1. 15 Fresh Ideas for Sourcing Candidates
Search outside the box
You’ve probably sourced on LinkedIn, but have you ever
thought about sourcing on Amazon? Quora? People have
profiles and information all over the web, and it’s a sourcer’s
job to think outside the box to find them. Differentiating the
places you source opens up new candidate pools, gives you
unique candidate insights, and is often less competitive than
the popular go-to resources.
Where you source will vary based on factors like industry and
role, but here are 15 websites and strategies for sourcing
candidates from Paired Sourcing Co-Founder Jer Langhans to
get you thinking in creative ways.
1. Bit.ly
Anyone who’s ever shortened or customized a link through
Bit.ly also has a profile on the site. Source from Bit.ly profiles
to find information like names, links to other social media
profiles, and links to the content they share.
2. Facebook Search
Facebook Search makes finding the information you need
simple. It’s a semantic search engine, meaning you can type
your query into the search bar in plain english and it will
deliver back accurate results.
3. Boolean Searches
A Boolean search operates with AND, OR, and NOT logic. Here
are four ways you can use Boolean for sourcing:
A) Run a geo-targeted search for a zip code range and area code
4. Google Play Store
Rarely are emails as easy to find as they are in the Google Play
Store. Every app in the store includes an email, which usually
belongs to the developer who built the app.
5. Dribbble
Dribbble is a website for designers to showcase their work
and current projects. Naturally, it’s a fitting place to source
designers.
6. Github
Engineers share, code, and contribute to open source projects
on GitHub. It’s a great place to not only find technical talent,
but learn more about the work they’re passionate about.
7. Quora
Browsing the answers to professional questions on Quora, like
“What’s the best way to optimize my website for SEO?” is a
clever way to find subject matter experts.
B) Search for resume files and specify by company
C) Find powerpoint decks with contact information
D) Track down speaker lists from recent years

2. For more sourcing resources
Go to www.lever.co/recruiting-resources Hire the best through collaborative recruiting, https://lever.co
8. Amazon
Amazon book reviews can also lead to promising candidates.
A person who leaves a review on JavaScript, for example,
might know a thing or two about JavaScript.
9. YouTube
YouTube is yet another place to find subject matter experts.
They’ll post their own videos, or be featured in YouTube
videos in the domains they’re experts in.
10. Foursquare
Going after talent at specific companies? With Foursquare,
you can browse through potential candidates who’ve checked
in at the companies you want to source from.
11. Facebook Places
Just like Foursquare, you can search for people who have
checked in at certain locations.
12. Google Alerts
Show your dream candidates you really care by setting up a
Google Alert for their name. You’ll be one of the first to know
any time they’re mentioned online, letting you follow up
with a meaningful message that should increase your
chances of getting a response.
13. Stack Overflow
Stack Overflow is a forum for programmers and developers
to ask questions and get them answered. Like GitHub, it’s a
promising place to source engineers.
14. Meetup.com
People with similar interests and passions come together
through Meetups, making it the perfect place to find
aficionados of all sorts. Meetups happen in person, but you
can also browse members of different groups online.
15. Your own ATS
Your own applicant tracking system is full of candidates
who’ve already heard of your company, and many who’ve
actively applied to it. It should be one of the first places you
kick off any candidate search. Keep track of why you archive
people (compensation, timing, wrong role, role filled, etc.)
so you can reach out with the messaging that will make the
most impact on the candidate.
The more time you spend manually logging candidate
information into a spreadsheet or ATS and toggling back
and forth between screens, the less time you have to
spend on the activities that deliver real value – like
identifying talent and filling your pipeline.
Lever’s Chrome extension enables you to source more
efficiently than ever before. No more manual spreadsheet
entry or switching between screens. We’ve built sourcing
directly into our ATS so that anyone at your company can
quickly import candidate profiles from the web, directly
into Lever.
To learn more about how our Chrome extension supports
both sourcing and referrals, read our datasheet, here.
Shrink your sourcing workload with Lever’s Chrome Extension