Search is an iterative process. (It is the main reason for “Boolean Builders” not to “fully automate” sourcing – however, they can be useful for LinkedIn.)
Search, review the results, reword, make wider or narrower, repeat.
The process is both monotonous and creative.
In a sourcing sequence, there are two approaches to take:
- Start narrow, e.g., put in all the must-haves and nice-to-haves. If you get too few results, relax the search. Repeat, opening it up in a different way.
The advantages are that you will land right on the “ideal” candidates. The disadvantage is that your competition and everybody else is already messaging these people, so your chances are low. - Start broad, e.g., only list the must-haves – get many results and many false positives. Remove the “wrong” keywords you notice in the results (e.g., you see managers while looking for staff), search, and repeat.
The advantage of this approach is that you will find matching profiles with unusually spelled out wording (like “Chief Coder,” not “Software Engineer”). (LinkedIn is not great at semantic search). Other recruiters won’t find them, so you have a better chance at catching their attention.
The second approach is more inclusive and highly applicable to Diversity Sourcing.
Join us for the webinar “LinkedIn Solved” on Wednesday, March 23rd, 2022, to improve your LinkedIn sourcing skills with various hacks and understand how it “really” works.