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What Is Sourcing And How Is It Different Than Recruiting?

By Conor McMahon - Jan. 3, 2023
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Summary. Sourcing is the proactive search for qualified candidates. Recruiting meanwhile is the reactive filtering and management of job applicants.

The success of any business or organization, regardless of how big or small, depends on a well-crafted marketing strategy and a robust hiring process.

Employers have to pay special attention to the people they hire and for the most part these days the hiring process involves both sourcing and recruiting.

It’s not uncommon for organizations to identify these two distinctly different processes (sourcing and recruiting) as the same thing. Sourcing and recruiting aren’t simply two words that refer to the same process; understanding (and accepting!) their differences will help organizations find the best match for a certain position.

Key Takeaways:

  • Sourcing is accomplished by researching online profiles and portfolios of people who have exceptional qualifications for job positions.

  • Recruiters coordinate the communication between applicants and hiring managers.

  • Sourcing markets job opportunities to potential candidates with attractive pitches.

  • Sourcing must make a convincing argument to win over candidates.

What Is Sourcing And How Is It Different Than Recruiting?

What Is Sourcing?

Sourcing is the practice of locating and selecting individuals or businesses according to specific criteria. Sourcing is a subset of recruitment or the process that involves searching proactively for the most talented individuals for some job position.

Unfortunately many people confuse sourcing with recruiting and think they are the same thing.

This is not true and it is very important to clarify the differences if you want to develop a successful hiring strategy for your business.

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The Differences Between Sourcing And Recruiting

Sourcing can be described as the proactive search for qualified candidates, while recruiting is the process of finding and hiring the best-qualified candidate for a job opening in a timely and cost-effective fashion.

How did sourcing and recruiting become a symbol for the same process?

Numerous theories could explain this phenomenon but the main culprit is the increasingly global nature of talent acquisition where for many, the roles of the recruiter and sourcer have become synonymous.

Social media also plays a role in diminishing the line between sourcing and recruiting primarily because two processes overlap and morph into a single action.

Sourcing is not the same as recruiting. Sourcing seeks out candidates before they apply. Recruiting is the reactive filtering of resumes and CVs that a company receives either directly or as a result of posting an advertisement on an online job board. Therefore, sourcing and recruiting are two distinctive parts of the hiring process.

What Does A Sourcer Do?

A sourcer is a hunter for passive candidates, the ones who don’t apply for a position through a corporate website or a job board.

A person who performs sourcing creates interest and drives talent to the company. Sourcing involves a great deal of research, going through search engines, browsing social media profiles, and checking the competition, among other things. A sourcer also engages potential candidates and communicates with them. The search for suitable candidates requires repeating this same process all over again.

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What Does A Recruiter Do?

The role of a recruiter is to manage relationships, guide both the hiring manager and the candidates through the entire hiring process. This is a demanding role that involves making a multitude of calls, interviews, going to meetings and all these things require great organizational skills.

The recruiter also coordinates schedules, extends offers, and ensures the successful completion of the hiring process where ultimately the best candidate lands the job.

Since technology allows us to perform a great portion of these processes online, the line between sourcing and recruiting becomes less visible, but is still significant. Failing to treat sourcing and recruiting as two different functions makes the entire hiring process a lot more difficult.

Tips To Improve Sourcing

Sourcing is a fundamental part of recruiting. If you do it right, it makes it easier to recruit. Yes, the internet makes everything easier but you still need to employ certain sourcing strategies to find suitable candidates. Here are some examples:

  • Define the job, not the candidate.

  • Start with a strong, attractive pitch.

  • Keep your messages short, but informative.

  • Don’t focus on the monetary difference between a potential candidate’s current job and the new opportunity. Emphasize why the new opportunity is the best move for a candidate’s career.

  • Socialize, network, connect with potential candidates on- and offline.

  • Remember to understand the values of your passive candidate, and connect them to the opportunity you offer.

  • Stay organized and on top of your passive candidates.

  • Work with the hiring manager to construct an ideal candidate. Create key phrases that will help you in your search.

  • Stay flexible and be aware of opportunities in every situation.

Understand that sourcing is not an easy task. It requires patience and persistence. However, with enough determination and organization, you can find yourself discovering candidates in all sorts of places.

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Sourcing FAQ

  1. What is the impact of sourcing on the hiring process?

    Sourcing can have a positive and meaningful impact on the hiring process. This is because sourcing allows you to get ahead of the game and seek out candidates who otherwise would not be interested in applying. Due to this, the process requires more effort and energy on the one who sources for applicants.

  2. What is the difference between a passive candidate and an active candidate?

    An active candidate applies to open positions, while a passive candidate is not currently looking to change jobs. However, passive candidates can become active candidates if they are convinced that the new job is better for them.

    It is up to the one sourcing the candidate to convince them. This can be accomplished through appealing to the passive candidate’s values, their salary needs, or their career goals.

  3. What skills do sourcers need?

    Sourcers need to be exceptionally skilled in communication, research, coordination, and project management. A sourcer needs these skills because a lot of their time is spent looking for passive candidates and convincing to change jobs. This means sourcers are good at understanding the needs of others and guiding them to potential job opportunities.

Final Thoughts

Sourcing and recruiting are two different parts of a hiring process.

In fact, sourcing is a subset of recruiting, it is a process of hunting or looking for potential candidates. When finding the talent is over, the recruiting can begin. Even though sourcing and recruiting overlap, learning their differences makes it easier for organizations to find candidates who will help them reach their goals.

References

  1. Office Of Personnel Management – Services for Agencies

Author

Conor McMahon

Conor McMahon is a writer for Zippia, with previous experience in the nonprofit, customer service, and technical support industries. He has a degree in Music Industry from Northeastern University and in his free time he plays guitar with his friends. Conor enjoys creative writing between his work doing professional content creation and technical documentation.

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