Contrary to what some people may think, recruiters are not one-trick ponies. There is a somewhat pervasive narrative that recruiters are simply full-time LinkedIn dwellers, spending their days searching the vast online expanse for certain keywords and job titles. Finding top talent is much more than that.
So let’s talk about how recruiters really find top talent.
First off, do we utilize sites such as LinkedIn and Indeed to find and source candidates? Absolutely. To neglect such a readily available and carefully curated resource would be plainly irresponsible. These sites provide powerful tools that recruiters use to survey the market. But they are just one arrow in the quiver.
Recruiters are, to a certain extent, professional networkers. We learn to forge relationships and establish meaningful connections that will last for years. This practice helps provide us with another powerful source of candidates: referrals.
As we spend time to maintain our professional networks, our contacts are consistently connecting us with qualified professionals in their networks that may be worth adding to our virtual Rolodex.
Networking also leads to another key source of talent, which often yields some of the most promising candidates: passive job searchers. If a professional is satisfied with their current job, they might not take the time to update their profiles, and they’d be even less likely to apply for jobs. However, they might be extremely open to the right role at the right firm if it were to fall into their lap.
The only way to reach this kind of candidate is through a well-maintained professional network.
Recruiters are responsible for finding the best candidates wherever they are – even if they aren’t actively looking themselves.
That’s why we use a myriad of tools to scratch beneath the surface of the plainly visible market. Sometimes the best matches take a little digging to find.
At AP Professionals, we pride ourselves on providing cultural and career fits for qualified candidates at the right firms. Reach out to me today, and let’s start a conversation about how to do it for your business.
Melissa is the Engineering & Operations Division Recruiting Specialist at AP Professionals. She provides support to the team that primarily focuses on direct hire, senior level placement as a recruiting assistant. She began as the Payroll & Recruiting Coordinator in January of 2017 and is a 2016 graduate of Nazareth College.