transparency and predictability should be priorities for sourcing community
They say candidate sourcing is sexy, the special playground of “smart nerds,” the engine behind a continuous inflow of quality talent, and the part of the recruitment process most appreciated by hiring managers today. Sourcing in recent years has significantly transformed, thanks to innovative methodologies and technologies. The recruiting world has probably never seen such a big turnaround in its internal functions, and you can hardly have a discussion today in which sourcing is not mentioned as one of the top three recruiting topics.
But as is the case with every niche and unique brand on the planet (think fashion or high-end technology), the sourcing discipline must reach out to and influence broader audience as it evolves and expands around the world to finally become accessible by the great majority of buyers. The real proof of the power of sourcing is just now appearing on the horizon. For HR leaders and other stakeholders, they will want to access its powers not through nerds, geeks, or ninjas but through seasoned professionals who think like them and can help massively build their businesses.
The more time we spend polishing the obscure aspects of sourcing, the further we are removed from supporting the goals of these stakeholders.
Sourcing will soon have to undergo a transition from being an exotic practice to becoming mainstream and familiar. It will have to lose its sweet mystery to clarity and transparency. Its complexity must become easy to analyze and understand. Only when this happens will sourcing become a truly integral part of the recruitment process. However, we have to come to this realization: sourcing is just one part of the game. Sourcing should become as important to the talent acquisition process as candidate selection. Businesses need reliable partners with predictable deliverables, and sourcing has to say goodbye to its opaque practices and inconsistent results. It is time to for the sourcing industry to grow up and move beyond its infancy stage.
On September 23 at #sosueu, I will talk about how to build a relatively large sourcing factory – what are the key components of building, measuring, and continuously improving the performance; how to make this factory approach fun; and how to ensure your sourcing processes are extremely efficient and successful across a highly disparate EMEA landscape. By transforming sourcing into a predicable and transparent part of your talent acquisition process, you’ll surely help your organization build the talent pipeline it needs for success. Hope to see you there!
