How to choose the right tech platform for your Direct Sourcing strategy
Choosing a Direct Sourcing tech platform should be like buying a car. Chances are, you wouldn’t jump into anything with a steering wheel and hope for the best.
After all, no one wants to end up on a four lane highway with a car that won’t start.
Direct Sourcing isn’t that different. Choosing the right tech platform is one of the most important factors in a successful talent acquisition strategy. Before opting in, it’s vital to ask thorough questions, compare options, and fully understand your needs.
We dive into what you should look for in your tech platform provider – from security and privacy considerations to industry experience and key features.
How experienced are you? Gauging industry knowledge
A Direct Sourcing platform is only as powerful as its founders. Before choosing a provider, it’s important to research each company to ensure they understand the talent acquisition industry and have experience with curation in your specific market.
Questions to ask include:
- How long has the platform been on the market? Newer offerings may not have the background needed to meet your expectations.
- What are your client success stories? Case studies are a great way to understand what the provider has accomplished so far.
- What is your implementation process like? An experienced team will create a seamless implementation experience that includes:
- Healthy communication between stakeholders
- Solid training programs with live demos
- Full visibility of the process, from integration to post-implementation
- Automated information transfers between platforms, which creates better workflows company-wide
- Do you support integrations? Who are your partners? A platform is only one part of the Direct Sourcing ecosystem. A provider who works with industry-leading partners is better suited to handle complex talent acquisition needs. The platform should also easily integrate with your existing Vendor Management System (VMS) and Managed Service Provider (MSP).
What can it do? Understanding the strengths of each tech platform
Before deciding on a tech platform, it’s important to understand your company’s goals. Are you looking to save on costs, automate manual tasks, increase Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) hires, or all of the above? Your solution should meet all your business needs while also being intuitive to use and easy to train your team on.
Some features to look for include:
AI-powered tools
According to a recent LinkedIn report, AI is a growing priority for talent professionals, with 27% of those surveyed saying they’re already using generative AI, and 60% saying they’re optimistic about its usage in talent acquisition.
AI-powered tools help future-proof your company, ensuring you’re able to manage changing needs as your market evolves. Your platform should allow your team to focus less on time-consuming tasks and more on engaging with top talent and supporting your long-term hiring goals. TalentNet, for example, includes a variety of tools based on cutting edge generative AI, such as:
- Candidate-matching capabilities that pair candidates with open positions and allows for a 60-second application process.
- Our Job Description Optimization feature, which lets Curators write engaging job descriptions in minutes.
- TalentNavigator, a feature that automates key actions like searching for candidate or job data, managing talent pools, and applying candidates to a job.
DEI support
Building diverse teams is a growing concern for hiring managers. Your Direct Sourcing tech platform should support your team’s diversity goals. Some platforms include AI-powered tools that take bias out of the recruitment process while others include anonymous surveys for candidates joining talent communities. TalentNet, for example, has both capabilities, empowering companies to better support DEI initiatives.
Branding best practices
Direct Sourcing empowers companies to use their natural brand power to find top talent that’s already loyal to their organization, leading to increased retention rates. Your tech platform should offer white-labeling, including branded emails and career pages. Bonus points if you’re able to fully integrate third-party curators into your team by giving them access to branded emails, texts, and social media. TalentNet, for example, provides branded communication templates, enabling Curators to quickly send engaging texts and emails to top talent.
Easy-to-use analytics tools
Your platform should let you quickly track important KPIs like time to fill, cost to hire, and talent community growth rates. Some platforms allow clients to download key analytics and access these KPIs when needed. Our TalentInsights tool, for example, lets hiring professionals download Excel data sheets with important candidate metrics whenever needed.
What’s your privacy policy? Ensuring data security at all times
Data security is one of the most important considerations when looking for a Direct Sourcing tech platform. You need to be confident all sensitive information, including each candidate’s personal data, will be secure at all times. Ensure the platforms you’re considering have the proper certifications and meet your region’s privacy laws. TalentNet, for example, holds the industry’s highest levels of privacy compliance, including SOC 2 Type II compliance and ISO 27001 and 27017 certifications.
Seamless and intuitive: Choosing the right platform
Your Direct Sourcing tech platform is the heart of any successful talent acquisition strategy. Without an easy-to-use interface, smooth implementations, and a robust data security policy, building engaged talent communities becomes overly complicated.
To see how TalentNet’s platform can support your Direct Sourcing strategy, book a demo here.