IT specialists are in short supply. No wonder the tables are being turned: companies have to apply to candidates. Active sourcing is in vogue and promises quick success. However, there are a few pitfalls lurking in the direct approach to recruitment. Many IT specialists are increasingly annoyed by too many and unprofessional enquiries. What should they do?

Active sourcing of IT specialists. What you need to bear in mind

As if we haven't known it for a long time, a study by the ICT vocational training organisation has once again underlined the shortage of skilled workers in its sector: by 2026, the information and communication technology (ICT) sector will have a shortage of around 40,000 specialists. A frightening figure. Despite efforts in training and further education, this demand cannot be met, the authors of the study state. But what are important active sourcing tips?

Against this backdrop, there is a role reversal: companies are searching social networks, CV databases and talent pools for suitable IT talent. And apply to them instead of the other way round. Active sourcing is becoming increasingly popular. The majority of candidates would like to be approached directly by companies: According to the "Recruiting Trends 2018" study by the University of Bamberg, 60 per cent of respondents prefer to be contacted directly by employers. However, in the highly competitive IT labour market, this can be too much of a good thing.

Many profiles are inundated with unprofessional direct enquiries

The highly sought-after IT profiles in particular are inundated with enquiries - and the specialists are becoming increasingly annoyed. This is understandable: according to the University of Bamberg, a German IT company with more than 250 employees and a turnover of EUR 50 million or more actively contacts an average of 13 IT profiles per day. Around two thirds of men are contacted by recruitment specialists at least once a month, compared to just over half of women. Ilka Szentkiralyi, an expert in active sourcing, confirms: "In sectors with a shortage of skilled labour such as the IT industry, there is already an oversaturation of active sourcing activities on business networks. Many of the profiles are increasingly inundated with unprofessional direct enquiries and are already withdrawing from the usual sourcing channels."

If companies contact potential candidates too often, they demonstrably no longer apply there. They also avoid the channels through which they have been contacted too often and delete the enquiries directly without having read them. In an attempt to attract skilled workers, companies can put them off - and suffer a loss of image. One in ten candidates talk negatively about companies that have contacted them too often. And four out of ten candidates are annoyed because the requests do not match their skills or are standardised contact requests.

Multiple mandates as a significant risk

"When companies award active sourcing mandates exclusively to a recruitment agency, it's a win-win situation for everyone: the company avoids multiple approaches and risks no loss of image, and the candidates are addressed specifically, not harassed."

Ilka Szentkiralyi, Recruitment Specialist at indivHR

We therefore offer the following active sourcing tips:

So has active sourcing already had its day with IT specialists? By no means, but: "Successful active sourcing requires experienced recruiters who have the necessary knowledge and time to deal with this task," says Gerhard Zeiner. However, for many companies, especially SMEs, proper active sourcing is not feasible in terms of resources. Anyone who cannot acquire the expertise internally in a specialist department should therefore not be afraid to call on external experts. "It's better to entrust the matter to specialists than to leave a bad impression on candidates that often can't be reversed," says Gerhard Zeiner. However, there is another stumbling block lurking here. In an effort to fill vacancies as quickly as possible, some companies outsource their active sourcing mandates to several recruitment agencies. The consequence: IT specialists are approached by different recruiters for the same company. It is understandable that the recipients are annoyed by this.

The same goes for the damage to our image. "When companies award active sourcing mandates exclusively to just one recruitment agency, it's a win-win situation for everyone: the company avoids multiple approaches and risks no loss of image, candidates are approached very specifically and are not harassed. And the recruitment agency has time to sharpen the profile, search the network and design a targeted and personalised approach," explains Nora Szentkiralyi, IT recruitment specialist at indivHR. A company with just one recruitment agency may need a little more patience. In return, it can be sure that there will be no multiple approaches - and that its image remains intact.

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