{"id":999694181,"date":"2020-01-07T13:23:00","date_gmt":"2020-01-07T13:23:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.dice.com\/?p=60107388"},"modified":"2025-06-17T15:11:56","modified_gmt":"2025-06-17T21:11:56","slug":"2020-candidate-sourcing-guide-everything-need","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.dice.com\/hiring\/recruitment\/2020-candidate-sourcing-guide-everything-need","title":{"rendered":"Your 2020 Candidate Sourcing Guide: Everything You Need"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>With the tech <a href=\"https:\/\/dice.com\/career-advice\/tech-unemployment-hits-19-year-low\">unemployment rate<\/a> at 1.3 percent in May, it\u2019s no wonder that finding great job candidates is the biggest challenge for tech recruiters. However, pursuing passive candidates requires a fresh approach, the latest tools and an updated strategy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Check out our full guide for finding, attracting and engaging with top technical talent. Here&#8217;s the breakdown of what we&#8217;ll cover:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"#section1\">10 Creative and Effective Sourcing Techniques<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"#section2\">Top Sourcing Software and Tools<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"#section3\">Hiring Tips for Large Companies<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"#section4\">Hiring Tips for Small Companies<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"#section5\">Effective Interviewing Techniques<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Ready? Let&#8217;s get started!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1000\" height=\"667\" src=\"https:\/\/www.dice.com\/hiring\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/shutterstock_719542471.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-999880475\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.dice.com\/hiring\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/shutterstock_719542471.jpg.webp 1000w, https:\/\/www.dice.com\/hiring\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/shutterstock_719542471-300x200.jpg.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.dice.com\/hiring\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/shutterstock_719542471-768x512.jpg.webp 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2><a id=\"section1\">10 Creative and Effective Sourcing Techniques<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Top tech candidates are bombarded with dozens of cold calls and outreach emails from recruiters every day. Thankfully, there are other, more creative strategies and highly effective tactics at your disposal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-1-peer-to-peer-p2p-sourcing-and-outreach\"><strong>1. Peer-to-Peer (P2P) Sourcing and Outreach<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Marcus Turner\u2019s sourcing strategy is built on the \u201csix degrees of separation\u201d concept. \u201cAs a tech leader, it\u2019s my responsibility to identify top potential talent,\u201d said the CTO and chief architect for Enola Labs. \u201cOur entire team plays an active role in networking, connecting on LinkedIn and recommending high caliber engineers to join our team.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, engineer-to-engineer outreach is Turner\u2019s secret to success: \u201cWe help both parties assess the fit by providing a transparent, accurate overview of the technical environment from the very first touch.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>How has Enola Labs benefited from P2P sourcing and outreach? Staffers receive a $2,500 referral bonus when they recommend a candidate who is ultimately hired. And Turner\u2019s team boasts an exceptional close rate, with one out of every five candidates contacted accepting an offer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-2-giving-not-taking\"><strong>2. Giving, Not Taking<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>According to Wharton professor, author and psychologist Adam Grant, <a href=\"https:\/\/theeconreview.com\/2016\/11\/01\/givers-and-takers-in-the-workplace\/\">analyzing <\/a>the work behaviors of engineers reveals those who display a willingness to help others achieve their goals are more likely to succeed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWe don&#8217;t just reach out when we have a job to fill,\u201d Turner said. \u201cWe help people progress and plot a career path.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If a company or position doesn\u2019t seem like a good fit, it\u2019s time to suggest other companies and assist with networking, he added. Serving as mentors creates goodwill, encourages referrals and introductions, and <a href=\"strategies-building-veteran-talent-pipeline\">builds a pipeline of candidates<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-3-outside-the-box-ads\"><strong>3. Outside the Box Ads<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Several large companies have cleverly turned their brand prowess, websites and sense of humor into a tool for attracting top talent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For example, TripAdvisor leveraged a page of its website into a pitch. Hidden amid the strings of code was an invitation to \u201crun\u2014don&#8217;t crawl\u201d (a play on automated website crawling) to join the company&#8217;s SEO team, complete with contact email address and a link to a job posting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Toggl announced an opening for a backend developer with a lighthearted Q&amp;A-style blog post and <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.toggl.com\/toggl-job-backend-developer\/\">cartoon infographic.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Also (in 2004), <a href=\"https:\/\/mentalfloss.com\/article\/68106\/time-google-enticed-job-applicants-math-riddle-billboard\">Google anonymously enticed applicants<\/a> by purchasing billboards in Silicon Valley and Harvard Square that displayed a web address in the form of a math puzzle. Tenacious solvers were directed to a second puzzle; those who succeed were invited to submit their r\u00e9sum\u00e9.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There\u2019s no doubt that creative ad messages get more attention. If traditional job postings aren\u2019t working, why not try something radical?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-4-create-line-of-sight\"><strong>4. Create Line of Sight<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Getting the executive team involved early-on in the outreach and recruiting process can give you an edge in attracting tech professionals who want to build something of value and make a difference.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A leader who is responsible for creating line of sight can help a candidate see the connection between their everyday work and the company\u2019s mission and vision. Ask one of your execs to speak with candidates and paint a picture of the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-5-structured-data-reviews\"><strong>5. Structured Data Reviews<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Adding <a href=\"file:\/\/localhost\/ttps\/::developers.google.com:search:docs:data-types:job-posting\">structured data to job postings<\/a> and career site web pages increases the chances that tech job hunters will find your posting and apply, since it allows them to search by location, job title or company name. Plus, matching the key data (such as salary) provided by competitors will ensure that your ads rank higher on Google listings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Fortunately, some <a href=\"10-applicant-tracking-systems-consider\">ATS<\/a> have preformatted schema built in. If yours does not, you can access a variety of tools that will help you create and optimize structured data in job postings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Finally, don\u2019t forget to run a validation test using <a href=\"https:\/\/search.google.com\/structured-data\/testing-tool?utm_campaign=devsite&amp;utm_medium=jsonld&amp;utm_source=intro-structured-data\">Google\u2019s Structured Data Testing Tool<\/a>. It\u2019s the best way to check for errors or warnings and ensure that the structured data you\u2019ve entered will generate rich results.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-6-move-in-the-same-circles\"><strong>6. Move in the Same Circles<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>The best place to find tech pros who are trained in a particular software or specialty is to travel in the same circles. In addition to in-person events, tech pros like to exchange ideas and discuss new technologies in online forums and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.venturi-group.com\/17-best-slack-groups-technology-professionals\/\">Slack communities<\/a>, as well as share code on websites for developers such as GitHub.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-7-use-multiple-candidate-touch-points\"><strong>7. Use Multiple Candidate Touch Points<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>In today\u2019s market landscape, recruiters can\u2019t just email a passive candidate once or twice and give up when they don\u2019t respond, explained Shally Steckerl, founder of The Sourcing Institute.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It takes multiple touches across multiple channels and various points in time to get a working candidate\u2019s attention, he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Brandon Morrill, head of North America Talent Acquisition &amp; Operations at Ipsen, agrees with that concept. \u201cTrack down a prospect\u2019s phone number and try texting or calling to break up the monotony of email,\u201d he said. \u201cMany recruiters forgot how to hunt during the LinkedIn boom, but the fact is that most InMails are either deleted or ignored.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-8-show-and-tell\"><strong>8. Show and Tell<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Your company works hard to produce a solution or a service your customers will love. So why not create excitement around your new releases and showcase your innovative culture at the same time by asking your CIO to blog or speak at Meetups and conferences?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When managers brag about their company\u2019s projects, they not only build their own personal brands\u2014they subtly create a positive impression with professionals who may be secretly looking for a new gig.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-9-create-a-social-recruitment-strategy\"><strong>9. Create a Social Recruitment Strategy<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>If you want to find and connect with the best tech professionals, you need a comprehensive social media strategy. The real professionals share relevant content and information about their <a href=\"what-went-wrong-culture-fit-tech\">company, mission and hiring process<\/a> to keep prospects engaged, reach out directly, involve their team members, and, oh yes, source.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Don\u2019t overlook Facebook as a sourcing tool for tech talent, Steckerl noted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cYou can search for candidates who list their occupation or find prospects who follow groups dedicated to a certain discipline or technology,\u201d he said. \u201cYou can also see how they like to communicate so you can engage on their terms.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-10-talent-rediscovery\"><strong>10. Talent Rediscovery<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>What happened to the candidates who submitted their r\u00e9sum\u00e9s but didn\u2019t apply or took another position? Did you lose touch with that awesome runner-up candidate who now has two more years of engineering experience? Searching your database and reengaging with past applicants could save you time and thousands in recruitment costs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2><strong><a id=\"section2\">Top Sourcing Software and Tools<\/a><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>There are lots of prospecting software products and tools (some are even free) to make your job easier. Here\u2019s a brief overview of 10 categories of tools that will help you identify, reach out and build rapport with top tech professionals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-1-recruitment-crms\"><strong>1. Recruitment CRMs<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>A client relationship management system (CRM) is essential for creating talent communities, delivering <a href=\"candidate-journey-content\">targeted messaging and content<\/a> to passive candidates, and managing a pipeline of potential applicants before an opening arises. In fact, experts claim that 70 percent to 80 percent of recruiting takes place in the pre-applicant stage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Some CRMs seamlessly integrate with an ATS, while others are separate. Latest features include: integrated video interviewing, multichannel marketing, employee referral platforms, enhanced SEO capabilities, machine learning and predictive analytics, contact information sourcing and interview scheduling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-2-candidate-rediscovery\"><strong>2. Candidate Rediscovery <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Candidate rediscovery tools let you mine the existing r\u00e9sum\u00e9s in your database to source prior applicants for a current requisition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-3-contact-finders-email-trackers\"><strong>3. Contact Finders\/Email Trackers<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Once you identify a prospect, you need their contact information to reach out. That\u2019s where a contact finder comes in handy. Tools or extensions scrape email addresses from sites such as LinkedIn, corporate websites or Twitter. Once you reach out, gauge efficiency by using an email tracker to measure open rates, bounce rates, click-through rates and so forth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-4-boolean-x-ray-search\"><strong>4. Boolean\/X-Ray Search <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Unless you are good at writing complex Boolean search strings, you may never find the r\u00e9sum\u00e9 for that purple squirrel who is hiding in plain sight on the web. Fortunately, there are browser extenders or add-ons that will build an X-ray search that scours multiple sites where tech pros hang out, including StackOverflow and GitHub.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-5-recruitment-marketing-platforms\"><strong>5. Recruitment Marketing Platforms<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Recruitment marketing platforms offer a wide variety of features and automation to attract, engage, and nurture passive talent, and can be implemented either as a standalone solution or as part of an integrated HR management suite. Options include: Omni-channel communications, hyper-targeted messaging, pipeline builders, job posting distribution and social recruiting tools.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-6-recruitment-analytics\"><strong>6. Recruitment Analytics<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Recruitment analytics platforms and tools let recruiters track and review where the best candidates are coming from, and which advertising expenditures and recruiting activities are delivering the biggest bang for the buck. These helpful tools analyze conversion rates at every step in the sourcing and engagement process, identify the profiles of top performing applicants, and identify weak spots by visualizing data.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-7-candidate-aggregators\"><strong>7<\/strong>. <strong>Candidate Aggregators<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Aggregators speed up the sourcing process by scraping, analyzing and creating a holistic picture of a candidate from disparate profiles strewn across multiple social networking sites and job boards. For instance, a profile may unite education, code samples, work history and side projects, making it easier to present targeted job opportunities and outreach that match the person\u2019s career goals, technical passions and communication style.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-8-employee-referral-platforms\"><strong>8.<\/strong> <strong>Employee Referral Platforms<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>These platforms use automated and AI-powered tools to unlock employee networks and connections. This helps to identify and suggest candidates and manage the referral process; some may integrate with an existing ATS.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-9-de-biasing-tools\"><strong>9. De-Biasing Tools<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Companies can now use tools to expand their talent pools by creating more inclusive <a href=\"job-description-templates\">job descriptions<\/a>, running blind r\u00e9sum\u00e9 reviews, creating structured interviews, and more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-10-chatbots\"><strong>10. Chatbots<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>A recruiting chatbot or virtual recruiting assistant uses natural language processing and machine learning to automate and streamline the sourcing and recruiting process by sending and receiving messages, answering questions, and performing many basic tasks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-189634\" src=\"shutterstock_1117902230-1.jpg\/{_document}\/hippogallery:original\" \/><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2><strong><a id=\"section3\">Hiring Tips for Large Companies<\/a><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The tables have turned. The <a href=\"recruiting-gen-z-vs-millennials-5-differences-learn\">generation<\/a> that loves social media, texting and new technology also prefers to work for businesses with fewer than 100 employees, according to research from online salary database PayScale.com. But will it last? History shows that at some point the cycle will end.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI would be recruiting from startups and smaller companies,\u201d Steckerl said. \u201cBecause eventually, some of those employees are going to get tired of wearing multiple hats. They are going to want more well-defined job descriptions, access to resources and better benefits.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In addition to streamlining the vetting process and making a concerted effort to reduce time to hire, recruiters in large companies need to <a href=\"8-conversations-recruiter-hiring-teams\">eliminate old, outdated ways of thinking<\/a> that create barriers to filling the position.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For instance, instead of focusing on evidence of how a candidate has performed in the past, look for clues as to how they might perform in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cStop selecting candidates based on a job they\u2019ve already done or skills they used five years ago,\u201d Steckerl noted. Focus on people who are underemployed and have great potential.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-189635\" style=\"height:507px; width:763px\" src=\"shutterstock_492330085.jpg\/{_document}\/hippogallery:original\" \/><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2><strong><a id=\"section4\">Hiring Tips for Small Companies<\/a><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Small businesses can absolutely compete with high-profile companies for technical talent, as long as they educate prospects and target \u201cmove up candidates\u201d that are within their financial reach, noted Jeffrey Hyman, chief talent officer for Strong Suit Executive Search.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWith <a href=\"https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/karlynborysenko\/2019\/05\/02\/how-much-are-your-disengaged-employees-costing-you\/#7396cf423437\">employee disengagement<\/a> reaching record high levels, passive candidates are open to hearing about new job opportunities,\u201d Hyman said. \u201cBut before you pitch a position, you need to explain what your industry is all about and why your company is poised to thrive and succeed.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Abby Hamilton, VP of People Development for LiveIntent, forges a human connection through storytelling and videos that highlight the company\u2019s<a href=\"https:\/\/venturebeat.com\/2015\/03\/15\/heres-what-fail-fast-really-means\/\"> \u201cfail fast\u201d<\/a> culture, mission, and the career paths of current employees.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cYou have to forge a human connection first, when you don\u2019t have a well-known brand,\u201d noted Hamilton, who has recruited and hired more than 150 tech pros for small companies over the course of her career.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>More than any other generation, Millennials are <a href=\"tech-pros-dont-want-to-work-insane-hours\">looking for flexibility and autonomy<\/a>, explained Laura Handrick, workforce analyst for Fit Small Business: \u201cPlay to your competitive strengths and the things that <a href=\"https:\/\/community.spiceworks.com\/topic\/2152253-it-career-poll-what-matters-most-when-choosing-a-job\">matter most to tech pros<\/a> by describing opportunities for learning and advancement, stretch assignments and access to decision makers.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Small businesses are typically less bureaucratic and feature a casual, family-like work environment, she added. And because the team is smaller, tech employees develop cross-functional skills and have the opportunity to weigh in on matters impacting the entire company.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Tech employees no longer need the structure of a large organization to grow their careers. In many cases, employees have access to online source code repositories, development tools and training. Moreover, because they acquire new skills and experience quickly in a small company, they leapfrog over colleagues at larger organizations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If your company can&#8217;t afford to pay at the top of the market for talent, adjust your expectations and pursue more junior candidates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The average salary boost that employees receive when changing jobs is about 18 percent, Hyman said. For an up-and-comer who is buried in the org chart at a major company and making $80,000, the chance at a $10,000 to $15,000 bump in salary is potentially exciting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-187853\" src=\"shutterstock_128647328-4.jpg\/{_document}\/hippogallery:original\" \/><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2><strong><a id=\"section5\">Effective Interviewing Techniques<\/a><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>When it comes to interviewing technical talent, Chuck Groom acknowledges that one size doesn\u2019t fit all. (This is especially true when interviewing candidates for highly specialized positions such as <a href=\"8-tips-hiring-great-data-scientist\">data scientists<\/a>, <a href=\"big-data-engineer-job-description-template\">Big Data Engineers<\/a> and <a href=\"descriptions-cloud-engineer\">Cloud Engineers<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The director of engineering for VTS and former <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.aboutamazon.com\/working-at-amazon\/how-amazon-hires\">Amazon bar raiser<\/a>, is a fan of the standard process (one or two phone screensfollowed by no more than four hours of in-person interviews) as long as the questions and format reflect the requirements of a particular role and today\u2019s passive, candidate-driven market.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cDon\u2019t over-engineer the process,\u201d Groom warned. \u201cGet everyone to agree on what success looks like, and draft questions that focus on day-to-day skills and the desired experience level before you start interviewing.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Groom prefers phone screens because they save everyone time. And he doesn\u2019t recommend marathon, all-day interview sessions because they exhaust the candidate. The goal of the phone screens is to get the candidate excited about the opportunity, and to see if it makes sense to proceed with an in-person interview.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For instance, during the first phone screen, a recruiter can assess the fit and skill level of the candidate, and sell the company and the position. During the second call, the hiring manager should allocate two-thirds of the time to high-level technical questions and discussions, and the remaining one-third to behavioral-based questions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Technical evaluations should reflect real activities, as well. For instance, Groom suggests that a whiteboard should only be used to explain quick concepts or to illustrate data flows, similar to a huddle. If you\u2019re hiring someone to write code, then a big chunk of the interview should involve hands on a keyboard, he stated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cGenerally, I don\u2019t like take-home coding tests because they are too off-putting, especially for working professionals,\u201d he said. \u201cPlus to get an accurate assessment, the problem needs to be well-defined.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The only exception would be when a take-home assignment is used as preparation to an onsite project or challenge, he added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Marcus Turner agrees with Groom\u2019s comments, adding: \u201cFor instance, I wouldn\u2019t ask a senior engineer who graduated from college 10 years ago to solve a Big-O notation problem. Otherwise, you risk eliminating quality programmers from other industries or who didn\u2019t major in computer science.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>What about bar raisers or other unconventional interview methods? Are they more effective? The answer is: it depends.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So-called bar raisers are supposed to act as impartial coaches who help to eliminate bias and enforce interview process and hiring consistency. However, unless they are well-trained and have a clear vision of their role, they often become another \u201cvoice of no.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Unless you have a lot of time and resources to invest in training and monitoring a bar raiser or a non-traditional method, most companies will be better off sticking with the standard interviewing process and focusing on continual improvement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cPut energy into debugging your process,\u201d Groom advised. \u201cSolicit feedback after interviews and track outcomes to figure out what\u2019s working and what isn\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>With the tech unemployment rate at 1.3 percent in May, it\u2019s no wonder that finding great job candidates is the biggest challenge for tech recruiters. However, pursuing passive candidates requires a fresh approach, the latest tools and an updated strategy. Check out our full guide for finding, attracting and engaging with top technical talent. Here&#8217;s [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":132,"featured_media":60107388,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2154],"class_list":["post-999694181","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sourcing-candidates"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.5 (Yoast SEO v27.5) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>2020 Sourcing Guide for Tech Recruiters - Dice Hiring<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"With the tech unemployment rate at 1.3 percent in May, it\u2019s no wonder that finding great job candidates is the biggest challenge for tech recruiters.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dice.com\/hiring\/recruitment\/2020-candidate-sourcing-guide-everything-need\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Your 2020 Candidate Sourcing Guide: Everything You Need\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"With the tech unemployment rate at 1.3 percent in May, it\u2019s no wonder that finding great job candidates is the biggest challenge for tech recruiters.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.dice.com\/hiring\/recruitment\/2020-candidate-sourcing-guide-everything-need\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Dice Hiring\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/dice\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2020-01-07T13:23:00+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-06-17T21:11:56+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.dice.com\/hiring\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/shutterstock_690895558-2.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1000\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"667\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Dice Staff\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@Dicedotcom\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@Dicedotcom\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Dice Staff\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"26 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.dice.com\\\/hiring\\\/recruitment\\\/2020-candidate-sourcing-guide-everything-need#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.dice.com\\\/hiring\\\/recruitment\\\/2020-candidate-sourcing-guide-everything-need\"},\"author\":{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"name\":\"Leslie Stevens-Huffman\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.dice.com\\\/hiring\\\/authors\\\/leslie-stevens-huffman\",\"sameAs\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/x.com\\\/leslieshuffman\"]},\"headline\":\"Your 2020 Candidate Sourcing Guide: Everything You Need\",\"datePublished\":\"2020-01-07T13:23:00+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-06-17T21:11:56+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.dice.com\\\/hiring\\\/recruitment\\\/2020-candidate-sourcing-guide-everything-need\"},\"wordCount\":2783,\"commentCount\":0,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.dice.com\\\/hiring\\\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.dice.com\\\/hiring\\\/recruitment\\\/2020-candidate-sourcing-guide-everything-need#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.dice.com\\\/hiring\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/03\\\/shutterstock_690895558-2.jpg.webp\",\"articleSection\":[\"Sourcing Candidates\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.dice.com\\\/hiring\\\/recruitment\\\/2020-candidate-sourcing-guide-everything-need#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.dice.com\\\/hiring\\\/recruitment\\\/2020-candidate-sourcing-guide-everything-need\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.dice.com\\\/hiring\\\/recruitment\\\/2020-candidate-sourcing-guide-everything-need\",\"name\":\"2020 Sourcing Guide for Tech Recruiters - 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