Top 10 Takeaways from Spring SourceCon 2018

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On February 26, 2018, headhuntr.io sponsored Spring SourceCon 2018 in Las Vegas.
​It was three days of being surrounded by fellow sourcing pros and recruiters. All of the presenters did a great job and our team left with more tools and techniques to find the best candidates.
If you missed out on SourceCon this year, here are our top 10 takeaways from the event:
 
1.    There is power in the data
Relevant data allows you to identify the top qualified candidates in a fraction of the time. Using data-science can strengthen and speed up every step of the recruiting and hiring process. Jessica Clark stresses the importance of data and how it can affect the size and quality of your candidate pool.
 
2.    Unfiltered data is useless
Organization and categorization of data is vital. Candidate data will only be useful if it is filtered and processed – it will help you work smarter, not harder. According to Pete Radloff, clean data and the right systems matter more than ever. It’s important to keep up with the times and adapt a data-driven approach; this will ensure that you’re finding the best possible candidates and not being beaten out by competitors.
 
3.    Fill in all the blanks
One of Susanna Frazier’s tips to finding quality candidates is to create a profile of your ideal candidate. Include not only the usual job requirements, but also the desired personality. The more complete your profile is, the easier it will be to identify your top candidates.
 
4.    Don’t rely on one sourcing platform
In Mike Chuidian’s session, he showed that over 60% of professionals use LinkedIn daily to source candidates. LinkedIn is becoming a recruiter’s go-to sourcing platform, but you might be missing out on quality candidate that are not actively using LinkedIn. Utilize multiple sources when sourcing candidates in order to cast the widest net possible.
 
5.    Learn the basics of sourcing
You can’t rely on automated systems alone to provide a complete candidate profile. Dean Da Costa highlighted the importance of knowing Open Source Intelligence Gathering to find missing job history, experience, and contact information.
At headhuntr.io, we use teams of recruiters and data scientists to ensure accuracy and relevancy of the data.
 
6.    Verify all sourced information
Cross reference all information your automated sourcing system gathers.
Jim Schynder and Brian Mork suggests searching for your candidate’s profiles on social media or on job boards. Once you’ve gathered all available intel online, you
​can engage your candidate and verify the information first hand.
 
7.    Adapt to change
Just because you found a process that works, doesn’t mean you should stick with it forever. Katrina Kibben recommends continuously improving your processes. Especially with the fast development of digital technology.
 
8.    Identify the risks you’re willing to take
It’s important for your team to be aligned when it comes to knowing the risks you’re willing to take and investments you’re willing to make in order to source the top candidates. Glen Gutmacher said hiring decisions are made easier when there’s clear criteria on how much a company is willing to invest in a top candidate.
 
9.    Effective communication is a must
Tangie Pettis spoke about the disconnect between hiring managers and recruiters, and how it can affect the quality of hire. 81% of recruiters believe they have a good understanding of the job req but studies by Bersin show 61% of hiring managers disagree. Building a solid partnership is key to identifying quality candidates in the shortest amount of time.
 
10.    Be a brand ambassador
If the hiring manager/recruiter is passionate about working for the company, his/her candidate will be more likely to join the company. Be proud of the brand you are representing!