Here at Reflik we get a lot of questions about sourcing the best candidates for any given job requirement. While there is no one absolute method to go about it nor is there one place to find all of your quality candidates, we thought we would give you a few of our sourcing tips to find great candidates.
Sourcing Tip 1) Plan Your Search
It’s best to know what you are looking for in a candidate before you actually start sourcing. Recruiters often overlook what the client is asking of them. Understanding the exact requirements of the job opening/position is critical to finding the right person for the job: his or her title, skill, expertise. After conducting initial searches, make sure to break out the trusty internal thesaurus and begin searching for alternative titles, skills, technologies and etc.
Internal Thesaurus
Sourcing Tip 2) Figure out who to search for
It is a good idea to know what type of person is perfect for your role. An important rule of thumb is not to judge a candidate’s worth solely on his/her resume. Even professional resumes cannot detail every bit of a person’s experience and expertise.
A resume is a candidate’s attempt to remember his or her accomplishments, duties, and work experiences. So make sure to have a conversation with a candidate before writing them off. In addition, even if a particular candidate is not qualified for a job now he or she can be qualified for another job down the line, so always keep your candidates in the back of your mind!
Sourcing Tip 3) Search in the right places
Qualified candidates tend to receive hundreds of InMails from recruiters on LinkedIn in a week. Why take such a crowded path? Consider taking the road less traveled. Use other forms of social media, such as: Pinterest and Twitter. They may prove to be helpful tools in the talent search.
Pinterest is great for looking for creative talent. You can see a graphic designer’s and a web designer’s chops through their profiles or, at the very least, what inspires them. On the other hand, Twitter has a huge user base and an advanced search capability. With it, a perceptive recruiter can network and grow her candidate pool without breaking the bank.
Pinterest Portfolio
Why not also take things offline? Attending in-person recruiting events or attending industry-specific conferences can prove to be resourceful. Expand your network breadth. Do not leave any hidden talent pools untouched. Use all possible means and resources!
Sourcing Tip 4) Rinse, Switch-up, Improve
The last bit of advice we would like to leave you with is not to let your searches bog you down and to not allow your searches to get stagnant. Create dynamic searches for each type of role, person, and company. If certain combinations of role, person, and company indicate that Linkedin is the place to go, then go there. If another combination points to Pinterest then look there. Sourcing needs to remain proactive and not passive. Most importantly, you have to understand what kind of candidates you are looking for and where those candidates are. Find what works best for you and always strive to make it better.
Happy Hunting!
