The truth about Direct Sourcing – Busting common misconceptions
The hiring process has changed dramatically in the last 30 years.
In the 1990s, online job boards revolutionized talent acquisition, allowing companies to advertise open positions to a wide variety of candidates.
Social media platforms became crucial for a successful hiring strategy in the 2000s. Recruiters were able to connect with top talent where they spent the most time – on LinkedIn and Facebook.
In the 2010s, employer branding became a driving force in talent acquisition.
And slowly, Direct Sourcing began to gain traction as companies embraced contingent hiring and began using curators over recruiters to build thriving talent communities.
As technology grew exponentially, TalentNet’s Direct Sourcing software brought these concepts together, allowing Hiring Managers to source top talent faster and more efficiently.
And yet, if you ask 20 people to define Direct Sourcing, you’ll likely get 20 different definitions, with a myriad of misconceptions thrown in for good measure.
As the originator of Direct Sourcing, we’re taking a deep dive into the most popular Direct Sourcing myths. In part one of our three part series, we’ll look at talent myths and how this innovative talent acquisition strategy supports companies in their search for top talent.
Myth 1:Curation isn’t that important – or that difficult
Some companies used to think that anyone can be a Curator, as curation mainly consists of looking through a list of applicants and choosing a couple to send to the hiring manager.
In reality, successful curation is essential to any Direct Sourcing strategy. Curators don’t just look through a database of applicants, rather, they build and cultivate the Talent Community, creating robust Talent Pools within it, all while sourcing and connecting with top talent. To find the right candidates for each position, Curators need to collaborate with Hiring Managers, understand the skills each company needs, guide candidates through the hiring process, and build out positive experiences that boost brand loyalty.
Myth 2: Any company can quickly build a talent community using former talent
Thriving talent communities don’t just appear, and all communities take time to build. Direct Sourcing allows businesses to build successful Talent Communities through solid engagement strategies and intuitive technology. Attracting current and former hires to sign up for Talent Communities can be difficult without a solid brand, positive candidate experience and easy-to-use interface.
TalentNet, for example, uses its TalentBench platform to support Curators through talent-matching capabilities. By quickly matching candidates to open positions based on their profiles and skills, the TalentNet platform enables Curators to review candidate matches in less than 60 seconds from a job being released.
Myth 3: Direct Sourcing only works for certain industries and is used to fill low-level positions
Direct Sourcing is a pivotal strategy for a wide-range of industries, from health and science to social media, consulting and tech, and global sustainability. Once prevalent in only a few sectors, Direct Sourcing has since gained popularity as enterprises look to create more efficient contingent hiring practices.
The idea that Direct Sourcing is only used to hire lower level positions is a misconception. It’s an effective talent acquisition strategy that helps companies find top talent for a number of different openings, from management to entry-level. TalentNet’s One Doorway philosophy allows Hiring Managers to find full-time, contingent, and freelance talent in one seamless Talent Community.
Myth 4: Your brand isn’t strong enough to leverage
Every brand has a unique voice and value proposition. Direct Sourcing Curators and tech providers are able to represent and expand the reach of each company’s brand for talent acquisition. This allows Hiring Managers to attract and retain top tier candidates who already have a level of loyalty to your organization.
According to recent stats, 72% of recruiters worldwide stated that employer brand significantly impacts hiring, and 59% of recruiting leaders said they’re increasing their investment in employer brand.
Myth 5: Direct Sourcing doesn’t support diverse hiring practices
In reality, the opposite is true.
As companies continue to prioritize inclusive spaces and diverse workplaces, many are turning to Direct Sourcing to filter out hiring bias and connect with diverse candidates. TalentNet’s platform includes an optional anonymous diversity survey for candidates, allowing companies to better understand their Talent Community.
Tools like TalentNavigator, which uses conversational AI, are also key in promoting diversity. Not only does the platform help Curators seamlessly find the best talent in any industry, it eliminates any bias using algorithms that exclude personal information and instead focuses on skills and experience.
Finding top talent through Direct Sourcing
While Direct Sourcing is a fairly new concept, it’s being widely adopted over a number of industries and companies. As companies continue to struggle through a skills shortage, many are turning to this innovative talent acquisition strategy to find the right candidates faster.
As the originators of Direct Sourcing, TalentNet’s intuitive platform allows businesses to efficiently attract applicants and build thriving talent communities. For more information, request a demo here.