Sourcing may be addressed as though the individuals who source – Sourcers – exist in a bubble around which Talent Acquisition dealings revolve. As we might expect, this idea is an anomaly. Of course, companies utilize Sourcers and Recruiters in different capacities. Unless one is a full-cycle Recruiter, where sourcing & research occupy the beginning stages of one’s process, Sourcers–aside from pre-screens–spend less time with candidates and stakeholders than do Recruiters. From a sourcing lens, there may be less at stake in terms of furthering the long term relationships with said parties. So how do Sourcers influence crucial hiring decisions while maintaining a distance from the relationship building and maintenance? It is my opinion that developing consistent communication patterns with Recruiters influences successful hiring outcomes.
This is not to say that Sourcers do not engage in relationship building full stop. We may be known as the individuals who identified the candidate, and thus influenced the formation of a new relationship between the candidate and the company. We may have been the ones to message and pre-screen the candidate who went on to accept the company’s offer. We gauged the candidate’s interest and initiated the relationship: “Here’s what stood out to me about your experience, and this is my offer to you.” The offer here is not a job offer; rather, we’re offering an opportunity, usually one that involves a multi-stage interview process. Thus, a process may be trickier to sell.
The Intake: Setting Expectations
Recruiters, like Sourcers, are not static: our needs and ideas change depending on the role and environment. We may have a relationship with the hiring manager, however regardless we should proactively communicate with the Recruiter. Establishing the needs of the hiring manager – such as the role specifics – may be relatively straightforward (and if they’re not, the Sourcer needs to learn about the role and hiring manager from the Recruiter); however, determining the Recruiter’s needs are another consideration.
We determine the Recruiter’s expectations at the onset of the requisition assignment. The Recruiters with whom I’ve worked are not the typical nine-to-fivers; rather, they work earlier or later depending on the need. It’s all about knowing and appreciating your audience: if the Recruiter is tied up with calls during the day it is possible, if not expected, that they will reach out later or earlier, depending upon their style. If this comes up, it shouldn’t be burdensome. Instead, it’s a moment to consider the Recruiter’s workload and personality. For example, if the Recruiter messages the Sourcer after working hours, inquiring about progress, is the expectation that the Sourcer responds immediately? Or can one wait to respond until the following business day? Personally, I like to make myself available to the Recruiter with whom I’m working as soon as they reach out to me; yet sometimes this is not possible due to my own schedule. Again, it may be worthwhile to create a reasonable expectation for each other’s communication habits early in the process.
Another question posed is, will the Recruiter speak with any candidate whom the Sourcer identifies? Or does the Recruiter prefer first to see the candidate’s resume? Will the Sourcer pre-screen the candidate? If so, how can the Sourcer ensure this does not muddle the process (e.g., who will remain as the candidate and hiring manager’s main point of contact?) On the flipside, what are the Sourcer’s expectations for the Recruiter: should the Recruiter be updating the Sourcer on every candidate’s progress? Or is there a system in place where candidate-tracking is rendered obvious; for example, the applicant tracking system access is such that one can monitor each stage of the interview process? A question Sourcers may ask themselves is how does one’s personality gel with the Recruiter? And if it does not, what concessions can be made?
The Hand-Off: Maintaining Expectations
The Sourcer has found the perfect candidate for the role. The next question is, does the Recruiter agree with your work? The Sourcer may conduct a pre-screen to determine, at the very least, compensation expectations, and the candidate’s skills may be spotlighted; yet it is usually the Recruiter who qualifies the candidate for the role. As such, the Sourcer’s communication with candidates should reflect pre-established guidelines agreed upon by the Recruiter.
One way around a constant barrage of messages between the Recruiter and the Sourcer is to have access to each other’s calendars, regardless of whether the Sourcer will be scheduling events on the Recruiter’s. Maybe the Sourcer creates an event (screen) on the Recruiter’s calendar; or perhaps the Recruiter prefers to have complete ownership over the event. Does the Sourcer connect the candidate to the Recruiter first by email? Or, as at some companies, does the candidate need to apply formally to the job posting? In any instance, communication between the Sourcer and the Recruiter is open. A candidate may withdraw from the process, and message only the Sourcer to relay this information. At what point should the Sourcer inform the Recruiter? Well, if the Sourcer notices that the Recruiter has back to back interviews – perhaps this communication can wait. But what if one sees that the Recruiter’s calendar event is a call with the candidate in question – let’s not wait. Such instances may be mitigated by the establishment of clear communication pathways from the start.
The Offer and Acceptance: Realizing Expectations
A candidate reaches the finish line, and the Recruiter, usually, is the one who seals the deal. At this point it may be beneficial for the Sourcer to congratulate the candidate; after all, without the Sourcer’s involvement, this major life change would not have happened. It’s best, however, to relay any emails or messages with the candidate to the Recruiter, who–while the Sourcer has been busy filling pipelines and opening the communication lines with candidates–has been focused on developing the long term relationships with candidates and stakeholders. A debriefing between the Recruiter and Sourcer is ideal, such that any roadblocks or mistakes may be avoided when working together in the future.
I have been fortunate, as I assume many Sourcers have been, to get to know a multitude of Recruiters and, as a result, a myriad of recruitment styles and strategies. If a Recruiter and a Sourcer were to take a PI Behavioral Assessment, it’s quite possible that the results would be dissimilar–if not completely at odds. Our strengths are different; and we can learn from each other in order to improve both our candidates’ experiences, as well as our own.