Talent mining through data
Taking the variables out of sourcing the best candidates comes down to ’mining’ talent through seeking out and analysing data instead of cold calling or referral recruiting, according to sourcing expert Glen Cathey, known for his Boolean Black Belt blog.
Glen Cathey
Cathey identified five levels of talent mining:
1) Keyword/title searches
2) Conceptual searches - looking for synonymous and related terms, concepts and titles, as some companies may have different names for jobs than the job title being sought
3) Implicit search, because such a search is based on what is not explicitly mentioned. For instance, looking for an accountant with experience with SAP software by looking for people who have worked at companies that the sourcer knows use that software.
4) Natural language searches -; seeking out responsibilities and capabilities, targeting what people do and not what they say
5) Indirect search, the only level where the ’wrong’ people are sought to find the ’right’ ones. It involves targeting under or overqualified people or acquaintances or colleagues of the professionals actually being hunted, Cathey explained.
