ACTIVE SOURCING: THIS IS HOW YOU APPROACH YOUR DREAM CANDIDATES!

In the third part, we addressed the heart of sourcing, the approach to candidates. This should highlight the uniqueness of the candidate and at the same time express commitment on the part of the company. How can this be maintained in the further course and how can we sustainably bind the candidates?

All parts deliberately talk about candidates. These are different from applicants because they have not applied themselves. For this reason alone, the same treatment cannot be purposeful. When active sourcing was introduced in the company, there was often a misconception during the transition phase that actively approached candidates would still behave like applicants, and if they did not, they were deemed not committed enough.  

Therefore, it is important to understand where and how we pick up the candidates.

For most interested candidates, there is some dissatisfaction in the current employment relationship or regarding the general conditions. For some it is pure curiosity, for others a mature desire to leave the company in the near future. This already shows that not every actively approached candidate has the same level of interest.

Candidates who answer out of pure curiosity are more time-consuming. In an interview, it is therefore important to identify where the curiosity comes from and what we can use to convince the candidate. The honest joint dialog about the candidate’s possibilities already binds the candidate. If we succeed in transforming curiosity into genuine interest, we have won a sustainably motivated candidate.  

Candidates who are determined to change employers are time-sensitive. The joint dialog should match the wishes of both parties and be deepened quickly, as it is highly likely that there are other interested parties. When an open exchange succeeds, it lets you know when the candidate is becoming an applicant with genuine interest.

In the first interview, the focus is not on professional suitability. However, it is advisable to prepare two to three questions in consultation with the department, the answers to which will allow an initial assessment to be made.

What happens next?

If the interview is positive and both sides are interested in continuing the process, the notes from the first interview should be discussed with the decision-makers and further steps and interviews with the candidate should be agreed quickly.

So that individuality and commitment are not lost: Keep the awareness until the end – it is and remains a candidate!