How to prepare for sourcing candidates online

Sourcing candidates is one of our main responsibilities as a recruitment agency. Surfing the internet for hours looking for fitting professionals might seem easy and monotonous, but it requires great attention to detail, concentration, careful planning and might even be exciting. As it’s still a great mystery for most beginners and even some recruiters, we decided to put together a guide, based on how our senior experts, Móni and Gábor do it. If you’re interested in how we start training a beginner, read on!

1. Understand what your client needs!

Before you get to source, you must understand the position you will be recruiting for. Correctly comprehending what each client is looking for is the most important step of the process. If you’re working with a new client, this may take up several meetings to make sure you know the exact positions, company dynamics and the product as well. Asking the right questions is essential for you to be sure you’re not wasting any time on irrelevant candidates. Informing yourself on the market, required skillset and connected fields will be of great help during your search.

2. Put together an action plan!

Imagining what your tasks are going to be and how exactly you plan to execute them is an effective way to maximise your productivity. Creating a timeline beforehand will help define tasks and keep you to a deadline. Collecting updated information about your market is a great place to start, as it helps you understand which keywords are connected and relevant. Weighing typical response rates of each platform might also help you decide which platforms you want to use for your search, and which one to start on. As you’re more experienced, these practices will require less and less time, but as a beginner, they really help you stop wasting time on unnecessary tasks.

3. Merge keywords with your thoughts!

As we mentioned before, keywords are often connected to one another. When clients share position titles and descriptions with you, reading between the lines is essential to achieve a broader talent pool. At the same time, you should be able to comprehend what is expected from the person you’re looking for, on a daily basis. All the routines, projects they will be working on, the technology they have to use, all the stakeholders they have to work with and the exact responsibilities they carry. Translating these needs into keywords is a sourcer’s main goal. Try to think outside the box, and mirror each component of the job description, even things like culture and attitude.Keywords also come while you’re doing your search, but it’s easier if you start with an extensive keyword pool.

4. There’s always more information!

As a recruiter, you will develop the ability to read between the lines. Profiles on LinkedIn are not only about studies and work experience. It shows interests, drives, opportunities and opinions through content an individual shares, and also with the correct interpretation of provided details. Career paths are visible from the line of positions one has worked in, and the characteristics of the mentioned firms can also serve as guidelines. One who has migrated from corporate culture to the world of startups will most probably have different values than the ones who stayed and are satisfied. Groups or communities on different platforms also signal interests in certain fields that might be possible targets of your search. Knowing things to look for will get you more fitting candidates and more satisfied clients.

5. Don’t be afraid to ask questions!

Mentoring is one of the oldest forms of knowledge transfer, and is probably the best and quickest way to become a great recruiter. An experienced and knowledgeable mentor will answer your questions in a way Google never could. We also operate in a system that allows junior colleagues to have lots of interaction with senior level recruiters, so that they are able to see their way of thinking in action. Guidance comes great when you strive for knowledge in a field that’s new to you, your pace of progress almost entirely depends on your level of motivation and personal interest. You can also find countless courses and learning materials on the internet to kickstart your journey, everything is possible if you put your mind to it.

Recruitment is an exciting and diverse field of work, with lots of opportunities for personal and professional development. With determination, guidance, persistence and a great team you can achieve great success. If you wish to join us, we are currently looking for new team members for multiple positions, check out the details on our Hungarian website!