What is active sourcing? [Sponsored Content]

When a company advertises a position externally, there are two approaches to recruitment: active and passive. Advertising a position and then waiting for applications is the passive, but traditional, approach. Actively searching for suitable personnel is another approach. At first glance, it sounds like the work of a recruitment agency, but under the term "active sourcing," it offers the opportunity to acquire an attractive pool of candidates—entirely without the help of external service providers. This involves the proactive research, outreach, and recruitment of talent. The choice of channels for active sourcing lies with the company itself.
By Alok Mondal
4 min read
Was-ist-Active-Sourcing-Sponsored-Content SPEDIFORT

When a company advertises a position externally, there are two main approaches to recruitment: active and passive. Posting a job ad and then waiting for applications is the passive, but traditional, approach. Actively searching for suitable candidates might initially sound like the work of a recruitment agency, but under the term "active sourcing," it offers the opportunity to build an attractive pool of applicants—entirely without the help of external service providers. With active sourcing, the proactive research, outreach, and recruitment of talent through one or more channels is handled by the company itself.

Active sourcing finds passive talent.

Whether online or offline, companies can draw on numerous (mostly) free options to find the right talent. Networks like Xing or LinkedIn are ideal career platforms for this, but Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter can also be used for active sourcing.

The advantage is that this approach also reaches talented individuals who would never have actively applied for a traditional job posting . In the so-called "war for talent," a higher salary, suitable benefits, or a potential career advancement can transform a targeted and direct employee into a potential candidate for the open position. And this can happen even if they had no intention of leaving their current job.

Career fairs, specialist conferences, or even company presentations at universities are also suitable for actively approaching talent. Here, companies are not only in the direct vicinity of their desired target group, but also have the opportunity to establish personal contact.

Job matching is another tool used in active sourcing. Similar to dating platforms, an algorithm matches talent and employers in seconds, allowing them to connect directly. Companies that post their vacancies on a matching portal with up-to-date and detailed information receive a direct match with the perfect candidate from a large pool of potential talent. Industry-specific matching portals tailor their skills and preferences to the specific industry, making the matching process even more precise and successful. The need to review, filter, and eliminate unsuitable candidates is eliminated – saving both time and money.

One form of active sourcing is the search for suitable talent on job matching portals, exemplified here by the logistics job portal BirdieMatch .

Not every industry is suitable for social media recruiting.

While talented individuals present themselves as employees on Xing and LinkedIn, platforms like Facebook or Instagram are more often used for private purposes. Outside of the media & marketing or IT sectors, recruiting via social media can even appear unprofessional.

Nevertheless, companies in any industry can project a positive image through their representation on social media - even a striking employer branding campaign convinces applicants in the active sourcing process, as candidates obtain information about companies from social media.

What are the advantages of active sourcing?

One of the biggest advantages of active sourcing is the variety of possible recruiting locations. Whether offline or online, via career portals, databases or social networks: those who don't want to wait for suitable talent can actively approach them in a variety of ways.

When companies actively search for suitable talent themselves, the need for recruitment consultants is eliminated, along with a significant cost factor in HR. Active sourcing saves up to two-thirds of the costs typically associated with the traditional recruitment process.

Are there any disadvantages?

Sometimes the timing isn't right – but if a contacted candidate isn't currently interested in a job change, that doesn't have to be a loss. Active sourcing, in particular, focuses on sustainability. A dedicated talent pool that the company can access at any time not only saves money in the long run, but also time, and fosters long-term candidate relationships.

The “Active” in “Active Sourcing” should not be underestimated.

Those who engage in active sourcing should be aware that it involves time and effort. Actively searching for new employees requires a certain amount of personal effort. Some examples:

  • Keep your company's presence on social media and job portals up-to-date and attractive at all times. This also applies to any existing recruiter profiles.
  • Be reachable and always designate a representative in case you are going to be away for an extended period of time.
  • Beforehand, thoroughly research whether the observed talents truly match your requirements. If not, it's best to note down data, skills, and other details "only" for your candidate pool for the time being.
  • Adapt your approach to the candidate to the channel and target audience. For example, a Facebook approach is generally more personal and informal than one on LinkedIn.
  • Personalize your approach and make it clear that you've researched the candidate. Avoid standardized cover letters and copy-pasted templates at all costs. If your active sourcing comes across as a generic, run-of-the-mill approach, it will backfire – nobody wants to be just another face in the crowd.