Attracting and retaining talent has grown harder in recent years. Between the growing talent deficit and the changing mindsets of both workers and organizations, recruitment is no longer as simple as it once was. Job openings sit open longer, recruiters put in more work, and talent doesn’t always match expectations.

One way to help simplify recruitment while also bringing in top talent is garnering referrals through crowdsourcing. The talent shortage has created a significant deficit in highly skilled candidates. Many organizations are relying on contingent labor to help close the gap, but it can still be difficult to find qualified candidates. Referrals can help to close that gap. The highly skilled talent you already have in your talent pools has an extended network of other highly skilled talent. It makes sense to utilize those connections, but tapping into that network can feel intimidating without the automation or technology in place to do so in a scalable way

What is Crowdsourcing?

Crowdsourcing is nearly as it sounds: it is a form of outsourcing, sourcing from a crowd or group of people. This method essentially leverages the vastness of the internet to gather like-minded people for a single cause. Investopedia defines it as “obtaining work, information, or opinions from a large group of people who submit their data via the Internet, social media, and smartphone apps.”

What skills are being sourced will vary as will the crowd it is being sourced from. Though this is typically focused on fundraising, crowdsourcing can be used to enlist large numbers of people for a variety of reasons. The sourced assistance can work together to solve problems, test products or softwares, or even fill open job positions.’

Using Crowdsourcing in Talent Acquisition

Crowdsourced referrals are growing in popularity. Your employees, contingent workers, and pre-vetted candidates have their own networks. By crowdsourcing referrals, you can access previously hidden or inaccessible pools of talent (many of whom are passive candidates but would consider a position if it were the right fit) through multiple networks. In fact, this is a more effective recruiting tactic than posting job openings on career sites or job boards.