires harnessing next-level strategies for creating memorable experiences that stand out from other recruiters’ approaches–a critical factor in successfully filling open roles.
Technology in the recruiting and sourcing world is constantly changing. In addition, strategies that may have worked in the past aren’t as effective today because candidates are becoming more wary of recruiters approaching them. As recruiters, it's up to us to stay ahead of the curve when it comes to sourcing candidates. That’s why we’ve compiled a list of creative strategies that you can use now to help you identify high-caliber talent who are perfect for your roles.
Let's get started on finding your dream hires.
To make a lasting impression on prospective talent, recruiters must be willing to think outside the box when it comes to connecting with candidates across the world. Check out @IQTalent’s blog for 3 sourcing strategies:Click to TweetAssess Your Skills Gaps And Talent Shortages
Recruiters need to take a step back and analyze their current talent and evaluate any gaps in skills or lack of talent in their departments. The power is shifting to the candidate, and recruiters need to guard themselves against a fierce market when it comes to attracting top talent,
To ensure your organization has the best chance at hiring top talent, it's important to proactively identify potential gaps in workforce capabilities. Once those opportunities for growth have been identified, you can create recruiting goals that reflect and reinforce your organizational values - setting yourself apart from competitors vying for the same quality of new hires.
Not only can this approach give you a more strategic view of your organization, but it can also help you build a pipeline of passive candidates. Knowing the roles you WILL have open gives you a no-pressure way to reach out to candidates and gives them the space and time to truly connect with you and consider the role and the company.
Bonus: Bridging skills gaps with diverse employees is not just beneficial for companies; it's also incredibly rewarding to have such a wide variety of creativity, ideas, and knowledge all working together.
Leverage Internal Growth And Mobility To Build A Resilient Workforce
Too often, employers fail to leverage their existing talent to fill open roles. However, hiring internally helps save your organization time and money. Your current employees are already well-versed in the culture and microcosms of your organization.
Plus, your current employees understand the expectations and requirements of your positions. Leaning on your existing employees to advance their careers will help you engage your best employees and hire someone you are sure is a good fit.
To retain your best employees, show them they have a bright future ahead with the company by providing pathways for internal mobility. Giving employees opportunities to use their skills in different teams or functions can be just as beneficial (if not more so) than a traditional vertical move - plus, it demonstrates your commitment to helping others progress!
This approach allows hiring managers and employees to get in on the action by making connections between departments they may not have considered. Additionally, by using internal mobility to your advantage, you may be able to change hearts and minds around educational requirements or levels of experience (if those are some of the things your organization struggles with.)
And you likely already know the sister technique to this, which is sourcing within your own ATS. Find the almost-weres and never-hireds and reach out when you have a role that suits them. Don’t forget that a resume you got 2 years ago but didn’t hire because they were too junior now has two extra years under their belt and may be perfect now! These people are particularly attractive because they have already shown that they buy into the company by making it some or part way through your interviewing process. They may have assessment results, interview feedback, or even projects submitted for consideration, all of which you can use to paint a picture for your hiring manager.
Bonus: Recruiting with confidence starts with mastering people analytics. Use the insights you've gathered on potential candidates and current employees to make smart, data-driven hiring decisions - setting your team up for success.
To ensure your organization has the best chance at hiring top talent, it's important to proactively identify potential gaps in workforce capabilities. Learn more about this strategy and gain insight into others in @IQTalent’s blog:Click to TweetLean On Technology To Invigorate Your Recruiting
The best candidate sourcing strategies lean on these tools and technologies to streamline candidate communication, deliver a stellar candidate experience, and connect with candidates. Whether we like it or not, recruiters can’t give their 100% to candidates if they are inundated with tasks that can be easily automated. Give yourself some grace and assistance by looking into what processes your organization can automate and what steps you need to take on your own.
Recruiters can use communication and automation tools to allow them the freedom of spending more time focusing on building meaningful relationships with candidates versus mundane resume-sifting tasks. These helpful HR solutions will help streamline recruitment processes for a better candidate experience!
Things that can easily be automated:
- Scheduling interviews
- Initial resume reviews
- Hiring manager ratings and feedback
- Some (not all) email communication
- Follow-ups post-interview
- Status updates
- Assessments
The list goes on and on, and new tools and automations are being added every day. However, don’t waste your extra time; use it to create more impactful strategies and craft better communication.
Bonus: Organizations that perfect their remote interviewing, screening, and onboarding are now placing themselves in a great position to attract top talent when hiring scales up. Taking the time to get your processes nailed down now will pay off later.
No matter which strategies you use, never forget that candidates appreciate a personalized and thoughtful approach that values their time. This means taking the time to craft an email that is specific to the candidate's background and experience and lays out your opportunity in a concise way.
All the technology in the world won’t help if you don’t research the candidate before reaching out. Research can show you are invested in the candidate’s skillset, and you know why they could be a potential fit for your company. In doing so, focus on the mutual benefit; explain how your company can help them grow professionally, as well as what value they may bring to your organization.
To stay ahead of the curve and remain competitive in your candidate sourcing, you must embrace the rise of virtual recruiting and digitization. Finding and implementing new technologies into your recruiting process will help you reach new talent pools, communicate more effectively with candidates, and reduce time-to-hire.
Don’t have time to source and recruit candidates yourself? We can help! Our team of expert sourcers is standing by, ready to help support your in-house recruiting efforts when you need it and on demand. For more information about how IQTalent can help you build your ideal team, reach out and schedule your free consultation now.
