A talent sourcing consultant is someone who anticipates hiring needs, finds possible candidates via a variety of sources, builds relationships with hiring managers and prospects, and evaluates applicants' performance through assignments and interviews.

But how is it any different from recruitment?

Recruitment refers to the process of filling open positions in a company. On the other hand, talent-sourcing consultants concentrate on your company's long-term talent acquisition plan. Technology and data are used by talent sourcing consultants to identify the talent your company will require now and in the future to flourish.

Unlike recruitment, talent sourcing is not a linear process. It is, in fact, a cycle of continuous, never-ending improvement. The talent sourcing consultants work closely with you to understand how new technologies and processes can impact your business even before they can be implemented.

Roles & Responsibilities of a Talent Sourcing Consultant

- Take requests from hiring managers for new staff

- Run recruitment drives

- Screen candidates to ensure they will meet quality expectations with the organization.

- Run virtual interviews and assess candidate suitability for roles

- Coordinate pre-employment tests to ensure candidates are fit for the role.

- Assist candidates with the onboarding process by providing support

- Coordinate with hiring managers to keep them across progress on recruitment drives (from top of funnel through to placement)

- Actively look for potential new clients and candidates through a variety of channels

Skills of a Talent Sourcing Consultant

1. Relationship-building skills

A crucial tenet for the success of a talent-sourcing consultant is candidate experience. The candidate journey must be given top priority by the sourcing professionals of tomorrow.

As a result, in 2023 and beyond, networking and relationship management abilities will be crucial for any talent-sourcing consultant. Moreover, there is a growing need to embrace human features that set us apart from AI. Thus, the necessity of networking abilities and the capacity to interact with others on a human level is a skill to look for in your candidate.

2. Analytical Skills

We live in a data-driven world, so businesses must be data-driven to prosper. To succeed as a talent-sourcing consultant, you must invest in raising your data literacy. This involves more than just being able to read data; it also entails being able to comprehend, evaluate, and use it to enhance people's processes.

The development of analytical abilities, which can then be applied to successful recruitment marketing and employer branding strategies, requires a healthy dependence on data. At its core, sourcing is a sales job, and a talent sourcing consultant can find, screen, negotiate, and plan for talent more effectively if they have strong analytical skills.

3. Social and Empathy Skills

Empathy is a natural gift that must be developed along with social skills in order to become a successful talent-sourcing consultant in the future. It is not just a passing trend to say that emotional quotient, or EQ, is the new IQ. In every IQ-testable skill, algorithms, computers, and other technological advancements have surpassed humanity in the world we live in. But technology still has some catching up to do when it comes to emotional intelligence.

Therefore, developing social skills and empathy will be essential for socially and emotionally savvy talent-sourcing consultants. Since it demonstrates to the applicant that you genuinely comprehend their challenges, objectives, and emotions, empathy can also greatly improve the candidate experience.

4. Tech Skills

The talent-sourcing experts of the future need to be tech-savvy and open to adapting to and adopting new technology. New hiring technologies are being developed and perfected every day. Being able to use them efficiently is a skill that will be highly valued. Automated talent sourcing tools are the next big thing, and using them can save a talent sourcing consultant's time and resources.

How to Assess a Talent Sourcing Consultant?

You can assess talent-sourcing consultants based on technical and competency skills. Follow this three-step process to assess your candidate effectively.

1. Develop a Scorecard:

A scorecard helps assess the candidate’s experience. A scorecard gives a fair and standard way of evaluating candidates. In other words, it lets you compare apples to apples instead of comparing apples to oranges.

2. Use Pre-Employment Assessments:

Testing for sourcing skills rather than recruitment skills may appear paradoxical. However, sourcing skills are less definite than recruiting skills. Because sourcing is a skill that is constantly changing and evolving, it requires much more depth. So, testing for sourcing abilities aids the hiring manager in understanding the nuances of sourcing experts.

3. Look for Core Competencies:

Look for these core competencies in your candidate.

- Behavior

- Technical ability

- Independence

- Business acumen

- Creativity

- Curiosity

How to Hire a Talent Sourcing Consultant?

1. Build a Candidate Persona

You need to build a candidate persona as to what the role entails, the qualifications, the skills, and the overall personality requirements of the candidate. Site together with the hiring manager to create a detailed description of the candidate.

2. Create a Job Description

Once you have understood the requirements of the role. Craft an appealing job description that speaks to potential candidates and attracts top talent only.

3. Select the Ideal Candidate

See which applicant is fit for the job. You can also use pre-employment assessments to assess your candidate and check if they are the right fit for your job role.

4. Interview Questions

You can ask these interview questions to assess your candidate effectively.

- Tell me about some of your favorite resources for finding top talent.

- What experience do you have in supporting the onboarding process for new hires?

- How do you think you can help our business hire the best candidates?

- Why have you chosen to work in talent sourcing?

- What do you look for in a candidate?

- What is your greatest accomplishment so far as a talent-sourcing consultant?

- What applicant tracking systems (ATS) have you used in your work?

- What is your process for preparing for interviews with candidates?

- How do you stay connected with candidates?

- What are some of the current trends you see in talent sourcing?

Final Thoughts

Hiring can be a daunting task. And hiring talent-sourcing consultants, who are more or less involved in hiring themselves, can be a big responsibility.

Your entire sourcing process will be on the shoulders of this one person and you do not want to make a mistake.

At HireQuotient, we provide a suite of tools such as talent sourcing, pre-employment assessments, one-way video interview and JD generator which you can take advantage of to hire the superstar talent sourcing consultant for your company.

Book a demo today!

- HR Thought Leaders to Follow

- How to Search Resumes on LinkedIn

- Accounting Clerk Test