One size does not fit all

Companies particularly rely on proactive sourcing to meet their staffing needs for vacancies that are hard to fill. But approaching a potential applicant directly does not mean you can simply get straight to the point in social media, business networks, forums, and communities. Bombarding candidates with interchangeable job postings and slick promotional videos is more likely to scare them off, rather than arouse interest. Targeted sourcing activities need a well-thought-out, planned approach. Especially since you are mainly addressing employees who have not yet even considered changing jobs. This calls for individual strategies that turn passive talent leads into potential applicants.

💡Our 10 tips for effective sourcing:

1. Analyse your target group! A detailed applicant profile provides the framework. Find out through which channels and with which keywords you can reach the candidates you are looking for.
2. Arouse the interest of passive candidates! This can be achieved with interesting content on relevant topics according to the 80/20 Pareto principle (max. 20 percent self-promotion and 80 percent useful content).
3. Know people’s expectations! What are the candidate’s individual wishes and needs? For this, you need to read between the lines online and decipher the digital body language in social media profiles!
4. Provide career prospects! You can manage the candidate’s expectations by providing transparent advice and individual career opportunities.
5. Develop a bond! Personal contact with the candidate and a genuine interest in their career plans and wishes is indispensable for this.
6. Make sure you get the timing right! If not now, then when? You should be able to answer this question in order to approach an undecided candidate again if necessary, once the time is right. Sourcing candidates is designed for the long-term.
7. Keep in touch! Put an end to dormant contacts. Use your talent pool to develop relationships. Contact history and functions such as ‘reminders’ or email campaigns can support you in this.
8. Automate processes where it makes sense! For example, simplify the time-consuming search for suitable candidates. The Active Sourcing browser extension from Talentry saves relevant data from online profiles in a standard format in your talent pool with a simple mouse click.
9. Pay attention to GDPR! Combine the initial contact with the candidate with automated consent management to avoid expensive data protection errors.
10. Always act in the spirit of the candidate’s journey! Make use of automation – above all to free up time for personal contact management that shows regard for the individual.
    
    

Find the best ways for an individual approach

A detailed analysis of the target group is crucial for success in sourcing candidates. This is the only way to find out which channels you need to use to communicate. Candidate motivation is also very different – depending on occupation, industry, or professional experience. While some people look primarily for long-term security, others are excited by the prospect of flexibility and diverse career options. In the end, you will only engage the candidate if you succeed in offering individual solutions and career prospects.

Managers expect professionalism

The selection process for managers can be much more difficult than for other employees. They need to be particularly well assessed in terms of their suitability and fit for the organization: on the other hand, they also have high and very specific expectations of the employer. Cultural fit is also important to them. You should offer managers interesting career prospects with far-reaching responsibility and room to maneuver. They also expect absolute professionalism and discretion in recruitment too. Therefore, make sure that the application process is quick and runs smoothly.

IT experts don’t need a long preamble

A clear job ad with relevant content and benefits at a glance – this is how you arouse the interest of an IT professional. Save yourself flowery company profiles and come straight to the point. Make sure that any questions can be answered fully, e.g. by a dedicated IT recruiter.

IT experts are primarily interested in the company’s tech stack. They want the flexibility to run their own projects and opportunities for further training. They attach great importance to a good working atmosphere in the right team. Recommendations or good employer ratings are often the deciding factors for applying.

Financial experts are disciplined team players Professionals in finance, accountancy, and management reporting work with numbers and plans requiring discipline and commitment. Careers in finance usually follow the classic pattern, with salary being the main motivator. But this does not mean that finance experts are quiet, calculated loners. In addition to attractive opportunities for promotion, you can attract talent from this field with a job that is as diverse and varied as possible, flexible working hours – even from a home office – and a pleasant working atmosphere in a friendly team.

Sales force ‘fighters’ value other things

Top salespeople can no longer be enticed into the company with a top salary alone. You should also be able to score points with a good work-life balance. Company cars, innovative technology, and smart IT infrastructure can support full mobile working. In addition, sales staff expect a company philosophy and culture that matches their own values and beliefs. The employer brand should therefore have a strong appeal. Openly showing appreciation for employees within the company, training and development opportunities and greater team spirit among staff are also important to them.