Do you have a strong presence on social media? Are you a people person and have excellent research abilities and fantastic communication skills? Becoming a sourcing specialist is a great way to start on a new career path using your skillset.
Sourcing specialists scour social networks and professional sites to identify potential candidates for open positions in an organization. These are people who are not actively posting on job posts or company websites but are excellent candidates for a position or a company. Sourcing specialists typically send emails and develop effective employee referral systems to seek out and contact possible recruits. To excel at this position, you should have extensive knowledge of sourcing techniques and outstanding verbal and written communication skills.
Sourcing specialists need to be able to multitask as they often work on a number of open positions simultaneously. Excellent research skills are required, as is a solid familiarity with social media and the internet. They also must be resourceful in finding talent as there is no single method of digging up potential candidates who aren’t actively looking for work. Sourcing specialists work with hiring managers to determine needs so they must be good listeners. A good foundation working with Applicant Tracking Systems (ATSs) is extremely helpful in this role.
Sample job description
We are looking for a motivated and capable sourcer to join [Your Company Name]. Your responsibilities as our saucer will include locating the ideal passive candidates for positions at our company, reaching out to these candidates, and providing recommendations to hiring managers and officials. If this sounds like you, please consider applying! You must be capable of using social media and professional networks. You must also be able to confidently determine the validity of a potential candidate and if that candidate will suit our business or not. If you cannot do this, do not apply.
Typical duties and responsibilities
- Follow up on leads to determine and source the best potential job candidates
- Identify and interact with potential passive candidates via social media and professional networks
- Serve as the primary point of contact for incoming candidates
- Post job openings, review resumes, conduct interviews, and negotiate compensation of potential employees
- Maintain consultative relationships with hiring managers
- Make recommendations to hiring managers
- Help develop talent pipelines and related databases
Education and experience
This position requires a bachelor’s degree in human resources management, business administration, organizational development, or a related field.
Required skills and qualifications
- Experience working in full-cycle recruitment
- Strong relationship-building skills
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite
- Analytical and communications skills
- Expertise in adaptability, accountability, and confidentiality
Preferred qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree
- 2+ years of recruiting experience
- Experience in both traditional talent sourcing techniques including basic knowledge with Boolean searching
Typical work environment
A sourcer has the position of reaching out to potential candidates for a job in a company. The sourcer may have to use social media, online searches, or local resources in order to locate the ideal passive candidates for a job. Because of this, some of the tasks a sourcer may have include following leads and determining the ideal candidates for a position, identifying potential passive candidates through social media, professional networks, or other contact points, and making recommendations to hiring officials. Oftentimes, sourcers will work in an office environment and in a full-time position.
Typical hours
The typical hours for a sourcer are from 9 AM to 5 PM, Monday through Friday, in an office setting.
Available certifications
Although a sourcer may not require certifications, having some specific certifications which relate to this position can be useful. Some of these may include but are not limited to:
- Sourcing Certifications. Sourcing Certifications offers online training for sourcing professionals as well as certifications for this position. These training, certifications, and classes can be immensely useful to a sourcer in order to better ensure the quality of their work. The classes cover basic and advanced sourcing techniques in order to locate and collect the best potential candidates for a position.
- TSI Sourcing Certificate. The TSI sourcing certificate is offered by the TSI Corp and aims to ensure that a sourcer is able to spend less time sourcing, maximize viable candidates and ensure the quality of said candidates. This certification can be immensely useful for a sourcer to complete and acquire. The program offers multiple certifications including those on keywords, search engines, people lookups, Google commands, and more. Because of this, a sourcing professional should consider acquiring this certification.
Career path
The career path for a sourcer starts by obtaining a bachelor’s degree in human resources management, business administration, organizational development, or a related field. Also, earning certification as a Professional in Human Resources or a specific certification in talent sourcing can advance a career in human resources.
US, Bureau of Labor Statistics’ job outlook
SOC Code: 13-1071
| 2020 Employment | 674,800 |
| Projected Employment in 2030 | 745,100 |
| Projected 2020-2030 Percentage Shift | 10% increase |
| Projected 2020-2030 Numeric Shift | 70,200 increase |
Position trends
According to SelectHub, the employee experience will become more central in the roles of human resources professionals; they will have to prioritize employee-centric culture and experience to recruit the best candidates. And while some automation and artificial intelligence (AI) may coexist with human resources jobs, they will serve as complementary technologies, helping HR sourcers do their jobs more efficiently.