For modern staffing firms operating in a dramatically changed landscape from just a few years ago, it’s no secret that the old sourcing strategies are no longer making the cut.
Many tried-and-tested sourcing techniques — ads in newspapers and trade journals or in-person networking at trade shows or institutional events — are fading. Candidates have higher expectations. Your staffing agency needs to explore innovative and targeted ways to attract and assess sought-after talent if you hope to compete in a more crowded marketplace.
Here, we’ll explore how sourcing has changed and how your staffing agency can adapt to keep up in 2024.
Why you need to upgrade your talent sourcing strategies in 2024
Here are the key reasons your staffing agency needs to upgrade your talent sourcing strategies in 2024:
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Competition is high
Companies in many sectors are struggling to fill positions and plug skills gaps — and competition is growing. For example, although hospitality staffing has recovered from 271 million to 320 million employees over the last three years, 82% of hotels are still understaffed.
In the healthcare sector, the American Hospital Association predicts a shortage of 3.2 million staff by 2026. Leadership roles are being staffed by under-qualified personnel, showing just how tough the competition is for the right candidates.
Competition among staffing agencies is exacerbating the problem. Staffing Industry Analysts reported that 30 new healthcare staffing agencies have entered the market in the past year, with improved healthcare staffing software helping to drive that growth.
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Everything is online
Even if candidates are looking for in-person jobs, they’re most likely looking for them online. Platforms like LinkedIn have become the go-to for professional networking and job searches.
Industries like healthcare also have specialized job sites, and many in blue-collar industries like manufacturing turn to social media like Facebook and X (the platform formerly known as Twitter) to find opportunities.
In such a diverse digital climate, staffing agencies need to strategically target their sourcing tactics to find the right people.
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Staffing technology is evolving- fast
From applicant tracking systems (ATS) to AI-powered recruitment tools, new tech has changed the landscape. And in such a competitive job market, making use of AI and machine learning is a game changer for high-volume recruiters who need to process huge numbers of resumes and applications quickly and efficiently.
A platform like WorkBright can help. With WorkBright’s fully remote (and embedded) onboarding and I-9 solutions, you can speed up onboarding new hires dramatically—also keep temp staff’s records and I-9s on file and up to date to speed up the rehiring process next season.
Check out just how much time WorkBright’s Smart I-9 can save your staffing agency with the I-9 impact calculator. Candidate experience is crucial
More than ever, job seekers know what they’re looking for and have the freedom and choice to skip around until they find it. Your sourcing strategies should provide potential candidates with everything they need at point of need, and make it easy for them to follow through.
Top sourcing strategies for staffing agencies in 2024
Here are our top tips to help your staffing agency stay competitive in the year ahead:
1. Save time with tech tools
You don’t have time to burn when sourcing staff. If your processes are clunky or aren’t talent-centric, your competition will have snapped up all the best talent first. Optimizing your staffing software for onboarding can be vital to getting your listings seen, applications in, and candidates onboarded.
This is where solutions like WorkBright’s Smart I-9 come in: Smart I-9 is a fully online, remote I-9 verification solution that enables your candidates to quickly onboard and breeze through the paperwork.
2. Prioritize the candidate experience
In a highly competitive market, job seekers can afford to be picky. The more you prioritize a seamless application and onboarding experience, the more candidates you’re likely to attract.
If you can provide a consolidated, mobile-friendly online applicant portal, potential employees will find it easy to find opportunities and submit applications.
WorkBright’s ATS app interface is optimized for mobile use, and enables potential candidates to sign up for alerts on new job postings, which keeps them engaged. Candidates can even record video answers and use integrated assessments to validate their skills.
3. Think like a digital marketer
Getting your job listings to hundreds of recruitment sites and social media platforms is one thing. But you also need to be proactive about looking for the right people. Think about where your best-fit candidates are likely to be looking for openings.
While LinkedIn is an obvious starting point, it may not be as useful for finding blue-collar workers, who might be more active on Indeed, Craigslist and social media. Portfolio sites can be useful to find proven profiles for designers or engineers.
Using your job descriptions or particular skills gaps to inform hashtag and keyword searches can help you identify specific people or groups to reach out to.
You can also make use of your existing talent pool to get the word out. WorkBright’s hire tracker lets you track and reward employees for effective referrals.
4. Use predictive analysis for skill gaps
To target your staff sourcing effectively, you need to know what skills and experience you’re lacking. An effective tech stack can enable recruiters to conduct skills gap analysis, identifying which competencies and capabilities are in short supply in the job market. With insights from big data analysis, you can then more effectively tailor your sourcing strategies to fill those gaps.
You can also set your own Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to track which recruitment channels pull in the best candidates, and assess what methods work best. This lets you keep improving your sourcing processes.
5. Prioritize diversity for candidates and employers alike
Demonstrating a commitment to diversity in the workforce is likely to be attractive to job seekers: almost 8 in 10 workers say that it is important for management to prioritize diversity, equality, inclusion and belonging (DEIB) in the workplace.
Including DEIB-focused language in job postings is a good start, but make sure that your branding, social media and other materials reflect culture that supports diversity and inclusivity.
For example, avoid keywords that might put off underrepresented groups. That might mean skipping the industry jargon, gendered language or descriptors like “dynamic” that might discourage applicants with disabilities, according to leading job site Monster.com.
Automating your resume screening can also help eliminate unconscious bias and ensure that applicants are selected for their skills, experience and merits.
WorkBright streamlines your staff sourcing
In a fast-moving and competitive job market, it’s vital for staffing agencies to have strong candidate sourcing strategies and the tech tools to put them into action effectively.
WorkBright’s centralized Applicant Tracking System lets you get your job postings to more candidates, right in the spaces where they’re searching for opportunities. Reaching over 500 hiring boards, as well as Facebook, LinkedIn, and X, our ATS extends your reach even to those not actively seeking jobs.
Our customizable, mobile-friendly online portal makes it a cinch for applicants to apply, while dynamic filters let you narrow the field and identify your best candidates quickly.
To find out how WorkBright can accelerate your staffing agency’s success in 2024, book a demo.