Smart sourcing through candidate engagement

What is candidate sourcing?

Candidate sourcing has changed a lot over the years. It’s rare that you’ll see a “help wanted” sign hanging in the window of a storefront, and you certainly won’t find one posted outside a major tech company or financial institution.

These days, most people find employment online and, more often than not, with the help of a recruiter or staffing agency.

Before and after the Pandemic

The sources where recruiters find candidates haven’t changed much since before the pandemic. However, the same cannot be said about the recruiting process or the mindset of today’s candidate pool.

Remote work is becoming the industry standard wherever it is applicable. Not only does it make businesses and employees feel more secure about surviving another wave of lockdowns, but it also alleviates the strain brought on by rising gas prices.

But prevailing gas prices and post-pandemic anxiety aren’t the only factors affecting the candidate’s ethos.

The great resignation has proven that employees won’t stay at a job they are unsatisfied with, nor will they apply for a job that doesn’t resonate with their aspirations.

Start sourcing smarter

As a recruiter, you have to keep up with the changing tides and understand what it takes to create a successful candidate sourcing strategy.

The first step is identifying your target group. Once you know who you’re looking for, it will make it that much easier to decide which channel you’ll use to find them.

Optimize your channels

Once you’ve defined your target audience, you can conduct keyword research to better understand the job titles being used in your target group. This will ensure that you are reaching the highest number of potential applicants.

Traditional channels

LinkedIn is the world’s largest professional network, making it a prime spot for candidate sourcing, but it’s not the only one.

If you aren’t restricted to recruiting in a specific country, it would be worth your time to look into professional networks from other countries, like Maimai in China or Xing in Germany.

Employer review websites like Glassdoor can also be a suitable place to source candidates. It’s important that when setting up your profile on any of these sites that you make it attractive, which will make it easier to build up your network.

Social Networks

Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Reddit are all prime spots to market your job postings, but these channels do require a level of profile building and community engagement before seeing a return on your investment.

It isn’t as simple as putting up your digital ‘help wanted’ sign and targeting it towards the right demographic.

There is a lot of initial legwork when starting to use these channels, from creating noteworthy content to engaging in forums and communities.

But once you have, the candidates you’ll find will be worth every minute you invested in establishing your online presence, and soon you’ll have streamlined your process.

Internal Sourcing

Candidate pipeline

Your candidate pipeline is going to be one of your greatest assets. This is where you maintain relationships with potential candidates, “keeping them warm” for when a new role opens up.

Try to focus on a mix of those actively looking for new jobs and those passively considering a change. Passive candidates offer a larger pool of prospects to source through as they make up about 75% of the current workforce.

Employee referral

Employee referral programs are another sourcing method that is often underutilized due to a lack of employee engagement.

There is a stigma when it comes to employees referring someone to their employers. What if the referral underperforms or just isn’t the right fit? Could it reflect badly on them, or worse, put their own job at risk?

Every employee will have a different motivation for participating in a referral program. For some, it could be cash bonuses or additional time off. Others might want an altruistic bonus such as a donation to their favorite charity or simply recognition for helping the company grow.

The best way to find out is to ask them!

Create attractive job posts

What you put in your job posting is just as important as where you post it. The quality and quantity of interested applicants will be determined by the copy you use and the way you format your job description.

Gendered pronouns

Be careful when using pronouns in your job descriptions. Try using a second-person perspective with “you” pronouns. It’s more engaging to your reader, as it allows them to picture themselves in the role.

Superlatives

Besides being overused to the point they lose their meaning, superlatives can also alienate candidates, especially women and those who identify as neurodiverse.

It’s a given that you’re looking for skilled, experienced employees. Too many words like “expert,” “go-getter,” and “industry-leading” will make your copy feel bloated and out of touch.

Degree requirements

A 4-year degree is no longer an indicator of intelligence, ability to learn, or book smarts as some might have you believe.

Try ‘degree preferred’ as an education requirement and you’ll find candidates with slightly more unconventional training are perfect for what you need.

Sloppy description

Nothing will have a candidate skipping over your post faster than a messy job description. Utilize: bullet points, headlines, and make the important key points stand out!

Your readers need to be able to quickly skim through your post – getting the gist of your company culture, the responsibilities of the role, the requirements you’re searching for, and the benefits of joining the team.

What’s in your AI Toolbox?

If you’re looking for a faster, more efficient way to find quality candidates, Arya Quantum is your solution.

With Arya Quantum, you can find the best-fit candidates for your specific jobs in minutes. Our deduplicated, stack-ranked list of candidates is sourced from your ATS, job board accounts, and our own proprietary pool of 700 million+ active and passive candidates across the globe.

Don’t spend another minute jumping across systems and platforms; see how Arya Quantum can help you source top talent today.