Most of the placement agencies in Montreal and other regions, tend to stick to traditional methods of talent sourcing. Essentially, they post an announcement regarding open positions available, in the traditional job boards, then invite potential candidates to make applications, who will then be taken through the full cycle of recruitment.
In as much as this method has proven to be effective over the years, agencies are encouraged to be versatile and widen their hunting grounds for good talent. Here are a few of the other places where you could potentially find solid talent:
Existing candidate data
If you have been recruiting for any given period of time, then it is likely that you have a good pool of potential candidates you have interacted with in the past, but who never made it to the final list. This is one of the best places to start before you venture into the traditional methods of candidate sourcing.
Employee Referrals
Employee referrals remains to be one of the best avenues to get great talent. All the recruiting agencies have to do is come up with great methods of getting referrals from their current employees. This is because your current employees know about their friends in other companies who are equally talented to them, and would be a great addition if they were to join your team.
Google, Indeed, and Shapr
Unless you are a hardcore placement agency in Montreal, you will never understand the versatility of using Google and Indeed to find great talent. If you know how to search for them in the right way, and you are equipped with the right tools, then these could be your go-to sources every time you need a specific type of talent. That said, it may be difficult to locate highly specialized individuals using such platforms, certainly if time is of the essence.
Shapr, is an app designed to facilitate your ability to meet people based on the specific skills and talents they are showcasing. You can set your skills in order to attract specific types of talent, while searching for the candidates who possess the credentials you need. However, it is important to note that unlike various components within Linkedin, the Shapr app has not specifically been designed for hiring purposes. In addition, people who you show interest in must also show interest in you, and you will not be able to communicate with them via the app, unless your profiles matchup and there is a mutual interest. That said, it’s free to use at the moment, and may result in some good contacts.
Conferences and events
Conferences and events are known to bring both professionals and the big dogs in the industry all in one place. It is fertile ground for hunting industry specific talent, but you will need to have a very refined strategy to pull them aside during such events.