Do you post and pray? Throw job ads up and hope someone will stick? Does your network feel tapped out of talent? Infuse some fresh sources for finding candidates into your recruiting strategy:

Candidate References: The people who have vouched for your candidate may be great candidates themselves. References are usually employed (passive candidate), they often work within the same vein as the candidate (skills and experience match), and if they don’t work out for the job, they may be a link to other strong candidates in their industry.

LinkedIn Products Page: A great tip from Lisa Jones is to check out the employees designated as the contacts for products and services on a company’s LinkedIn page. In her LinkedIn TIP article, Jones points out that this page is great for checking out for talent, internal candidates, contacts, and competitors.


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Search String: As an employer in a job economy that has been struggling for a while, it’s easy to sit back and let the candidates come to you. But with the right search techniques, you can actively target stellar candidates who aren’t necessarily knocking at your door. Glen Cathey at Boolean Black Belt offers up some great tips for creating search strings for any search engine – whether it be Google or your ATS.

Discussion Boards and Forums: There are many communities built around specific skills, especially within the technical set. All-star candidates can be identified by their participation in these forums, showcasing not only their technical skill, but their passion for what they do.

Freelancers and Contractors: People who have worked on special projects for your business are familiar with your products, services, and culture. They could be great candidates themselves, and – having worked at many companies – have a rich network of contacts who they may be able to recommend.

Finding strong candidates is all about leveraging technology, your network, and your creativity. What clever candidate sources do you find helpful in the search for talent? 

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This post originally appeared at www.atango.com.
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