Sourcing Community – few Gurus claiming monopoly?
One has to agree that web 2.0 has given a new dimension and horizon for recruitment sourcing. In last few years with evolution of Social Media and research tools, sourcing has cemented it’s identity. It is now proving a decisive difference between average and world-class recruitment process (not that it was not previously but it’s in the focus now).
However, with this – there has been an emergence of a Sourcing Community which is renowned for publicizing and educating worldwide recruitment engine about new sourcing methodologies using web 2.0. It is an elite league including few pioneers in this field which clearly dominates sourcing as a knowledge bank. I being in the same industry for past 6 years has seen this group started as a small circle of few professionals – now growing into MONOPOLY OF SOURCING.
Let me be clear – I have no issues with anyone in that group. To be frank, I am a fan of few of them as they proved a point to recruitment industry that Sourcing is indeed a specialist function and it is there to EXIST. However, these sourcing GURUS have now formed a group in themselves (mostly USA) who seems to claimed a total ownership of sourcing knowledge. My point is – sourcing as a skill has a universal appeal and application. It is of same importance than that in USA and India. But then why it is getting restricted to few Americans who seems to have 100% ownership of the platform. Why do we not see any non-western country sourcers as of same platform.
This is a mystery for me – do anyone have any answers?
- Formal organizations like SourceCon, ERE etc are only promoting few professionals within this platform. Have they tried to go beyond their boundaries to extend their reach to those hidden nugget sourcing GURUs exist elsewhere?
- What does it take to call yourself a Sourcing Guru? An appreciation from already established Sourcing experts? Promoting your blog, group via these guys?
- How come few people became overnight Sourcing Gurus in this community? They were never in the picture for past few years.
- Why there are only US guys running this platform? Do they consider sourcing to be a US/Western countries phenomina?
- Did they make any efforts to reach out to non-touched audience to gain their participation in countries like India?
- Is there a overshadow of outsourcing phobia in US which comes in a way to go beyond the reach?
- Why don’t we see ERE, SourceCon and other sourcing organizations to go beyond to promote sourcing and find out real super-stars hidden beneath?
- Why do we see a pattern where few established sourcing GURUs starts appreciating a new guy who suddenly becomes a new sourcing expert?
- All the radio/recruiting shows are focused around these “cirlcled” guys who promotes each other. Have we seen the same promotion/discussion for someone in Asia?
I respect all these guys and consider them my virtual mentors. However, knowledge is universal and it is there to get identified everywhere. I sincerely think this community should go beyond their comfort zones to reach out to the audience they have never reach to.
WHY?
- To gain a universal recognition and popularity to “Sourcing” as a concept.
- To create awareness in recruiting leaders worldwide about Sourcing and optimize their processes.
- Give boost to local sourcing talent and their upbringing. It will only help Sourcing Community to really become a Global Community.
- Adding a diversity and promoting innovation. Different minds brings new concepts – some heard, some unheard.
- To become a organized and bonded community globally. We can say with passion and spirit – Sourcing will never die.
Once again, this post is not to provoke any negative responses. I just wanted to bring out few points which can help Sourcing Community to really grow and develop the platform which can be shared by everyone globally. I feel presently it’s a very closed community OR entry-by-invitation community which needs to expand their wings.
Talent is present everywhere around the globe – in different format, shape, size and color. This community can really play a vital role to identify and blossom that talent to its excellence.
So – When’s next SourceCon happening in India? 
TheWonderSourcer
Passive sourcing does not work in India..
Gyan time
Passive sourcing does not work in India though it definitely works in the USA and the European countries. Maybe they prefer passive sourcing more as we have infested their job boards also.
Initially I also tried passive sourcing the old GOOGLE way and even got good results. However to my amazement got the same results from job boards and networking sites. Plus the networking sites results were far better then my so called passive sourcing 
Recently I attended a seminar on passive sourcing. The Passive Guru said “Active souring is like fishing in a pond whereas passive sourcing is like fishing in an ocean”. To this I would like to disagree by sharing my recent experience. Given a responsibility of setting up a new COE vertical; I did that by hiring 90% candidates from Job Boards & the rest responded to my Job Postings. (So here I prefer the pond fish.)*
In India, the best way to attract the passive candidates is through job posting rather passive sourcing for them. Post your adverts on all possible Job Boards and Networking sites to attract the so called passive candidates few being Marketplace on Facebook, Orkut, ittoolbox, groups on Linkedin, Blogs and most important on Monster and Naukri and then wait for good CVs to come. I have mastered this act of claiming profiles from networking sites as passive sourced candidates 
Passive sourcing is possible for Executive hiring; however I have realized that even they (Senior profiles) are available on Job boards (Active Sourcing). Most of my recent Executive hires are from Job boards and Linkedin- Talent.
Linkedin-Talent my favorite is a blessing for recruiters like me. Thanks to them, my Manager thinks that I am the best person to get these executive people and am being appreciated and promoted too. However if he takes away these Linkedin- Talent logins from me I soon will loose my job.
So Manager’s ignorance is bliss for me.
Manager is always right!!!!!
Hello,
All these years I was trying my best to avoid this topic, as was bounded by professional ethics.
It’s not that I am no more a professional, but the only difference is that I have found a platform to express my thoughts, all the unsaid things that I always wanted to share. I guess this is my chance to also know from the readers out there about their views on such topics, issues discussed here.
Who am I? I m just a baby sourcer (you might have judged by my style of writing by now – informal ) it’s okay. I prefer it to be that way. It makes life easier for both the parties.
The topic that I wanted to bring forth as of now is –
Manager is always right
- You agree…. I DON’T
Why do people agree with this?
- May be coz they don’t want to be in the bad books of the manager
- May be they prefer having good ratings at the end of the year
- May be they have an habit to say YES SIR, always
- May be they think that MANAGER IS ALWAYS RIGHT
I don’t belong to this group, and the reasons are as follows:
- Manager is a human being ( all human beings make mistakes)
- Manager was also an employee ( common employee some time back )
You might be wondering, so what, who cares as long as I get my salary on time.
Well, don’t forget that there will be a day when you also would be in the shoes of the manager.
Would you like your employees to always nod to your decisions?
Would you like your team to be a bunch of clowns, who are always smiling (although they are frustrated with some of your decisions?)
Or would you like your team to have a discussion (logical) with you.
The choice is yours
I am looking forward to your views on the same. Want to know if u agree, or disagree on the thoughts shared on this sensitive topic
Watch out for more such debatable topics. Till then take care
Regards
Baby sourcer
Stupid Idiom
These are not commandments, actually this is what I feel and wanted to express. Wont mind if you use it as career advice and do a plastic surgery instead . Consider them as stupid idioms.
- People who are beautiful – They deserve the best salary and role an industry can offer. Else get educated from A-list educational institutes ONLY. During interviews I have been so lenient with people who are beautiful.
- Good experience, good skills will not help if you are not educated from good educational institution. Sad but true… Exceptions are there…
- You need godfathers/ godmothers for exponential growth in organization.
- Slogging (working) 1 month prior to appraisal is more helpful than 365 days 24/7 work. Companies pride themselves of using good appraisal system however at the end of day it all depends on your boss.
- Appreciation from your seniors verbally is not a indicator for/ of salary hike. Always ask it in black&white.
- Frequent job change provides more salary. Look around yourself.
- High salary is indicator for good experience. It is .. it is
- Pay peanuts, you’ll get peanuts…………….. i don’t think so! . I have team whom I am paying peanuts however see the results they are delivering.
- When you plan to quit, then only company realises that they have many future plans for you.
- In a day actual/ urgent work comes only after working hours 9-6. Person starting his work late and staying back till late evening is considered as good resource
PS: We will respond to your comments with stupid remarks
