Recruiting today means: being proactive, visible, and building relationships
If you want to attract talent today, you must be not only present as a company but also relevant.
The first step? Move away from a passive stance – and into active dialogue.
Modern recruiting no longer works through simply posting job adverts and waiting. It’s about positioning yourself as an employer brand, building genuine relationships and reaching potential talent where they actually spend their time – whether that’s in professional networks, on social media, or through direct personal contact. This is exactly where active sourcing comes into play.
Active sourcing in modern recruiting
Active sourcing refers to personally approaching suitable individuals. Networking is therefore essential when it comes to recruiting new professionals. Starting conversations, staying in contact, showing agility – even if a permanent role doesn’t arise immediately: this is how you stay in the minds of talented individuals. It’s also important not only to manage the process but to actively take time for conversations. HR also takes on an advisory role: it’s the task of recruiters to support applicants through dialogue and truly determine whether the person and the advertised position are a match – and how both professional and company can benefit from each other. The balance of power has shifted significantly due to the skills shortage. In the past, talented individuals with skills, experience and personality competed for roles. Today, it’s the recruiters who must become creative, actively offering and “selling” vacancies to potential candidates.
Recruiters should use classic marketing tools and modern technologies
In traditional marketing, the rule is: a product only exists when consumers are aware of it.
The same applies to companies.
A company is only seen as an attractive employer once the desired talent knows it exists.
It is therefore logical and effective that recruiting draws on classic marketing tools to attract new staff and retain them in the long term.
This includes, for example, strong employer branding, optimised career pages, building talent pools, a coherent candidate journey and, classically, measuring and analysing campaign KPIs.
Keyword: recruiting controlling.
At the same time, it is essential to define a candidate persona in order to precisely know, understand and target the right audience accordingly.
Especially now, when many industries are facing a shortage of skilled labour and digitalisation and demographic change are progressing rapidly, it’s crucial that recruiters take new, modern paths. For example, younger talent is best reached via social media or mobile devices (keyword: mobile recruiting). This requires creativity, rethinking how to address talent and choosing the right platforms for job ads, making vacancies attractive and designing a mobile-friendly application process. This also demonstrates agility – a clear advantage in the eyes of candidates. Storytelling in job adverts helps reach more applicants and convey the spirit of the company in the best possible way. Because the demands on recruiters are becoming increasingly complex, support in the area of active sourcing is needed. Refline’s e-recruiting software supports the modern recruiting process and helps understand and address the needs of talent.