Let’s talk about Talent Engineering. Right now on any given algorithm on LinkedIn, you’ll hear from recruiters about Talent Engineering, Talent Graphs, and AI Sourcing. I’ve been involved in AI sourcing for a while because it spawned from necessity. For 10 years I had to place candidates I went out and found. That’s recruiting. Not processing inbound applications.1
So when vector databases and constructing talent graphs entered the mainstream a few years back, and “AI” sourcing vendors emerged promising shortlists as a cheaper alternative to LinkedIn Recruiter (or cheaper than hiring a technical sourcer to comb GitHub, or executive researcher to map a market and build a pipeline, see also: the work of recruiting) recruiters got frothy. Rightfully so. For less than $300 a month you can source talent without having to X-Ray Google or Bing. (Remember when X-Ray was proclaimed dead because of a change in caching?) Remember how we used to run searches in Google vs. Bing and wonder why the same query returned a different index? Anyone? Anyone? I know you’re out there, too. The point is this…we’re talking about sourcing! To put it simply, recruiting got cool. Again. (Yes, Steve Levy, I’m looking at you.)
And when it comes to talent graphs and technical sourcing, there’s none cooler than Bryan Lee. Bryan and I caught up recently to talk about the incredible work he’s doing around sourcing, and I had an absolute blast. Bryan’s recruited for the best tech companies in the world, and what he’s doing now is immersed in the work itself. He’s built talent strategies at Sequoia Capital, Uber, Apple, and Google. He spoke about blending the art & science of sourcing, vibe coding recruiting tools, and the ever persistent debate of build vs. buy when it comes to recruiting tech.
In speaking with Bryan, my perspective was validated.
Recruiting software is cheap.
Sourcing software is even cheaper.
How Cheap? Cheaper than a pair of Jordans. (That’s actually a line I used on stage at RecFest last year while conducting a Q&A with the founder of an AI sourcing platform to a packed circus tent of recruiters eager to do the ai sourcing.) Which is apropos. Because recruiting is a bit of a circus right now. And that’s being generous.
The true cost is not yet actualized. (We’re living in subsidized token cost days, like when it was dirt cheap to hire an Uber to drive you across SF.)
And finally:
No sourcing tool will make you a better recruiter.
You still have to run incredible outreach that converts. (Aim for a 20-30% response rate if you don’t want AI to replace you.)
My proof from an insane quarter hiring for a startup:
Anyways, now that I’ve checked myself before I req myself, let’s go back to the sneaker comment. Bryan and I talked about our love for hype sneakers on the show, too. And I shared how I actually got into recruiting [sourcing] because I was a sneaker reseller on forums in the 2000s, running searches for product serial numbers in databases of e-commerce websites. (If that’s not skills based hiring I don’t know what is.) Tune in to see what heat he pulls out mid show. And please feel free to tell me what I’m wrong about when it comes to doing your job as a recruiter.
It’s sourcing.
(Just in case that wasn’t clear.)
»Follow Bryan on LinkedIn
Timestamps
00:00 Brian Lee on the future of sourcing, AI, automation, and building Subgraph
05:00 Why startup recruiting forces recruiters to solve problems end to end
10:00 Building a faster sourcing workflow from JD to interview-ready candidates
15:00 Talent engineering, vibe coding, and build-vs-buy
20:00 Automating recruiting workflows and LinkedIn outreach
25:00 Sourcing beyond Boolean search, LinkedIn, and traditional talent databases
30:00 How talent intelligence makes recruiters better advisors to hiring managers
35:00 Measuring recruiting technology by outcomes, efficiency, and actual hires
40:00 Why there’s no single “right” recruiting workflow or technology stack
45:00 Why AI recruiting products will struggle to solve every recruiter’s workflow
50:00 Talent networks and talent rediscovery
Looking for a best fall conference to attend?
I’m thrilled to be joining forces with Workday for “The Future of Frontline Summit” where 600+ Senior Leaders across HR, HR IT, and Operations across frontline industries will gather before Workday Rising.
Frontline workers make up 80% of the global workforce, and Workday is putting them front and center. By bringing Paradox and their Workforce Management tech together, they are hosting the Future of Frontline Summit on October 12th at Resorts World Las Vegas.
I’ll be there because frontline hiring is where I got my start in the recruiting industry, and technology like Paradox empowers the hiring process for frontline managers. This is the innovation the industry needs right now. I’ll be recording from the floor, so be sure to tune in to the stories I’m stoked to share. Attending? Be sure to say hi. I’ll be the guy with the camera.
When: Monday, October 12 | 10:30 AM - 4:00 PM
Where: Resorts World, Las Vegas (Right before Workday Rising)
Glen Cathey on what recruiting is and isn’t. https://www.linkedin.com/posts/glencathey_recruiting-sourcing-futureofrecruiting-activity-7299778346173812736-Ijxl?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAABt2WzsBVhjwlBuQ7RcH1uOKiHw_y5O2-cs
