SourceCon Community, 

In a recent article, I demonstrated how to find passive candidates by searching for authors. In reflection, I thought I should have said this and that and so, I want to share an important resource I overlooked before - Google Books.

In the example below I am looking for the term "python engineer." 

There are several books in the search results. Let's look at the first result. 

Clicking that link takes me to a page where I can preview the inside of the book chosen. I turn it off by clicking the X in the upper right hand corner and it removes the preview.

We now see an information page about the book and author. What catches my eye is the Author search function. Nice bio on the author. (Hmm… Bio, resume, what’s the difference, really?)

Clicking that link gives me 2 options: Search Google Books or Search the web. 

Searching the web link takes me to these Google results. Among them are links to his LinkedIn, Github and X profiles. Cool stuff. 

Now that I see that he is an expert or at the very least, knows more than me about python engineering (based on him being an author), and that I have a means of contacting him (social media), I can reach out and dazzle him with my candidate outreach skills. Hopefully.

Fresh Content

How To Find Talent Your Competition has Overlooked

Are you looking for expert-level passive candidates? Of course you are! I mean, who isn’t? You are probably using AI-powered tools, powerful chrome extensions, or the alchemy of boolean searching. However, I would wager you are overlooking an old-school technique that has delivered results for me since the 90’s – bookstore sourcing. What is that? Glad you asked. Amazon sells a lot of books, on all types of topics, and the authors of those books just might be the best hire for you.

Read more here…

I was a reporter at ERE

I took a brief hiatus from my SourceCon editor role to hang out at the ERE conference in Austin, TX a few weeks ago. While I was there, I interviewed multiple luminaries who spoke at the conference or who were there to network. These videos will be posted on the ERE YouTube page but one of the videos is below.

Check out the new YouTube page for ERE here. More of my interviews are posted as well as other great content from ERE speakers and luminaries. Be sure to subscribe.

Sourcing in South Africa with Vanessa Raath

This is the first in a series of videos exploring sourcing and how its viewed all over the world. The first stop is South Africa and our guest is SourceCon fan favorite - Vanessa Raath. Tune in for a very fun and informative chat.

View it on YouTube here

OSINT for Sourcers: Finding Candidates Where No One Else Looks

In the world of talent sourcing, the methods you choose aren’t just what sets you apart – they can define your success. With a limited number of qualified candidates available, sometimes the key to securing that crucial placement is what you’re carrying in your toolkit. Open Source Intelligence (OSINT) encompasses a broad array of techniques that gather data from publicly available sources. It’s a field that spans numerous domains, from national security to private sector research, each application tailored to the searcher’s unique needs.

Read more here

Upcoming Conferences

SourceCon

San Diego | Digital

October 22-23, 2024

Learn from and connect with sourcing leaders and professionals. This isn't your typical conference — it's an immersive experience that goes beyond the surface, delving deep into the innovative strategies and cutting-edge technologies that are reshaping the sourcing landscape. (SourceCon)

ERE Recruiting Conference

Anaheim | Digital

November 12-14, 2024

The ERE Recruiting Conference is the premier independent practitioner-led recruiting event that provides actionable insights for TA pros, by TA pros. Join fellow colleagues to discover practical ideas, best practices, and case study solutions from leaders who share your toughest recruiting challenges — and have experience overcoming them. (ERE Recruiting Conference)

Talent42

Seattle | Digital

June 3-4, 2024

The No. 1 tech recruiting conference will be returning in June to provide best practices in small-group settings from some of the best talent acquisition professionals in the world. From impactful presentations to candid roundtables to hands-on workshops, this is the conference you do not want to miss. (Talent42)

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