Making a change to organizational processes almost always comes with some level of unease, whether it’s temporary discomfort while adjusting to a new system or it’s relinquishing control over what once worked but no longer serves your team. Even if you know you’ll see improvement on the other side, the reality of an uncomfortable transition can be enough to convince you to just “leave things as they are.”
Sometimes the need for a change is very obviously triggered by something NOT working, but other times it’s a positive indicator of organizational growth, which is a very good problem!
So how do you know if the tension you’re feeling warrants a change? If your recruiting team is feeling stretched and overworked, how do you know what change to make to your hiring process?
We can’t give you a definitive answer without a comprehensive look at your unique recruiting function, but we can outline some signs to give you direction. If these resonate, it may be time to consider outsourcing your sourcing to an expert who can alleviate strains in your recruiting process.
4 signs it might be time to outsource your sourcing
1. Hiring managers want to see more candidates.
When hiring managers want to see more candidates, it’s usually because they’re not getting the right candidates. Recruiters are likely doing all they can to screen candidates that seem to fit the bill, but they’re also managing the entire hiring process.
So, if your hiring managers are asking your recruiters to send over more candidates, this may be a sign you need to outsource sourcing.
Why? Because the candidates your hiring managers want to see might be doing the job somewhere else. It’s nearly impossible to get the right candidates in front of hiring managers without a dedicated sourcer involved.
2. Your recruiters are maxed out.
With hiring managers requesting to see more candidates, recruiters often push resumes to keep up with the demand. This pressure often causes them to deliver quantity over quality.
Now hear this: it’s not the recruiters’ faults. They’re not demonstrating laziness or incompetence; they’re simply taking on an additional role (sourcing) that was never intended for them.
Bringing in a dedicated sourcing solution can quickly and effectively mitigate this pressure and get your recruiters refocused on what they do best.
3. Requisition volume is increasing.
High requisition can be wonderful in its indication of company growth and revival, but this increased demand also makes room for corner-cutting and entertaining first-fit applicants.
There is no universal recommendation for the number of requisitions a recruiter should manage at a time, but you’ve likely defined the sweet spot within your organization. In this case, the numbers don’t lie. If your requisitions continue to increase and you’re not adding full-time headcount to your team, it might be time to call in additional resources. Outsourcing sourcing is the quickest and most scalable solution!
4. You don’t have any dedicated sourcers.
If recruiters are being made responsible for sourcing, your recruiting function is already lacking a dedicated sourcing solution. As demands on recruiters fluctuate, so does their ability to focus on sourcing, because, as previously stated, it’s not their primary job in the first place. It’s only natural that sourcing loses priority.
When you have sourcers with the sole focus of, well, sourcing, you’re not only alleviating strain on your recruiting function but you’re also positioning your organization to experience improved hiring outcomes. Working with a professional sourcer ensures someone is constantly promoting your firm, brand, and culture.
If the composition of your recruiting function lacks even one dedicated sourcer, take this as a sign that it’s time to implement a dedicated sourcing solution.
Is now the time to start outsourcing your sourcing?
These four specific signs essentially reveal one major sign: your recruiting function is overloaded in one way or another.
Whether it looks like a hiring manager experiencing frustration and impatience or a recruiter struggling to keep up with demands, an overloaded recruiting function hinders your team’s prioritization of sourcing.
If you’ve read through these signs and realized a need for a sourcing partner, Beacon Lane would love to help! We specialize in sourcing and are able to jump in quickly and effectively to alleviate pain points within your recruiting function.
Not only does a sourcing partner like Beacon Lane go beyond providing a list of names to get you the qualified, interested candidates you need, but it also brings market intelligence, research, and deep sourcing expertise to deliver best-in-class service.
