Sourcing talent often uses the same tactics: social media posts, contacting past candidates, staffing agencies, job board postings, etc. While these are tried-and-true methods, using some innovative ways to source talent can uncover a wealth of new candidates.

Below are a few unique ideas to change up your sourcing strategy.

Here are some innovative ways to find and source talent:

Coworking Spaces

Coworking spaces are full of freelance and remote workers looking for their next gig. And coworking spaces lend themselves well to easy networking with fellow workers. Oftentimes, small companies will rent a coworking space for their employees, rather than rent an entire building.

You’ll likely find people with all kinds of talents and in all kinds of industries utilizing these spaces. This could be a great way to pop by and strike up a conversation, or even drop off some business cards in the common work areas.

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Coffee Shops

Much like a coworking space, coffee shops are popular hubs for freelance and virtual workers. While it could be more difficult to start up a conversation naturally, look for conversation starters, such as a book on someone’s table or ask for a drink recommendation. Many coffee shops have bulletin boards to post information, so tack up a business card or even a flyer with job information.

Niche Job Boards

General job boards certainly serve a purpose, but if you’re wanting to source talent for your company, niche job boards are a great way to focus on specific industries or types of workers.

Sites like FlexJobs and Remote.co offer ways to post job listings and gain access to professional freelance and remote workers looking for work. Other job boards may focus primarily on your company’s industry and can provide a great way to hone in on qualified candidates.

Webinars

Webinars are an innovative way to source talent. A webinar can be used to promote your company, your services, and your job openings to an audience. People who attend the webinar can typically ask questions and participate via voice or chat. People who are interested in working for your company will likely jump at the chance to learn more about your company and hear directly from hiring managers.

Word of Mouth

Position your company as an expert in its industry and watch potential employees come to you. Get your name out there by writing guest articles for popular websites, giving quotes to media outlets about your industry, and getting involved in social media conversations, particularly on Twitter and LinkedIn.

All of these things will bring attention to your company, and it’ll be likely that candidates will apply to your positions already having good knowledge of your company and its culture.

Media

While tougher to do, getting a big media hit or public exposure can help your company find talent. Filling a big role? Try taking out a billboard ad on the busiest street in town. Does your company offer a service? Try to get a spot on the local news to promote your company, or make a commercial to air on the radio or TV. Perhaps a blogger with a huge following can write up a review on your service or company.

Interested in sourcing? Check out more ideas on recruiting talent.

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