Four Key Factors in Sourcing Great Talent

Match your recruiting strategy to a specific hiring need to attract the right talent. Candidates search for jobs differently based on many factors, so a cookie cutter advertising approach does not work effectively for all positions. You can increase the quality of your applicant pool by adjusting your sourcing strategy to your targeted candidate market. Factors to consider are:

Position Type:
Accounting, engineering, IT, sales, operations, and administrative professionals may search major job boards for opportunities, yet they may also veer off to unique avenues based on their function. For instance, techies may hang out in user groups, engineers may check niche engineer job boards, and sales reps may keep their eye on their LinkedIn social networks.

Experience Level:
Entry level roles do not require the same depth of sourcing as a senior level role. Companies tend to be selective when hiring experienced people; often seeking the “perfect” candidate with a very specific skill set in a specific industry. This makes the search more difficult and thus, requires more extensive sourcing than entry level positions.

Location:
Geographic markets may have stronger affiliations with specific job boards. For instance, CareerBuilder is strong in markets such as Indianapolis, while Monster is stronger in other cities. Yet, what if the position is in a small rural area? Or, what if the position is remote and the employee can work from anywhere? Sourcing in multiple geographic markets may be an effective strategies in both scenarios.

Timing:
Do you need a butt in a seat within 2 weeks, 30 days, or 3 months? The length of time available to source, screen and evaluate candidates can significantly affect the sourcing strategy and its related recruiting budget.

In summary, avoid cookie cutter sourcing strategies. Identify the factors that have the greatest potential to positively or adversely affect results, then plan and adjust your recruiting strategies accordingly.