Understanding Direct Sourcing: What You Need to Know

Top talent drives company revenues and growth trajectories. That explains why businesses are upping their game when it comes to recruitment and employee retention. As the recruitment landscape evolves, organizations are seeking new ways to build talent capacity to augment the use of third party staffing agencies. One strategy that is gaining popularity is direct sourcing,  

the creation, population and management of a talent pool populated with professionals meeting needed skills and capabilities who are available for engagement when needed.  Best in class direct sourcing solutions go beyond stagnant talent pools to the creation of highly interactive talent communities. 

Direct Sourcing Options 

Since businesses have unique needs, direct sourcing methods differ from one organization to another. Even so, the concept remains the same. Direct Sourcing can be conducted using your internal talent acquisition resources – this is referred to as self-sourcing – or can engage the services of a talent consulting firm to create and manage a talent community.  In the self-sourcing recruitment model employers go to the market themselves utilizing internal talent acquisition resources.  Another option is to engage the services of a talent consulting firm that will work closely with your team to plan, design, populate, nurture, and draw from the talent community.  

Benefits of Direct Sourcing 

Here’s how direct sourcing benefits your workforce.  

1. Faster recruitment: By maintaining contact with silver-medalist candidates, freelancers, retirees, and former employees, recruitment is fast and hassle-free. The screening and interview processes can be conducted in less time since you already know the candidate’s capabilities. Filling vacancies faster gives you a head start on your competitors, especially if you’re chasing the same candidates.  
2. Cost savings: Direct sourcing saves you the commissions charged by recruitment agencies. Additionally, direct sourcing lets you engage candidates depending on your budget. When retaining a talent consulting firm to create and administer your direct sourcing solution the rate paid for each selected candidate is generally less than the mark-up charged by a staffing agency. 
3. Building professional relationships: Staffing agencies may not allow you to directly re-engage workers they initially provided when future project needs surface. However, you cultivate stronger relationships when you reach workers directly, continuously communicate with candidates, and engage them from time to time. Moreover, you can rate the candidates according to performance. Contingent workers can even refer you to other professionals when they’re not available for a task. 
4. Flexibility: More professionals are sacrificing the stability of traditional jobs for the flexibility of working with different organizations. By enabling professionals to self-select participation in your talent community you have greater reach to candidates not found through tradition sourcing strategies used by staffing agencies and employment firms.   

It Takes Time 

Building a sourcing strategy requires patience. Do you need help developing a direct sourcing system? Let us know the recruitment areas you’re struggling with.