What is sourcing (in HR)?

In HR, sourcing means identifying, contacting, and hiring qualified candidates for a job, rather than having candidates apply on their own. Since sourcing falls under talent acquisition, general recruiters may handle sourcing as one of their responsibilities, but some organizations use dedicated sourcers who focus only on this task.

The primary goal of sourcing is to attract qualified candidates—especially passive candidates—into the hiring funnel. A recruiter can use a variety of sourcing channels to accomplish this goal, including employee referrals and social networking. More and more, sourcing is becoming a digital activity, with talent acquisition professionals  using recruiting software to identify potential candidates  .

Most organizations do not use sourcing for every job. For example, if a particular position attracts a large number of qualified applicants, there may be no need to source specific candidates. However, if a position is highly specialized, requires rare skills, or will attract a lot of unqualified applicants, an organization may choose to source some or all of its candidates.

What is the difference between sourcing and recruiting?

Sourcing involves finding a candidate who can be targeted and persuaded to apply for a current or future vacancy at the company, while recruiting involves managing relationships with candidates and guiding them through the company's screening process.

What are the types of sourcing in human resources?

There are three types of sourcing:

1. Passive Sourcing:  Reaching out to desirable candidates who are not actively looking for a new job, but who are interested in learning about new opportunities.
2. Active Sourcing:  Targeting and connecting with suitable candidates who are actively seeking employment opportunities.
3. Direct Sourcing:  Identifying a specific candidate for a job opportunity and actively recruiting them without using a third-party agency or platform.

How do I create a sourcing plan?

A sourcing plan (or recruitment sourcing strategy) lists the steps a company or recruiter will take to prepare and track sourcing results.

The following questions are asked and answered in this plan:

1. What qualifications/qualities make a qualified candidate?
2. What sourcing methods have been successful?
3. What resources are available using the sourcing method?
4. What is the end goal (e.g. gaining a quick competitive advantage, reaching a long-term solution, etc.)?

Sourcing is a long-term process, not one that begins with an existing job opening and ends when someone is hired to fill that position. The purpose of a sourcing plan is to establish and maintain a constant flow of valuable candidates who meet an organization's current and future needs, so that when a position opens up, recruiters can target the right talent and win them over before their competitors do.

To create a sourcing plan, follow these steps:

1. Align the sourcing strategy with the company's human resources strategy.
2. Determine which division/department in the company is expected to have consistent growth.
3. Summarize the expected future state and time frame.
4. Identify any potential challenges.
5. Define target talent using personality traits that go beyond required job qualifications.
6. Find out where the target talent is located (city, industry, company, position, etc.).
7. Predict where desired talent will be in two to five years.
8. Find out how your competitors are finding talent and how you can better position yourself to get the best candidates.
9. Decide which methods to use in the sourcing process.
10. Establish checkpoints and measurements before strategy implementation begins.

What are creative sourcing strategies?

The best strategy is a mix of traditional and creative sourcing strategies, because it ensures that the most valuable candidates are found.

Traditional sourcing strategies include:

• Searching for internal candidates based on their strengths and their experience history in the company
• Implement an employee referral program that rewards the successful placement of a referred candidate
• Using a recruiter network that already has a large talent pool of available candidates
•  Searching and recruiting candidates on social media platforms like LinkedIn and Facebook 

Creative sourcing strategies include:

• Reach out to someone who recently got a job elsewhere, as they may still be open to other opportunities. This is especially true if you can offer them something better or if their new job isn't meeting their expectations.
• Use specific social media platforms like Pinterest, Medium, or GitHub to find more creative or niche candidates.
• Choose from among your current and past candidates who have great potential but may have been overlooked or selected for another position.
• Network in the real world at both industry and community events.