Here’s a quick tip for you: When typing something into Google try and make sure your brain is engaged at least in first gear. My attention had drifted to such an extreme distance last night that, thinking you are typing in “Sourcing”, but in fact you spell it “Saucing”, can provoke some quite alarming and disturbing results. Who had ever heard of “hot-saucing“? Apparently some puritanical parents in America who thought an appropriate form of child discipline abuse could entail pouring hot pepper sauce onto their children’s tongues.
Mind you, the next time Charlie shouts “Jon!” at me instead of “Daddy”…no not even then *ahem*…
Why am I entreating Google to issue forth its highest-ranked offerings on “sourcing” then? Well I have kindly been invited over to Sydney next week to attend the inaugural Australasian Sourcing Summit and I thought I had better do a little bit of research on the topic. You know, to appear at least vaguely knowledgeable in front of the other delegates I will doubtless be eagerly networking with over the coming days.
But of course we in recruitment are all more than familiar with the basics of sourcing already. Well you really ought to because if you’re a recruiter who doesn’t source people for their clients, well I’m afraid you’re actually a career advisor. For people who don’t change careers.
We’ve all done the basics, in some cases so many times it starts to get boring: Searching your company database, proudly boasted of housing x-thousand qualified candidates at your employee induction day, and subsequent mind-numbing panel RFP presentations. Placing an advert in a newspaper, or more likely an online job board in recent years, and prospecting through the silty response seeking out those nuggets of candidate gold.
But of course this is rarely good enough these days. Higher quality internal recruiters are, rightly so, building their own databases and talent pools, and asking why they should pay agency recruiters a fee for going through the same motions that they could, repeatedly, for a far lower financial outlay. More diligent, innovative, effective and targeted sourcing strategies must be adopted for our recruitment industry to remain relevant. Recruiters must be networking, in person and through social media, developing personal brands, honing expertise and learning to mine data and develop strategies to attract the holy grail that is passive job seekers. The talent shortage has returned with a bang (well actually more like an embarrassed cough and a sideways glance at the relatively high ranks of unemployed who unfortunately don’t quite achieve the required status of “talent”). You will not be able to meet your clients’ demands with a sourcing strategy based solely around attracting active job seekers.
But the best recruiters will adapt, and learn, and eventually flourish. Because in many cases what made the best recruiters successful before, will simply transfer across to this new era. The best recruiters have been the most eager and effective adopters of Linked In. The best recruiters still have higher levels of drive, energy and commercial nous to engineer the best results for their clients. The recruitment industry as a whole is way ahead of any other in utilising the various social media channels. The best agency recruiters will simply become the best proponents of emerging new sourcing methods.
They will have to. And if not? Well then try a Boolean Search on Google for {“nail in the coffin” OR “stake through the heart” AND “recruit*”} to get your answer.
Call it what you like. Sourcing. Researching. Mapping. Headhunting. Talent Attraction. Whatever (no, don’t call it that). What matters is that it is, and will increasingly become, an absolutely integral part of a recruiter’s toolkit, for both internal and external recruiters alike. And I for one am absolutely champing at the bit to learn more about new and innovative techniques being adopted out there in our wider business community.
So come on Speakers. Educate, engage, inspire. Let’s create our own brand of “Hot-Sourcing” and hopefully not the kind that involves a Tabasco Sauce mouthwash.
See you next week!
If you would like to go into a free draw to win entry to next week’s Sourcing Summit (worth $500) then take just 3 minutes of your time to complete the Sourcing Report here. Do it before Monday 8th August too.
Oh and apparently I will be “live blogging” from the event next week too. So I need to get back onto Google to find out what live blogging actually is. Twitter followers can also follow the #SOSU11 trending topic for instant commentary from the event. Enjoy.
Hi Jonathan,
When so much information is available to anyone with access to a Google browser, it’s more important than ever recruiters improve and tighten their own processes. The consumer is looking for information and will give their business to anyone providing quality content. Having said that, it’s also an opportunity for recruiters to do what a website can never do – offer collaboration and professional consultation.
One thing I’d like to see recruiters do a better job of is providing quality postings in their social media activity. I see far too many Twitter accounts and LinkedIn discussion groups that are nothing more than broadcast channels for job postings. I’m not sure that’s providing value for anyone but going a long way to add to the cacophony already present.
Good luck with your presentation next week at #SOSU11. I’ll be looking for your tweets.