direct sourcing.
what is direct sourcing
Direct sourcing is a process by which organisations look to use their own resources to hire rather than rely on the services of 3rd party services such as recruitment agencies.
Through bypassing third-party recruiters and sourcing the best talent internally organisations are able to save money and take back control of their recruitment process.
Direct sourcing has existed for ages but has only become a hot topic in recent years due to the growth of the contingent workforce, among other factors, such as the increased accessibility of talent acquisition and recruitment technology and tools.
There’s no one-size-fits-all approach to direct sourcing. Each organisation sources, hires, and onboards candidates differently based on factors like organisation size, HR budget, and the organisation’s unique talent needs. Some may use it as a standalone strategy, while others may employ it as a part of a broader recruitment strategy.
benefits of direct sourcing.
There are several benefits to sourcing contingent workers directly. Here are some of the key benefits of sourcing from your organisation’s talent pool:
faster hiring
Instead of having third-party recruiters source talent for you when you need it, direct sourcing gives you the ability to prioritise key roles and accelerate the hiring process.
reduced costs
Recruitment agencies typically charge 15-25% (of the candidate’s starting salary) — or even more when recruiting for hard-to-fill roles. Avoiding this cost frees up resources for other business ventures.
Direct sourcing also reduces onboarding time and costs. Organisations can hire the right person in less than 24 hours, minimising the cost of downtime.
flexibility
Direct sourcing allows you to hire people only when you need them — for example, on a project-by-project basis.
stronger employer brand
With direct sourcing, you can deliver the best candidate experience because you handle everything yourself — rather than leaving it to a third party that just isn’t as invested as you are. This reinforces your employer brand, making you stand out as an attractive employer.
direct sourcing options for recruiters.
There are several options to source directly, each with its advantages and disadvantages. When deciding on a direct sourcing strategy, you must carefully consider each to determine the best fit for your organisation.
job board
A job board helps you to advertise your vacancies to a relevant audience. Many of the UK’s largest job boards have 100,000s of jobs but they also have 100,000s of active jobseekers. Recruiters just need to know how to write engaging advert copy and move fast when they have strong candidates apply.
freelance management systems
Freelance management systems empower organisations to manage freelance workers from a single platform. They allow organisations to:
- Identify qualified freelancers
- Automate onboarding process
- Verify skills, credentials, and qualifications
- Manage tasks
- Rate performance
- Engage with prospects
These platforms streamline freelance talent acquisition, giving organisations access to a qualified pool of freelancers on demand.
talent network
A talent network is a database of interested candidates, typically those who have applied for positions in an organisation but didn’t get them. They are still interested in working for the organisation and are waiting for a job opening that matches their experience and skills while learning more about your organisation.
They effectively keep candidates engaged and ready for hire when positions open.
managed direct sourcing
Managed direct sourcing solutions involve using third-party recruitment agencies or professional employer organisations to grow, curate, and engage your talent pools as a managed service. They provide candidates on demand if you need to fill a contingent role.
should you use direct sourcing?
In short: Yes, you should. All organisations seeking the best talent to boost their bottom lines should engage in direct sourcing. Technology has increased access to skilled talent, so you need new ways to find talent to grow your business.
Ideally, you should take an omnichannel approach that combines direct and indirect sourcing to compete for talent.
Additionally, you must reinforce your employer brand by delivering a seamless candidate experience, clearly communicating your work culture, and keeping them engaged to win the war for talent. A third party may not be able to do it exactly how you want it done, leading to a negative employer brand or acquisition of candidates that don’t fit your organisation’s culture.
use the power of ATS to streamline your talent-sourcing process.
Numerous talent acquisition and recruitment technologies and tools are available to automate your processes, collect data and analytics, and provide information in a handy dashboard that you can use to make strategic decisions.
One such tool is an applicant tracking system (ATS). Hireful’s ATS can help by streamlining your recruitment process, enhancing your employer brand, and driving a better candidate experience.
Book a demo to learn more about our ATS software and how it can help your organisation streamline its direct sourcing process.
