Where to Find People Looking for Jobs

Finding the right candidates starts with knowing where to look. This guide covers the full spectrum of sourcing channels available to recruiters.

Job Boards and Aggregators

General Job Boards

• Indeed - Largest job site by volume
• LinkedIn Jobs - Professional network integration
• Glassdoor - Reviews plus job listings
• ZipRecruiter - AI-powered matching

Niche Job Boards

• Dice - Technology roles
• AngelList - Startup positions
• Dribbble/Behance - Design roles
• GitHub Jobs - Developer positions
• eFinancialCareers - Finance sector

Industry-Specific Platforms

Research boards specific to your industry:

• Healthcare job boards
• Legal job boards
• Education job boards
• Nonprofit job boards

Professional Networks

LinkedIn

The essential professional network:

• Advanced search filters
• InMail outreach
• Group participation
• Content engagement

Industry Associations

Professional organizations:

• Member directories
• Job boards
• Events and conferences
• Networking opportunities

Alumni Networks

Tap into educational connections:

• University career centers
• Alumni databases
• Campus recruiting
• Mentorship programs

Online Communities

Technical Communities

For tech talent:

• GitHub
• Stack Overflow
• Dev.to
• Hacker News

Professional Communities

Industry gatherings:

• Slack workspaces
• Discord servers
• Reddit communities
• Facebook groups

Forum Participation

Engage where candidates discuss:

• Industry forums
• Q&A sites
• Discussion boards
• Comment sections

Social Media

Platform Strategies

• LinkedIn - Professional content, direct outreach
• Twitter - Industry conversations, thought leadership
• Instagram - Culture showcase, employer branding
• TikTok - Authentic content, younger audiences

Social Sourcing Tactics

• Follow industry hashtags
• Engage with content
• Join relevant conversations
• Build authentic presence

Events and Conferences

In-Person Events

• Industry conferences
• Career fairs
• Meetups
• Networking events

Virtual Events

• Webinars
• Online conferences
• Virtual career fairs
• Live streams

Event Strategies

• Attend and network
• Host and sponsor
• Speak and present
• Follow up consistently

Employee Referrals

Referral Programs

Structure programs that work:

• Clear incentives
• Easy submission process
• Regular communication
• Recognition for referrers

Network Mapping

Help employees identify:

• Former colleagues
• School connections
• Professional networks
• Social connections

Passive Candidate Sourcing

Boolean Search

Master search techniques:

• AND, OR, NOT operators
• Quotation marks for phrases
• Parentheses for grouping
• Site-specific searches

Talent Mapping

Proactively identify:

• Target companies
• Key roles
• Potential candidates
• Relationship opportunities

Agency and RPO Partners

When to Use Partners

• Hard-to-fill roles
• High-volume hiring
• Specialized expertise
• Temporary capacity

Partner Selection

Choose based on:

• Industry expertise
• Track record
• Cultural fit
• Cost structure

Building Your Sourcing Mix

Factors to Consider

• Role requirements
• Target candidate profile
• Budget constraints
• Time to fill needs

Continuous Optimization

• Track source effectiveness
• Measure quality of hire
• Calculate cost per source
• Adjust allocation accordingly

Best Practices

1. Diversify sources - Don't rely on any single channel
2. Build relationships - Sourcing is ongoing, not transactional
3. Measure everything - Data drives improvement
4. Personalize outreach - Generic messages fail
5. Stay authentic - Real connections beat techniques

The best sourcers know their candidates and meet them where they are. Continuous learning and adaptation are essential as the landscape evolves.