Exciting News! 🚀 I’m thrilled to announce the release of my latest book, “Top Talent Sourcing Tools – Volume 2”! Are you ready to supercharge your talent acquisition game with the latest advancements in AI and automation? Look no further! This book is your ultimate guide to navigating the cutting-edge tools that are transforming…
Category: Blog
As the year rapidly draws to a close, I find it fitting to reflect on my accomplishments and setbacks in the eventful year of 2023. Additionally, I’d like to reintroduce myself. My name is Jonathan Kidder, and I wear many hats. I am an author, speaker, trainer, and a dedicated Recruiter currently employed at Amazon…
Given the recent announcement by IBM about their plans to utilize AI and tools like Chatgpt to reduce their workforce, I am left to wonder how recruitment practices will evolve in the future. Could we soon see companies relying on AI to screen candidates over the phone or conduct interviews? It’s possible that we are…
With Good Friday and Easter coming up this Holy Week, I would like to emphasize how Christians can use there faith principles within talent sourcing. As a follower of Christianity, I adhere to its core fundamental principles. You may struggle to understand how to use your Faith in your professional. However, many of these core…
Numerous recruiters and talent sourcing professionals have faced layoffs in recent times. There has been a noticeable increase in conversations around the instability within the recruiting industry. Regrettably, this is not an uncommon occurrence within our field. When companies need to adapt or alter their direction rapidly, talent acquisition teams are often the first to…
The talent acquisition field has experienced a significant number of layoffs recently. In light of the stiff competition, it is advantageous to be knowledgeable about searching for job opportunities that are not publicly posted. By leveraging advanced search techniques, such as Boolean strings and other methods, you can uncover a network of hidden job openings…
Regrettably, some recruiters have caused uproar online. As seen from tweets, subreddits, and other online posts, many candidates have reported being bombarded with excessive spam, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. In the following paragraphs, I will discuss the ways in which recruiters have engaged in spamming candidates and propose ways in which our industry can…
The news of layoffs has sent shockwaves across the United States, extending beyond the recruiting industry. Even Silicon Valley, which is typically seen as a hub of economic growth, has been affected by the downturn. Amazon’s decision to plan layoffs and delay or revoke job offers has raised concerns about the overall health of the…
In today’s uncertain economy, the process of finding another recruiting or talent sourcing job can be overwhelming. With many professionals struggling to secure their next opportunity, the competition among recruiters has become fierce. That’s why I wanted to share some creative strategies for finding talent sourcing jobs in a crowded market. Creative Ideas when…
In this article, I aim to showcase exceptional thought leaders in the talent sourcing and recruiting professionals in our industry. Over the years, I’ve had the privilege to interview some of the top thought leaders in our field through WizardSourcer, and as a result, I have curated a list of talent sourcing leaders whose…
On a recent episode of The Staffing Show, Maurice Fuller, CXO of StaffingTec, discussed how hyperautomation will transform the staffing industry. Fuller also shared insights on how staffing firms can adapt to a rapidly evolving future and mentioned emerging trends like predictive analytics and autonomous staffing. Below I’ve summarized several key areas that the podcast…
As a recruiter, having a strong understanding of SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is crucial. Optimizing job descriptions for search engines is key to increasing their visibility online. There are many aspects to consider when posting a job, and I’ve outlined some basic tips below. For more detailed information, I’ve also written a book called ‘How…
The recruitment and HR industry continues to change at a high space. With the release of new AI tools recruiting technology continues to outpace other fields. In order to stay updated on recent trends I wanted to put together a list of recruitment thought leaders and authors who are writing about all of these trends….
Recruiters have faced numerous challenges and uncertainties in recent years, including a global pandemic, economic downturn, and wars. Despite dealing with these obstacles, recruiters are now facing the possibility of a recession in 2023. Unfortunately, many companies often consider downsizing the recruitment department first when facing financial difficulties. We worked non-stop during the peak…
As a recruiter, you may enjoy listening to videos or podcasts more than reading lengthy interviews. Listening to a podcast can be a productive way to learn something new while actively sourcing candidates online. Many recruiting podcasts feature engaging and informative content that can be both entertaining and educational. I’ve been fortunate enough to get…
Artificial intelligence is advancing rapidly and its impact on talent acquisition is yet to be seen. AI-powered tools can streamline the recruitment process by efficiently screening and assessing candidates, providing objective data on qualifications and skills. However, limitations exist in AI’s ability to evaluate interpersonal skills and cultural fit, which are crucial in many job…
Have you ever pondered about how to kick-start a career as a professional Recruiter, but were unsure of where to begin? Frequently on social media, I come across this question, which prompted me to write a book that could assist other professionals in commencing their career in recruiting. I named the book “How to…
Enneagram personality model is used to understand someone’s unique personality type. The origins of this assessment has been disputed but the main ideas started in the early 1950’s. Enneagram is based on 9 different personality profiles. Why would you need to assess and score someone’s personality you may ask? Have you ever wondered why…
Starting a new Recruiter job can be exciting and stressful all at the same time. You will want to hit the ground running starting on day one. You will be meeting and connecting with the whole business right away. It will be good to create a plan and set some goals that you will want…
AI Automation will never be able to take over the human connection within Talent Acquisition but it may automate certain processes within recruiting. This is a scary concept to discuss in our community. Many Sourcers do not like to consider what will happen in the recruiting industry within the next decade. A question that I…
It takes a lot of up front investment for a company to recruit and hire a candidate. On average it takes my team around 130-150 days to fill an active position. It takes a lot of time and effort to search, screen, and to get an applicant through the full-cycle process. For certain niche roles,…
Building a personal brand as a Recruiter is important for long term success. You need to be able to market yourself within your specific niche. The best way to showcase your recruiting skills and experience is through online channels. Online marketing and social media are great ways to quickly connect with others within your field. …
As the year draws to a close, I’ve taken the time to reflect on my experiences. The recruiting industry faced numerous challenges this year, including remote working, hiring freezes, and navigating a global pandemic. Both personally and professionally, I encountered obstacles that I never could have foreseen. Additionally, the election season and its accompanying uncertainties…
SourceCon Digital 2.0 came and went so quickly this year. I was able to present on the main stage on Talent Sourcing Automation. We had over 750+ participants at this event making it the one of the largest Sourcing conferences in North America. I was honored that the SourceCon team chose me to present on…
When you work in the field of talent acquisition, the threat of a market uncertainty is scary. Since recessions generally mean fewer job openings that means less demand for a recruiter’s job filling abilities. However, there are many tactics recruiters can use to ensure a recession doesn’t harm their career drastically, but many of those…
During this time of uncertainty Recruiters more than ever will be facing new challenges. With so many workers working fully remote for the first time it’s become a great time to cold call applicants over the phone. With this positive side there’s also a downside: applicants are opening to talking but they are holding off…
Looking for a book to read? Maybe you’re sticking to social distancing like the rest of the world? Just doing a general search on Amazon there’s roughly 7,000 books related to the recruiting industry. With a lot of Recruiters having extra time it’s a great time to be productive and do some learning. When…
Many Americans are being asked to work from home or remote during the COVID-19 outbreak. For some this may be the first time you have ever worked outside of the office for any extended period of time. Having worked remotely for a large percentage of my career in recruiting, I have a few tips that…
Are you someone in the market looking for a new job? Well, then you need to have a resume that doesn’t get sent into a black hole ATS abyss. In order to land a job you need to have a well written resume. The majority of people and myself included learned how to write…
Every recruiter faces this dilemma on a daily basis: How should I effectively use my time throughout the day? Are you someone who puts time blocks on your calendar to focus on sourcing? When I first started in recruiting I did not plan out my daily duties I would just allow myself to jump from…
If you say negative things and remain in a poor state of mind. You will fail at recruiting in the long run. You need to remain consistent with your metric goals and accept failure throughout your week. You need to accept the events you can’t control. For example, maybe you had high hopes on an…
It takes more than blood, sweat, and tears in order to succeed at recruiting. You need to have a drive and passion for what you are trying to accomplish. You will face major ups and downs that not many other industry professionals will experience in their careers. Â The responsibilities of a professional recruiter include…
I’ve been recruiting engineers for roughly a decade now. The need for Software Engineers is in high demand and finding the right technical talent can be difficult. With hiring in this division being so competitive, it is important that you know how to attract the best people and also ensure that you position yourself as…
With the New Year fast approaching it’s a good time to reflect. I’ve had major ups and major downs during the past year. As Recruiters and Sourcers we are all about setting goals and meeting our weekly and monthly metrics. I remember starting my career at an agency and we would have daily “red zone”…
My name is Jonathan Kidder and I’ll be writing a journal series about my life as a Talent Sourcer. I want to give an insider’s view of what it’s like to be a Talent Sourcer in North America. I’ll be highlighting my challenges and struggles as well as opportunities for me to grow within my…
How to become a professional recruiter with no experience? Is a common question that many people have searched for within Google. I wanted to highlight my experience as a recruiter and how I gained experience throughout my career. I’ve been recruiting for almost a decade in several niche industries. Like most recruiters I fell…
Recruiters and Talent Sourcers are finding it more difficult than ever to find talented candidates for their open positions. It isn’t about just the difficulty in finding candidates, it’s the fact that most niche candidates don’t want to be found. Despite the beliefs of hiring managers, applicants do not grow on trees. With such a…
Glassdoor has quickly become a go-to resource for job seekers, similar to how Trip Advisor is used for reviews on hotels and vacation spots. It allows individuals to research a company’s work culture before applying for a job. As a result, companies are placing increasing importance on maintaining a positive reputation on the site. Glassdoor’s…
I find it beneficial to reflect on my past experiences, both the successes and the failures. Recruiting can be a roller coaster ride, with constant changes, heavy workloads, and tight deadlines. It can be challenging to meet the high expectations placed on us, and failure is an inevitable part of the process. However, it is…
Red Dead Redemption 2 Photo Credit Google (Alphabet), Amazon, Apple, Facebook and Microsoft are the five most valuable companies in the world. A recent article written by The Economist highlights the plight that we are facing. The most valuable resource is no longer oil– it’s data. The data that companies acquire from us as consumers…
Photo taken at our Airbnb house in Kauai. I took a vacation to Hawaii with my wife for two weeks this past month. We saved up for months after wedding to go on a honeymoon trip to the islands. For weeks prior I felt worried about going and leaving my work duties. Do you ever…
2018 will soon be a distant memory, but the challenges faced will follow recruiters into 2019. As you ring in the new year, you will need to start thinking of your recruiting strategy. Based on trends and projections, this year may be the most challenging market to find top talent in years. Candidates are scarce…
I had the privilege of interviewing Luke Doubler, the founder of a local staffing company (RecruiterCentral) in the Twin Cities and a seasoned talent sourcing professional with over 15 years of experience. I had been following Luke’s career from a distance and had the opportunity to meet him in person at a SourceCon meetup in…
I had a fantastic time at our first SourceCon chapter meetup at the Nerdery in Bloomington. There were two speakers at the event: Zachary Engler and Luke Doubler. Unfortunately, due to the weather, I was only able to sit through Luke’s presentation at the end. But, I still wanted to review some key areas which…
I had the opportunity to interview the legendary Shally Steckerl about talent sourcing. He’s definitely a leader in our space and I was overjoyed when he finally allowed me to conduct a full interview. He just recently wrote a new book about sourcing called The Sourcing Method. So, I recommend checking out that book and I…
A new show on Netflix called Black Mirror highlights the negative impacts of technology on the future. Although this show is fascinating and entertaining to watch, I feel that technology will make more of a positive impact on our way of life in the future. Of course, sometimes technology has a double side effect on…
I had the opportunity to interview Dean Da Costa regarding his latest book titled: The Book of Recruiting; Da Costa Style. His book is a compilation of his thoughts, tips, tricks, and advice as it relates to staffing and Sourcing. Dean has an extensive background in Talent Sourcing and it’s a real honor to have…
There is never a day where we should stop learning. While you may be finished with formal education, the world is constantly changing all around us. Continuing to strengthen your knowledge and skills will help you stand out as a top-notch recruiter. This doesn’t mean you have to attend a ton of conferences every year,…
Will chatbots replace the average recruiter? I highly doubt it. Many tech companies want to disrupt the recruiting process altogether. I see chatbots as a way to only “slightly” improve the process at best. It may help with passive applicants – getting them to complete an application and helping someone understand the general job description…
In tribute to an article written by Andre Boulais in 2017, I would like to highlight the significance of an Outbound Talent Sourcer. With job boards like Monster and CareerBuilder facing financial difficulties, it’s evident that top candidates no longer rely on passive job applications. The era of simple post-and-pray methods is long gone, and…
Browser extensions, often used by recruiters and sourcers, may pose a greater security risk than many realize. These tools can gain access to sensitive information such as passwords and browsing history, potentially allowing unwanted third parties access to your personal data. While some extensions may be safe for talent sourcing, it is important to be…
To remain competitive in the staffing industry, third-party agencies can use the following tactics to discover a client from a job post online: The first step will be to search for a job opening on Google. To make sure job aggregator sites don’t come up I recommend including the (-). For example: -indeed -linkedin…
Independent recruiters can’t rely on new clients appearing magically. The most successful recruiters are always actively sourcing for new clients they can work with. This isn’t a one and done activity but one that needs to be done constantly and consistently. Don’t wait until you don’t have any openings to fill to start looking for…
Optimizing your job postings for search engines, also known as “SEO,” is crucial in making sure that candidates can easily find your job opportunities online. To increase the number of applicants, it’s essential to ensure that your job postings are fully optimized for SEO. You don’t have to be an expert in SEO, but understanding…
Relying solely on job postings and waiting for applicants is not an effective method for finding top talent. While luck may occasionally bring in suitable candidates, the majority of the time you will be disappointed. Many individuals who are not actively job searching may still be open to a great opportunity, and even those who…
Millennials are a generation that have grown up in a different world than those before them. Due to that, companies need to alter the way they attract this generation. As of 2015, Pew Research has reported that they are now the most prevalent of all the generations in the workforce. If you don’t have…
A job description is so important in attracting the right applicants. If you don’t portray your company in the right way, you may be attracting the wrong crowd and turning off potential qualified candidates. Writing a creative and powerful job description will attract more views and ultimately drive more applications. The biggest advantage to…
Think LinkedIn and Indeed are monopolizing the job searching market? Yes, that certainly has been the case for the last few years, but Google has it’s own ideas. That’s good news for you – the job searcher! The more sites there are, the better your chances of finding your dream job. Google recently launched their…
Many recruiters have come to ask my advice on finding a job. Ironic, isn’t it? I had a call last week from a past coworker who asked if I could source him a new role. It really gave me a good laugh. In the spirit of helping my colleagues in their job search, I decided…
Throughout my career, I have had the opportunity to connect with many experienced talent sourcers. They have imparted valuable advice and strategies for identifying top candidates. What I find particularly interesting is that many sourcers are happy to share their knowledge and expertise with others. I always encourage newer sourcers to be open to learning…