I conducted an informal survey of approximately 20 corporate recruiters, asking each which sources they use to find qualified candidates. While this isn't a scientific poll, the results still reflect the shift in the job search landscape. For each lead source on this list, ask yourself:
- Will I be found here?
- Am I spending too much time with a less effective source and not enough time with another, more effective source?
- Do I use the best strategy when engaging this source? (Tip: each source has a different strategy; one should use the strategy to obtain the best results from that source.)
CORPORATE RECRUITER SOURCE LIST
Here is the list of sources recruiters use to find talent, ranked by effectiveness and importance. Will you be found here?
- Social Networks - 18%
i.e., LinkedIn –used more often than other social media tools, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. - Personal Networks - 16%
i.e., family, friends, schoolmates from all levels, former co-workers, etc. - Employee Referrals - 16%
- Corporate Website Job Postings - 16%
- University Alumni Recruiting - 9%
- Job Boards (Both Job Postings and Resume Searching) - 7%
i.e., Indeed, ZipRecruiter, SimplyHired, Monster, industry-specific sites like eFinancialCareers, Dice, and MediaBistro. - Corporate Alumni - 4%
Former Employees and their referrals. - Professional Affiliations - 3%
- Recruiting Agencies - 3%
- Military, Diversity, and Niche Population Resources - 3%
- User Groups/Message Boards catering to
specific industries - 2% - Professional Conferences and Conventions - 2%
How do you measure up?
Will you be found? Do a self-inventory of how you measure up using each of the sources corporate recruiters use. Are you in circles to get referred? And if not, how can you connect so you can be found…? It is not as hard as you think…
Clearly, the shift has been and will continue to be for hiring managers to source talent through the many networks they have: personal, social media, and employee referral networks. It's more than “who you know?” – It’s “who do you know that knows someone?” The Six Degrees of Separation concept (which fascinates me by the way) has never come more into play than in today’s job search.
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