Stop Sourcing: It’s Time to Let Recruiters Be Recruiters

Hi Recruiters,

Sourcing, as we’ve known it, is fading fast. The old methods—Boolean searches and resume databases—are becoming relics. AI-driven platforms have moved in, automating what used to take hours and letting technology handle the grunt work. The days of measuring recruiters by how fast they can source candidates are over. It’s time to refocus.

Recruiting isn't about how many resumes you can churn through; it’s about real connections. It’s about finding the people who will drive your organization forward, the ones who have the potential to thrive, not just those with the right keywords on their profile. The best hires don’t always tick every box, but they bring grit, adaptability, and creativity—the things you can’t measure with an algorithm.

What You Should be Measuring

The old metrics, like time to fill, are meaningless in this new reality. If you’re still fixated on them, you’re not evolving. It’s time to focus on what truly matters: the quality of interviews, the depth of interactions, the number of hires, and the overall candidate experience.

Forget how quickly someone can fill a role—start asking how well they understand the candidates they’re engaging with. Are they creating meaningful connections? Are the candidates they’re bringing in staying, growing, and adding value over time? Those are the measurements that matter. If you’re still using outdated metrics, you’re setting your team up to fail in a system that’s already changed.

AI Does the Heavy Lifting, Recruiters Do The Real Work

We’ve moved beyond the days where recruiters needed to spend their time manually sourcing candidates. Let the AI-driven platforms, like hireEZ, do the heavy lifting. They can handle the automations, the resume scanning, the keyword matching. That’s their job. The recruiter’s role? Building real relationships. Connecting with people in ways no machine can. Finding the ones who aren’t just right on paper, but who will thrive when things get tough.

Recruiters need time to focus on what AI can’t replicate—those instincts that come from human experience. The ability to see potential in a candidate that doesn’t scream it from their resume. The art of reading between the lines, seeing beyond buzzwords, and understanding what drives people.

The Future of Recruiting

In the next 18 to 36 months, the way you operate needs to change. If your strategy still revolves around traditional sourcing methods, you’re already behind. AI is transforming the industry, and those who embrace it will find their recruiting teams are not just faster but smarter. But don’t be fooled—AI isn’t here to take over completely. It’s here to enhance what recruiters do best: building relationships, understanding people, and making meaningful connections.

If you want your team to thrive, give them the space to develop the non-technical skills that set them apart. Throw out the old metrics. Let recruiters focus on candidate experience, on how well they interact with potential hires, and on creating relationships that last. Let them find those diamonds in the rough, the candidates who may not check every box but have the hunger and drive to make an impact.

It’s Time to Measure What Matters

Sourcing, as we know it at least, is dead, and it is not the future of the industry. The real value of a recruiter lies in their ability to build trust, to understand candidates beyond their qualifications, and to deliver hires who can grow and adapt. The old version of sourcing? Maybe that’s on its way out. But finding great people? That’s still an art. And no AI, no algorithm, will ever master that.

Stop focusing on speed and start focusing on quality. Measure interactions. Measure hires. Measure how your candidates feel about the process. Measure the experience, not just the output. Let AI do the tasks it was built for, and let your recruiters be recruiters.

Aaron's Corner

Aaron Iba?ez here! Conference season is in full swing. We have several team members at #HRTech this week (Booth #4509) spreading the word about the benefits of our talent acquisition platform and connecting with industry professionals. Stop by and say hi if you're attending. ??

We're also putting on our own conference in just 11 days! We've invited 15 industry experts to share insights and strategies to elevate your talent acquisition efforts. Register now to attend our F.R.B.R. Conference on October 8th, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. CT.

See you there!

— Recruiters