Sourcing
The proactive process of identifying and reaching out to potential candidates — particularly passive ones — before a vacancy has been formally opened or advertised.
Sourcing is the front end of the recruitment process: the active effort to find and engage candidates rather than waiting for applications to arrive. It involves searching databases, LinkedIn, GitHub, Dribbble, and professional networks to identify individuals who might be strong fits for current or future roles.
Effective sourcing combines Boolean search skills, a strong employer brand, compelling outreach messaging, and an understanding of where the target talent spends their time online and offline. A strong talent sourcer can build a pipeline of interested candidates in advance of a vacancy opening, dramatically reducing time-to-hire.
For remote roles, sourcing is genuinely global: the same sourcing investment can identify candidates in 50 countries rather than one city. Tools like LinkedIn Recruiter, GitHub Search, Wellfound, and Remote Jobster's own job board make it increasingly practical to source at scale across geographies.