Differences and Processes in Sourcing vs Recruiting

Is it all about finding candidates, or does the way you engage with them matter just as much? In the world of talent acquisition, sourcing and recruiting are often used interchangeably, but they play very distinct roles.

Understanding the difference between sourcing in recruitment and traditional recruiting could be the key to unlocking a more efficient hiring process—especially for tech companies looking to gain a competitive edge. With platforms like Weekday.works, you can leverage peer-backed recommendations and AI-powered matching to elevate your hiring strategy.

But first, let’s dive into the differences and processes that separate sourcing from recruiting, and why both are essential to hiring the best talent.

What is Sourcing?

Sourcing in recruitment is the proactive search for potential candidates before any formal job requisition is even made. Unlike traditional recruitment methods where candidates apply for open positions, sourcing involves identifying and engaging with candidates who may not be actively job hunting but have the skills and potential for future roles.

• Proactive Search for Talent: Sourcers actively search for candidates using platforms like LinkedIn, job boards, and industry networks. They focus on finding individuals whose skills align with the company's long-term hiring needs.
• Gathering Candidate Information: Sourcers collect essential details about candidates, including qualifications, career aspirations, and work experience, to create a pool of potential hires.
• Pre-Screening Candidates: To ensure the right fit, sourcers pre-screen candidates based on their skills, education, and experience before passing them to recruiters for further evaluation.
• Engaging with Candidates: Sourcers maintain communication with candidates, building relationships and keeping them informed about job opportunities within the company.
• Long-Term Relationship Building: Sourcing is not just about filling immediate roles but about creating a long-term relationship with candidates. By staying in touch, sourcers can keep potential hires engaged for future openings.

Learn more about active sourcing in recruitment.

What is Recruiting?

Recruiting takes over after sourcing, focusing on finding, evaluating, and hiring the right candidate for a specific job opening. While sourcing is about discovery, recruiting is about making decisions.

• Finding the Right Fit: Recruiters work to match the best candidates with job openings, ensuring the right fit for both the candidate and the company.
• Improving Quality of Hire: By using a structured selection process, recruiters improve the quality of hires, ensuring that only the most qualified candidates move forward.
• Ensuring a Positive Candidate Experience: A key part of recruitment is managing the candidate experience. Recruiters ensure that candidates have a smooth, professional experience throughout the hiring process, which helps maintain the company’s employer brand.
• Evaluating Applicants: Recruiting involves screening resumes, conducting interviews, and assessing applicants to determine their suitability for the role.
• Onboarding New Hires: The recruiter’s job doesn’t end when the offer is accepted. They also manage the onboarding process, ensuring the new hire is integrated smoothly into the company.

Key Responsibilities of a Sourcer

Sourcers play a pivotal role in building a strong pipeline of potential candidates. Their responsibilities differ from those of recruiters but are equally important for successful hiring.

• Collaborating with Hiring Managers: Sourcers align with hiring managers to understand the company’s staffing needs and the specific skills required for upcoming roles.
• Understanding Job Requirements: Sourcers dive deep into job descriptions and skill requirements, ensuring that they fully understand the kind of talent the company is looking for.
• Researching Potential Candidates: Sourcers use various platforms, including social media, job boards, and industry databases, to discover potential candidates who may not be actively looking for a new role.
• Building Relationships: They engage candidates through outreach emails and social media, maintaining a professional yet approachable communication style.
• Presenting Candidates: After identifying potential candidates, sourcers present a shortlist of qualified individuals to the recruiting team.
• Tracking and Analyzing Strategies: Sourcers continuously analyze the success of their sourcing strategies, refining their approach to ensure they target the best candidates.

Key Responsibilities of a Recruiter

Recruiters are responsible for managing the entire hiring process, from screening to hiring and onboarding.

• Developing a Recruitment Strategy: Recruiters work with the company to develop a recruitment strategy tailored to the role and company needs.
• Screening Applicants: Once candidates are sourced, recruiters screen resumes to assess their qualifications for the position.
• Conducting Interviews: Recruiters conduct interviews, evaluating candidates’ qualifications, skills, and fit for the company culture.
• Background Checks and References: To ensure the reliability of candidates, recruiters verify references and conduct background checks.
• Making Hiring Decisions: Based on their evaluations, recruiters make the final hiring decisions and extend job offers.
• Onboarding: Recruiters also assist in onboarding, helping new hires settle into their roles and ensuring a smooth transition.

Key Differences Between Sourcing and Recruiting

Here is a chart explaining the key differences between sourcing and recruiting: 

Weekday.works: Streamlining Tech Recruitment

In the competitive world of tech recruitment, Weekday.works stands out by simplifying the process of hiring software engineers through peer endorsements and AI-powered matching.

• Crowdsourced Candidate Vetting: Weekday.works leverages peer recommendations to ensure that all candidates are pre-vetted by industry professionals. This approach guarantees that companies are only considering candidates who have been endorsed by fellow engineers, improving the quality of hires.
• AI-Powered Matching: Weekday.works uses advanced AI algorithms to match job openings with the most suitable candidates, taking into account factors such as skills, experience, and career goals. This not only speeds up the process but also ensures a more accurate fit.
• Full-Service Recruitment: Weekday.works offers a comprehensive recruitment service, from sourcing and outreach to interviewing and onboarding, making it easier for companies to manage their hiring process with minimal effort.
• Employer Benefits: Weekday’s combination of peer endorsements and AI-driven matching enables companies to access vetted, high-quality candidates quickly. This reduces the time spent on sourcing while ensuring that only the most qualified candidates are considered.

Building a Talent Pool

Building a talent pool is an essential part of sourcing in recruitment. It ensures that companies have a steady flow of candidates ready to fill future roles.

• Defining Job Requirements: The first step in building a talent pool is to clearly define the skills and experience needed for future roles.
• Planning Sourcing Channels: Sourcers then identify the best platforms, from job boards to social media, to find potential candidates.
• Sourcing Strategies: Sourcers use various strategies, including networking, referrals, and online platforms, to discover candidates.
• Engaging Passive Candidates: Often, sourcers reach out to passive candidates—individuals who aren’t actively looking for jobs but may be interested in new opportunities.
• Building Long-Term Relationships: Sourcers maintain regular communication with candidates, keeping them engaged and interested in future roles.

The Recruiting Process Explained

Recruiting goes beyond just finding candidates; it involves a structured process to ensure the right person is hired for the job.

• Receiving Job Requisitions: Recruiters receive job requisitions from hiring managers, outlining the specific requirements for the position.
• Posting Job Openings: Job postings are placed on various platforms, including job boards and social media, to attract a wide range of candidates.
• Screening Candidates: Recruiters screen resumes to shortlist candidates whose qualifications match the job description.
• Initial Interviews: Candidates are then interviewed to assess their skills, experience, and cultural fit.
• Pre-Employment Assessments: In some cases, candidates are asked to complete assessments to evaluate their technical or problem-solving skills.
• Background Checks: Recruiters verify the candidates' backgrounds and references to ensure reliability.
• Extending Job Offers: Once a candidate is selected, recruiters extend the job offer and negotiate terms.
• Onboarding: Recruiters facilitate onboarding to ensure new hires transition smoothly into their roles.

Conclusion

Sourcing and recruiting are two sides of the same coin when it comes to effective talent acquisition. Sourcing helps companies proactively build a pipeline of potential candidates, while recruiting takes that pool and narrows it down to the perfect fit for the job. Both functions are critical in ensuring a streamlined and successful hiring process, particularly in competitive industries like tech, where finding and hiring top talent can make all the difference.

For companies looking to elevate their hiring strategy, leveraging a platform like Weekday.works offers a significant advantage. With its peer-backed vetting system and AI-powered matching, Weekday eliminates the time-consuming task of sifting through countless resumes. Instead, companies can access a curated list of highly qualified software engineers, all of whom have been recommended by industry peers.

If you're ready to streamline your tech hiring process and focus on quality over quantity, book a demo call with Weekday to find the right talent, faster and more efficiently.