A business is only as good as its people. This is why securing the right talent is one of the most critical factors for success. A company's growth doesn’t only depend on product quality. Its workforce’s quality also matters. Yet four out of five companies report difficulty finding the skilled talent they require. As competition for top talent grows fiercer, the role of a talent sourcer becomes more and more vital.
A skilled talent sourcer ensures that businesses are not just filling vacancies. They’re also trying to attract the very best people for their specific needs. But sourcing talent is far from a straightforward process.
Finding suitable candidates requires more than just a job posting on platforms like LinkedIn. It requires someone with the expertise and tools to proactively hunt down qualified individuals. To streamline the hiring process and secure the best talent, businesses are increasingly turning to remote staffing solutions like Wing Assistant.
In this guide, we’ll look at the role of a talent sourcer. We’ll look at the benefits of hiring one, and the best places to find the ideal professional for your business.
What Does a Talent Sourcer Do?
A talent sourcer's job is to identify and engage with potential candidates. They do this before these candidates are aware that the position exists, or that they are a good fit. The talent sourcer operates at the initial stage of the hiring funnel. They handle the research and outreach portion of recruitment, leaving the more involved candidate interviews and selections to recruiters.
This division of labor makes the recruitment process more efficient. Instead of recruiters spending time searching for candidates, a talent sourcer combs through various channels to uncover top talent. They might use LinkedIn, industry-specific networks, or even non-traditional platforms such as niche forums or portfolio sites. Their role often involves reaching out to passive candidates. This makes a proactive, outreach-heavy approach crucial.
One of the major differences between someone in talent sourcing and a recruiter is the proactivity. A recruiter spends a lot of their time reacting to incoming applications. Meanwhile a talent sourcer goes on the offensive. The latter finds potential candidates and persuading them to consider the role.
This allows businesses to access a larger and often more qualified talent pool, setting the stage for successful hiring outcomes. Sourcing talent is especially useful for businesses that operate in niche industries or those looking for highly specialized skills. A talent sourcer will make sure that you're not just filling positions, but also hiring the best possible people for your roles.
Benefits of Hiring a Talent Sourcer
There are many advantages to incorporating a dedicated talent sourcer into your hiring strategy. One of the most immediate benefits is how much it streamlines the recruitment process. By having someone exclusively focused on identifying potential candidates, recruiters can spend their time more productively. Instead of manually searching for talent, they can concentrate on interviewing and vetting candidates.
A talent sourcer can open the door to a much broader talent pool. Many of the best candidates aren’t actively searching for new jobs. Meaning, they won’t be applying to your postings on job boards. Instead, you need to find them, and a talent sourcer excels at doing just that. They know how to engage these passive candidates, many of which might be perfect for the role but not visible through conventional job search channels.
Time-to-hire can also be greatly reduced with the support of a talent sourcer. A sourcer will proactively build and maintain a pool of pre-qualified candidates. So, when a position opens up, there’s already a list of potential hires ready for recruiters to assess. This drastically shortens the time it takes to fill roles. This speed is critical in industries where vacancies can cost companies in terms of productivity and lost revenue.
Further cost savings are also possible if you outsource this role to a remote professional, particularly through a service like Wing Assistant. Businesses can avoid the overhead costs of hiring additional in-house staff. Plus, with the flexibility of remote hiring, you only pay for the service when you need it. Meaning, you can scale up or down according to your company’s needs without committing to a long-term salary.
Best Places to Find a Talent Sourcer
So, where should you go to find a reputable and qualified talent sourcer? There are multiple platforms available, each offering different benefits based on your unique needs. Here are some great places to start:
Job Boards
The most traditional method to find a talent sourcer is through regular job boards like LinkedIn, Indeed, Glassdoor and Monster.com. These platforms allow companies to post detailed job descriptions. You can include things like candidate requirements and review applications from professionals actively seeking new roles.
LinkedIn, which combines social networking and job boards, provides a strong platform for talent sourcing. You can use it to post jobs while vetting candidates based on how they present themselves on the platform.
It’s important to note that this is the most resource-intensive method for finding talent sourcers. It’s because you will have to interview and onboard new hires yourself. This process can be especially time consuming as job boards often attract a high volume of applicants, many of whim might not actually be properly qualified for the job.
Freelancer Platforms
Freelancer platforms like Upwork or Fiverr are another place that you can find talent sourcers who work on a freelance basis. These platforms allow businesses to find professionals for short-term or project-based work, which can be ideal if you’re not ready to commit to a full-time hire.
Freelancers on these platforms often have specialized skills, including talent sourcing in specific niches, and can be hired at competitive rates since you can access offshore talent. Again, you will have to vet these freelancers yourself, and the platforms do collect fees, but you can also access previous client feedback and ratings of talent to help you narrow down your search.
Remote Staffing Agencies
For a more tailored, secure, and scalable solution, remote staffing agencies like Wing Assistant offer a specialized service to help businesses find dedicated talent sourcers. Wing Assistant is particularly advantageous for companies looking for flexible, high-quality staffing solutions.
With access to trained and experienced talent sourcers who work remotely you benefit from global expertise without the high costs of hiring in-house staff. Wing Assistant offers not just flexibility but also the peace of mind that comes from knowing your talent sourcer is fully equipped to support your recruitment needs.
Key Skills to Look for in a Talent Sourcer
When evaluating talent sourcers, there are a few key skills that will help you determine their effectiveness as part of your recruitment processes. Here are some of the critical skills to prioritize:
Strong Research Abilities
A strong talent sourcer should possess exceptional research abilities. The heart of the role is finding potential candidates who aren't always easy to spot. This requires familiarity with a variety of platforms, including social media, job boards, and niche communities, where top talent may be hiding. Sourcers need to know how to navigate these platforms and apply creative strategies to unearth hidden and passive talent.
Networking and Communication Skills
Another crucial skill is communication and networking. A talent sourcer's job doesn’t stop when they find candidates; they must also engage them. This requires excellent interpersonal skills, as sourcers may often need to persuade passive candidates to consider roles they weren’t initially seeking. They should be able to represent your company in a compelling way, showcasing not just the role but the overall benefits of working for your organization and an understanding of your company culture.
Tech Savviness
A talent sourcer also needs to know their way around tech platforms. Modern recruitment involves a suite of digital tools, from Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) to data analysis software that helps sourcers track and assess potential candidates. Being comfortable with these technologies is essential for efficiently managing candidate pipelines and optimizing the sourcing process.
Attention to Detail
Finally, attention to detail is key. Skilled talent sourcers know that a deep understanding of the role leads to better candidate matches. They recognize that each position has unique demands, and they strive to find individuals who truly fit those needs. This ensures that the candidates passed on to the recruiter are only those who are genuinely suited to the position, saving time and avoiding potential mismatches later in the process.
At Wing, talent sourcers are vetted to ensure they possess all of these critical skills. The platform provides businesses with sourcers who are not only highly trained but also equipped to adapt to the specific needs of their clients to ensure the recruitment process is smooth from start to finish.
How Hiring a Remote Talent Sourcer Saves Time and Money
The benefits of hiring a remote talent sourcer go beyond flexibility and efficiency; there are significant cost savings as well. By choosing a remote sourcer as opposed to in-house, companies can avoid the costs associated with full-time staff. This includes expenses related to office space, equipment, and benefits.
Instead, you only have to pay for the service as and when you need it, making it a great solution for companies whose hiring needs are constantly fluctuating (which is most!). If you have a hiring surge, a remote talent sourcer can handle the extra workload. During slower periods, you can reduce your reliance on their services without the complications of managing full-time staff.
Additionally, building a remote team provides access to a global talent pool. With no geographical limitations, you can find top talent from different regions and time zones, ensuring that your talent sourcer is always available to meet your needs. This global reach not only broadens your options but also means you can find professionals with highly specialized expertise. There are many remote talent sourcers who are highly qualified, cost-effective, and available to meet the unique needs of businesses of all sizes.
Why Wing Assistant is the Best Choice for Hiring a Talent Sourcer
Wing Assistant stands out as the top choice for businesses seeking to hire a remote talent sourcer. The focus on remote staffing allows businesses to access expert talent sourcers without the logistical challenges of hiring in-house.
With years of expertise in remote staffing, Wing understands the unique challenges of working with remote employees. Our sourcers are trained to be self-sufficient, proactive, and adaptable to the needs of your business, which means they can integrate smoothly with your team.
Wing Assistant also provides dedicated account managers who will make sure that each client is matched with the right talent sourcer. This personalized approach means that you’re not just getting a generic staffing solution but a professional sourcer who understands your specific needs and goals. It also means you don’t have to spend hours digging through resumes and doing interviews.
Whether you’re a small business or a large enterprise, Wing Assistant can tailor their services to suit your requirements, no matter how much those change. With competitive pricing and the ability to adjust the level of service as needed, we provide an unbeatable value proposition for companies looking to enhance their talent acquisition strategy. Explore Wing’s services for hiring talent sources to find out more.
Final Thoughts on Hiring the Right Talent Sourcer
Hiring a talent sourcer is one of the smartest investments a company can make in order to make aligned, successful hires in a job market that is getting an increasingly more competitive job. From accessing a broader talent pool to reducing time-to-hire and optimizing resources, a dedicated talent sourcer plays a critical role in ensuring your company stays ahead.
By outsourcing this role through a trusted platform like Wing Assistant, businesses can streamline their recruitment process, save time and money, and secure top-tier talent with ease. If you’re ready to optimize your hiring process and bring on a skilled talent sourcer, get started with Wing Assistant today.
Kandice is a content writer & strategist with over 5 years of experience in digital marketing. She specializes in SEO-optimized content for the SaaS and tech industry. She’s a digital nomad, currently based in Mexico, and is passionate about helping other business owners and freelancers increase their productivity when working remotely. When she’s not behind her computer you’ll find her at the beach snorkeling, playing volleyball, doing yoga, or cooking up a delicious vegan meal.
