---
name: sourcing-strategy
description: "Build a talent sourcing strategy for a hard-to-fill role. Use when asked to create a sourcing strategy, a candidate sourcing plan, a channel plan for hiring, or to figure out where to find candidates for a role. Produces a strategy — the ideal-candidate profile and where they are, prioritised sourcing channels, outreach approach, a pipeline target with funnel math, and a weekly plan — so sourcing is deliberate, not just posting and praying."
---

# Sourcing Strategy Skill

Hard roles aren't filled by posting a job and waiting — they're filled by knowing **who** you need, **where**
they are, and **how** to reach enough of them to fill the funnel. This skill builds that plan: the target
profile, the channels ranked by where the talent actually concentrates, and the pipeline math so you know how
many to source to make one hire.

## Working from a brief

Given "we can't fill our staff ML engineer role", **build the strategy anyway** — infer the candidate profile,
where they cluster, and a realistic funnel, labelling assumptions. Use funnel **ratios with a worked example**
rather than inventing exact numbers. Never withhold for missing detail.

## Required Inputs

Ask for these only if they aren't already provided (else infer and label):

- **The role** — what it is, the must-have skills, level, and what's hard about filling it.
- **Constraints** — location/remote, comp band, timeline, and any visa/relocation limits.
- **Selling points** — why a strong candidate would want it (and any known weaknesses to counter).
- **What's been tried** — current pipeline, channels used, and where it's stalling.

## Output Format

### Sourcing Strategy: [role]

**1. Ideal candidate profile** — the realistic must-haves vs. nice-to-haves, the adjacent profiles worth considering (to widen the pool), and the signals that identify a strong fit.

**2. Where they are** — where this talent concentrates: companies to source from (and avoid), communities, platforms, events, and content they engage with.

**3. Channel plan** — sourcing channels ranked by likely yield for *this* role:

| Channel | Why it fits | Effort | Approach |
|---|---|---|---|
| Direct sourcing (LinkedIn/GitHub) | … | high | boolean + personalized outreach |
| Referrals | … | low | targeted ask to the team |
| Communities / events | … | med | … |
| Job posts / inbound | … | low | only part of the mix |

**4. Outreach approach** — the message angle and cadence (pairs with [`recruiter-outreach`](../recruiter-outreach/SKILL.md) and [`boolean-search-builder`](../boolean-search-builder/SKILL.md)).

**5. Pipeline target & funnel** — how many to source to make the hire: a funnel with **ratios + a worked example** (e.g. sourced → replied → screened → onsite → offer → hire), so weekly activity is sized to the goal.

**6. Weekly plan** — the concrete cadence (X sourced, Y outreach, Z screens per week) and how you'll track it.

## Quality Checks

- [ ] Starts from a clear candidate profile, including adjacent profiles to widen the pool
- [ ] Names specific places the talent actually concentrates — not just "LinkedIn"
- [ ] Channels are prioritised by likely yield for this role, with effort noted
- [ ] Pipeline is sized with funnel ratios + a worked example, not invented totals
- [ ] There's a concrete weekly activity plan tied to the hire target
- [ ] Selling points and objections are addressed; criteria stay job-related

## Anti-Patterns

- [ ] Do not rely on a job post and inbound for a hard role — lead with proactive sourcing
- [ ] Do not define the profile so narrowly that no one qualifies — include adjacent talent
- [ ] Do not invent exact funnel numbers — use ratios and a worked example
- [ ] Do not list channels without prioritisation — say where to spend effort first
- [ ] Do not skip the weekly cadence — strategy without activity targets doesn't fill the role

## Based On

Talent-sourcing strategy practice — profile-first sourcing, channel prioritisation by talent concentration, funnel/pipeline math, and a measurable weekly cadence.

## Example Trigger Phrases

- "Create a sourcing strategy for this role."
- "Where do we find candidates for this?"
- "Build a candidate sourcing plan."
- "Plan our hiring channels for a hard-to-fill role."