Sourcing candidates: 11 techniques you need to know to approach the best talent
Faced with a shortage of talent in certain sectors, finding the right profile for a job can be an obstacle course. Faced with such a challenge, posting a job advert online and then waiting for the CVs to come in is no longer enough.
You now have to prospect for potential talent wherever you can find it, even if that means contacting people who aren't even looking for a job!
This is where candidate sourcing comes in.
While this approach may seem innovative to some companies, the good news is that there are a multitude of tools and techniques to help you in your search, especially if you take advantage of digital technology.
Find out what they are in this article, which shows you how to source candidates as effectively as possible.
What does candidate sourcing mean?
Candidate sourcing: definition
To begin with, let's clarify the very notion of candidate sourcing. 🧐
In practical terms, this is a method of searching for, identifying and attracting profiles that are both :
- active: they are looking for a job and scanning the advertisements on the web ;
- passive: they are not planning to change jobs, but remain open to opportunities.
Sourcing candidates therefore goes further than simply posting a recruitment advert and then receiving the CVs that follow. It also includes direct approach, which is essential for reaching even passive individuals.
What's more, this technique is sometimes used proactively, to establish contact with different profiles and build up a pool of potential talent to meet current and future business needs.
☝️ Sourcing differs from recruitment in that it takes place upstream, when the recruiter sets out to find the future employee in line with predefined needs. Recruitment, on the other hand, encompasses the entire selection process, from the evaluation of candidates to their integration into the company.
What are the stages involved in sourcing candidates?
It's important to build a well-crafted sourcing process, because otherwise you risk wasting time and money, and above all not hiring the right people!
👉 An effective candidate sourcing process therefore includes the following stages:
- identifying recruitment needs ;
- defining selection criteria
- identifying potential sources of talent
- implementing sourcing strategies such as prospecting on social networks and professional databases;
- assessing the candidates identified;
- engaging and contacting them in order to attract them to the company.
The 5 benefits of candidate sourcing
- ✅ S aves time in your recruitment process, as you may already be in contact with potential candidates even before the vacancy is advertised.
- ✅ An effective way of recruiting high-quality talent in a context of high tension (we're back to passive profiles) 😀
- ✅ A good method for building a pool of candidates that will be used for your next recruitments.
- ✅ An increase in the diversity of profiles by using a variety of sourcing channels, such as social networks, specialist job sites or recruitment events.
- ✅ Improving the quality of recruitment by targeting specific talent that closely matches the company's needs and culture.
How do you source candidates? 11 key techniques
#1 Your internal database
What if you already had the perfect candidate at your fingertips?
As a good recruiter, you've no doubt kept a record of all your previous recruitments in order to build up an internal database, haven't you 😎?
In other words, start by looking at your own CV library, because that way you :
- save time on making contact (you already have the contact details of these individuals as well as a certain amount of valuable information) ;
- capitalise on relationships already established with interesting profiles.
#2 Internal mobility
Another way of recruiting without opening up your search to the outside world is to study the possibilities of internal mobility. Why bother prospecting elsewhere when the ideal candidate may already be in your ranks?
This sourcing technique is very interesting because it greatly minimises the disappointments associated with " bad recruitment":
- on your side, you already know the value of the individual ;
- on their side, they are familiar with the company's culture, and don't risk taking off after a few months because it doesn't suit them!
☝️ However, depending on the organisation, internal mobility involves finding someone to fill the vacancy... and then it's back to the recruitment round!
#3 Your website
To successfully source candidates, we strongly recommend that you develop a career site, the main showcase for your employer brand, to communicate the company's vision, structure and values.
Unlike other online media, this career site can be built "your way", both in terms of content and form. Basically, it reflects your identity, and that makes it possible to make an initial selection by announcing the colour to profiles that are not aligned.
It is also used to post your job offers and facilitate the application process. Some companies even have a dedicated system for collecting unsolicited applications, so that they can feed their talent pool.
#4 Search engines
Yes, a simple advanced search on Google can enable you to come across interesting profiles, as long as you precisely define the different criteria to be considered in terms of :
- keywords ;
- language ;
- region ;
- site or domain, etc.
💡 You can also use Boolean operators, the symbols (" AND", " OR", " NOT", etc.) used to combine terms and thus specify the results. For example, by using "AND" between two words, the search will only return results containing these two words.
#5 Social networks
Another highly effective method of sourcing candidates is social recruiting.
What's social recruiting? Quite simply, it's a technique for recruiting candidates on social networks, starting, of course, with LinkedIn.
What are the advantages? For a start, you can use the free advanced search to unearth a wealth of profiles with whom you can then make contact. What's more, you can (for a fee) post a job offer directly on the social network.
LinkedIn, OK... but not the only one! Depending on the positions on offer, and with the aim of reaching the younger generation or certain professions, companies operate via TikTok, Snapchat or even Instagram.
👉 For example, the Michel et Augustin brand uses Snapchat to communicate about its employer brand, but also to recruit certain employees directly.
#6 Job boards
Job boards are often the first reflex of recruiters. It has to be said that these platforms, with the large amount of traffic they attract, guarantee high visibility.
What's more, some, like Pôle Emploi, are free sourcing sites, with CV libraries from which to draw your future recruit. And of course, you can post your job advert there in just a few clicks, and then collect applications. Interesting, isn't it 😉
💡 If you want to refine your search, we advise you to consult more specialised sites:
- by business sector (Linkfinance for finance jobs, for example) ;
- by region (RegionsJob);
- or for executive profiles (Apec, Cadremploi, etc.).
☝️ However, since all companies use them, job boards can sometimes prove limited when you are looking for a penurious profile.
#7 Co-option
Co-option is one of the most effective recruitment sourcing tools because it saves you both time and money.
By taking advantage of your existing network of employees, you can speed up your process and reduce the costs associated with external talent sourcing.
What's more, candidates who join your company in this way are often more loyal, since their relationship with the company means they know exactly what they're getting into. And you have little chance of making a mistake, because an employee has put his or her reputation on the line to recommend this person.
In other words, no nasty surprises for either party! 🥳
💡 However, to really establish this technique in your organisation and engage employees, it's best to set up a real co-optation programme, with a bonus at the end.
#8 Communities
When sourcing candidates, the use of communities (via social networks or specialist forums) is essential, as they bring together profiles likely to share specific professional or sectoral interests.
Sites like GitHub and Reddit are particularly well known for bringing together tech and IT profiles. Handy for interacting directly with professionals in a target field and trying to establish relationships!
💡 There are also communities of recruiters on Discord or Slack, for example. Why not go there to exchange little sourcing tips?
#9 Events of all kinds
There are many events that put recruiters in touch with potential candidates. Such is the case with business games, set up in partnership with the grandes écoles, or job datings organised by certain companies.
💡But in reality, any professional event, even if it's not directly associated with the job search, can be an excellent opportunity to network.an excellent opportunity to network, make interesting contacts... and potentially meet future employees 🤝 ?
#10 Sourcing service providers
Some companies, due to a lack of time, resources and skills, decide to call on the services of a recruitment agency or headhunting firm.
By mobilising their expertise and resources 100% dedicated to sourcing, these professionals prove to be a great help in identifying, evaluating and attracting qualified candidates, particularly for positions that are difficult to fill or require specific skills.
💵 Of course, all this comes at a cost, sometimes approaching thousands of euros. It's up to you to decide how profitable it is.
#11 Specialised software
Finally, we advise you to look into the possibility of equipping yourself with specialist software, more specifically an ATS (Applicant Tracking System). This application tracking system is used to rationalise and centralise the recruitment process, from the publication of job offers to the management of applications. Guaranteed to save you time in your search for the right profiles!
But then, what are the best tools? 🤔
🛠️ With Beetween , multiply the visibility of your adverts by posting them on more than 150 partner job boards, making it easier to find candidates matching your criteria. You can create a personalised career site that reflects your company's image, enhancing your employer brand and making talent management easier . The Beetween Sourcing Chrome extension helps you find suitable profiles directly from LinkedIn, optimising your recruitment process.
🛠️ Tool4staffing, which is positioned as a talent acquisition solution that handles the recruitment of jobs in short supply. So it's only natural that it includes sourcing functionalities. More specifically, it helps you to make better use of your database of candidates and employees and to automate your search on CV libraries and other social networks. For example, you can contact profiles on LinkedIn using sequences of messages that are both personalised and automated.
Candidate sourcing: what should you bear in mind?
Candidate sourcing is THE way to make sure you recruit the right person, even if it's a penurious profile. And it doesn't matter what type of candidate you're looking for, because there's no shortage of methods and channels, from social networks to job boards, co-optation and professional events.
But your job doesn't stop there. Once the right people have been reached, they still have to want to continue the recruitment process! That's why it's important to work on your employer brand and be as transparent as possible about the vacancy.
Finally, don't forget that starting off on the right foot means working to retain your talent for the long term once they've been taken on 😉.
Article translated from French