ACTIVE SOURCING – WHO AM I REALLY LOOKING FOR?

The way a candidate is approached is a decisive factor for the success of active sourcing. However, the foundation for a good cover letter is already laid beforehand, during the clarification of the assignment.

From recruiting, we are familiar with personnel requirement sheets that ask about tasks, prerequisites, salary range and the benefits of the position. In most cases, the requirements already differentiate between must-haves and nice-to-haves. This is often the crux of the matter, because important points are already lost when the information is recorded.

(Team) discussions for new perspectives

To gain a candidate’s perspective, it can help to talk to team members or even new employees. They can help to discover (digital) places where our potential candidates spend their time. They give us a feel for the target group and can help us understand what drives them. In addition, talking to the team helps us to make a better assessment of whether a candidate will also fit into the team personally. In a discussion with the department head, we can then put the cart before the horse; what are mandatory knowledge and skills? What can’t be dispensed with under any circumstances? And in the best case, both professionally and personally.

This information not only helps in the next step in the search for candidates. It also clarifies the content and tone of the cover letter and has a lasting impact on the candidate experience. In addition, the long-term success of active sourcing is supported. On the one hand, it is very difficult to correspond to an ideal image, which makes it advisable not to set a (possibly) unattainable anchor. On the other hand, filling a position through active sourcing can only work sustainably if attention is paid to the personal fit already during the search and the first contacts. After all, gut feeling and sympathy are still very important decision-making factors in recruiting.