Let’s talk. A guide to optimizing your Direct Sourcing communication strategy

Building a Talent Community isn’t enough. It doesn’t matter how large it is, how well you’re leveraging your company’s brand, or how quickly you were able to create it.

If you’re not properly communicating with your candidates, the community won’t thrive.

Candidate communication is an essential part of any Direct Sourcing strategy.

According to Aptitude Research’s 2024 findings, 65% of candidates felt their communication experience was inconsistent, while 82% admitted to losing trust in the hiring process entirely.

Those are concerning statistics.  

Without an engaging communication strategy, it’s difficult to build positive candidate experiences that connect with top talent.

We look at how effective engagement can boost talent retention and create stronger hiring experiences. 

How do I connect with top talent?

Today’s candidates are looking for more than just generic emails and inconsistent touchpoints. They want authentic interactions that make them feel engaged with the talent acquisition process. 

When reaching out to your talent community, it’s important to:

• Be consistent during the application process. Let candidates know where they stand, even if they weren’t successful. Not only does this increase the chance of re-application for future openings, it encourages talent to recommend others to apply. 
• Remember that quality always trumps quantity. The quality of the communication is always more important than how often you’re reaching out. You don’t want your community to feel overwhelmed with generic emails, but you do want to create engaged conversations. 
• Tone matters. Candidates can tell when you’re being inauthentic. When communicating, it’s vital to be clear, concise, and transparent. 
• Personalize your messages. No one wants to get an email that starts with “Hi Candidate”. Always address applicants by their name and create customized emails and texts that help them connect to your company.

Know your audience: Connecting with a variety of talent

When creating a communication strategy, it’s important to understand your audience and customize each approach based on their needs.

Each Talent Community can include:

• New members. Ensure you’re welcoming them quickly, sharing key resources to help them on their hiring journey, and highlighting ways to engage with their community early on. 
• Past hires. Re-engagement is a successful Direct Sourcing strategy that focuses on keeping former workers involved in your community. When communicating with past hires, it’s important to keep them up to date on new opportunities or company news through thoughtful, personalized messages. 
• Passive talent. These are members that may not be searching for a job now, but would be open to the right opportunity. They respond well to thought leadership and industry insights.

Which tools can I use to streamline the communication process?

Your Direct Sourcing platform should simplify how you connect with candidates.

Tools to look for include:

Newsletter features

Monthly newsletters are a great way to share recent news, discuss open positions, and connect with talent. The downside? They can take considerable time and effort to create.

Look for platforms that make it easy to design and send monthly communications.

TalentNet’s solution, for example, includes a Newsletter Feature, where curators can quickly design, manage and release Newsletters to their Talent Communities. 

Personalized Emails and Texts

This is often the best way to reach individual candidates, though it’s important to create an effective balance when reaching out. Too many emails or texts can get frustrating, while not enough communication can make applicants feel more like a number than a person. When looking for a Direct Sourcing partner, ensure their platform includes text and email options that allow for quick communications without too much manual effort. 

TalenNet’s platform has an SMS and Email feature that lets curators efficiently reach out to candidates. It also includes the ability to create personalized templates that save time while ensuring each candidate receives a relevant, tailored message.

Application Trackers

Your platform should allow for a transparent hiring experience. TalentNet’s solution, for example, includes an application tracker for community members, where candidates can see exactly what stage of the process they’re on, from application review to the interview process and beyond.

Loud and clear – Creating a solid communication strategy

Strong communication can be the difference between a functioning talent pipeline and a company scrambling to fill open positions on time.

Candidates are looking for clear, consistent, personalized communication along with a transparent application process. Tools like newsletter features and messaging templates allow curators to better connect with their Talent Communities. 

As the originator of Direct Sourcing, TalentNet’s platform lets users quickly reach out to talent while building authentic, engaged communities.

To book a demo, contact us here.