This blog post is written Jan Tegze, a sourcer/recruiter, blogger, speaker, and book author with experience in full lifecycle recruiting.

During my interview with AmazingHiring team, I was asked: “What makes a person a good recruiter?” My answer was: “Curiosity and passion”, and I strongly believe that.

But what are the top characteristics of a great talent sourcer?

The job of a talent sourcer in any organization is important, as everyone knows that “the people make the workplace.” Therefore the quality of talent an organization hires determines how far the organization will go on the path to success. And this is exactly what makes the job of a talent source so important as the burden of searching for quality candidates who are fit for the organization in terms of both skills and personality rests squarely on their shoulders.

Therefore, for any talent sourcer to make any meaningful impact in an organization and get recognition for their efforts, here are the top qualities they must possess:

Ability to think beyond restrictions

The advent of the internet and social media has made this a necessary trait that any talent sourcer must have. Things are happening at the pace of lightning. Many industries are getting ready to be disrupted by technologies like A.I., chatbots, etc.

Social media also has an effect on how organizations work — it is opening up new portals for potential candidates to showcase their skills. The role of a sourcer is to also follow this trend, and nowadays it is not unusual to hear about people being recruited via Facebook, Twitter, and other social media. It’s the way work has been redefined.

A sourcer must be able to blend in and change with the times while being able to identify opportunities where others are not looking. A good sourcer should not be limited by rules but go ahead and get creative.

Willingness to develop new skill sets and hone old ones

In the ever-dynamic world of today, what used to be the order of the day might become relegated and forgotten before the day ends. A talent sourcer should be open to new sourcing methods and skills.

To get ahead, a good talent sourcer must be sensitive to the needs of the people they are working for since there is no one-solution-fits-all.

Tech-savviness

The sourcer must be a lover of technology and know how to use it, or their efficiency drops. Even while being technical, it is also good to be personal and not forget to act as a human. Nobody wants to be exchanging emails with someone who replies like a robot.

Yes, professionalism is highly encouraged, especially when maintaining correspondence. A good sourcer must know how to combine technology with charisma.

Being the first door that candidates go through, a sourcer must understand their role as one which sets the tone for what these candidates are to expect from the company. If the sourcer is not tech-savvy, it might tell the candidate that the company is not digitally conscious and, as a result, may be unattractive to GenZ.

This could actually be a big loss to an organization trying to attract young people to its workforce.

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Curiosity

Another thing that places top talent sourcers above their counterparts is their curiosity. They know where to look for talent, whether it’s a social network, portfolio site, or at an event. They are always curious about new methods, new sources, and new strings that will help them to achieve their goals. They know how to experiment and test new variables.

Persistence

When others say “There are no candidates with that skill set”, top sourcers always try to find the unicorn candidate that is hiding. Being persistent means that you will keep trying again and again. With every attempt, you will inch closer to success. By the words of Bill Bradley: “Ambition is the path to success. Persistence is the vehicle you arrive in.”

I am always joking that the best sourcers are the ones who were internet pirates. Because those people spend hours, sometimes days to find their favorite music, movies or games. Their persistence to find something free will make them great material for sourcers.

Good Organization

Files, CVs, and tons of other administration come naturally with the territory. So smart sourcers find smart ways of decluttering while improving efficiency. It is easy for things to get confusing, but they use smart tools and principles that make them more efficient.

Some try to keep to the principle of responding to all emails within 24 hours. Others make sure they use smart apps that ensure that they never miss an important task. A talent sourcer very often needs to deal with quite a high number of applicants, so it is easy for things to get disorganized quickly.

Passion

You’ve heard the old Confucius saying “Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.” Without passion for this job, it will turn into routine. If you want to be successful at your job, the only thing you need to do is to be passionate about your work. You need to be motivated and driven to be the best you can be regardless of your work.

Conclusion

Even if you don’t possess all of these characteristics, it does not mean you won’t be successful. Charles Darwin said “It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is most adaptable to change.”

If you want to survive as a sourcer find people with the same goals and support each other. Don’t just rely on your companies for your career development. And whatever you do, if you go in with a good attitude and see it as a path for learning, you will find much more opportunity and happiness than if you go to work uninspired every day.

Constant learning is the key to being successful as a sourcer!