I began my recruiting career in 1996, the same year a couple of PhD students launched Google. I was a researcher at an executive search firm. It wasn’t until much later that I would use the infamous search engine. When I started using the Internet to find people and information, Netscape was my preferred browser. My primary source of information was the government SEC site. My search engine of choice? AltaVista.
Yahoo — coincidentally the co-host of the upcoming SourceCon — ultimately acquired AltaVista. At the time, Alta Vista was one of the few search engines that supported advanced search techniques.
Then came job boards. They were new, hip, and destined to change the way we recruit. Sound familiar? With job boards came the rise of sourcers, or Internet recruiters.
Telephone sourcers have existed for quite some time. And today, now there are Candidate Generators, Talent Scouts, Sourcing Leads, Sourcing Managers and Directors. Sourcing is a bona fide career. There are certifications and training courses and a conference devoted to the art and science of finding talent. Sourcing has come a long way.
I am honored – privileged – to be the conference chair of SourceCon this coming fall. In 1996, I could never have imagined such a thing. I am excited about the speaker lineup. There are new faces and familiar gurus on the agenda, and the session topics are testimony to the undeniable fact that sourcing is no longer the realm of “junior recruiters.”
Over the coming weeks, I’ll interview the speakers and presenters, so you’ll get a preview of the great minds that are driving sourcing innovation and sourcing effectiveness.
I hope to see you there – send me a shout out if you’re planning to attend.