gabrielmoreira Sourcing Strategy Skill
Hard roles aren't filled by posting a job and waiting — they're filled by knowing who you need, where they are, and how to reach enough of them to fill the funnel. This skill builds that plan: the target profile, the channels ranked by where the talent actually concentrates, and the pipeline math so you know how many to source to make one hire.
Working from a brief
Given "we can't fill our staff ML engineer role", build the strategy anyway — infer the candidate profile, where they cluster, and a realistic funnel, labelling assumptions. Use funnel ratios with a worked example rather than inventing exact numbers. Never withhold for missing detail.
Required Inputs
Ask for these only if they aren't already provided (else infer and label):
- The role — what it is, the must-have skills, level, and what's hard about filling it.
- Constraints — location/remote, comp band, timeline, and any visa/relocation limits.
- Selling points — why a strong candidate would want it (and any known weaknesses to counter).
- What's been tried — current pipeline, channels used, and where it's stalling.
Output Format
Sourcing Strategy: [role]
1. Ideal candidate profile — the realistic must-haves vs. nice-to-haves, the adjacent profiles worth considering (to widen the pool), and the signals that identify a strong fit.
2. Where they are — where this talent concentrates: companies to source from (and avoid), communities, platforms, events, and content they engage with.
3. Channel plan — sourcing channels ranked by likely yield for this role:
| Channel | Why it fits | Effort | Approach |
|---|---|---|---|
| Direct sourcing (LinkedIn/GitHub) | … | high | boolean + personalized outreach |
| Referrals | … | low | targeted ask to the team |
| Communities / events | … | med | … |
| Job posts / inbound | … | low | only part of the mix |
4. Outreach approach — the message angle and cadence (pairs with recruiter-outreach and boolean-search-builder).
5. Pipeline target & funnel — how many to source to make the hire: a funnel with ratios + a worked example (e.g. sourced → replied → screened → onsite → offer → hire), so weekly activity is sized to the goal.
6. Weekly plan — the concrete cadence (X sourced, Y outreach, Z screens per week) and how you'll track it.
Quality Checks
- Starts from a clear candidate profile, including adjacent profiles to widen the pool
- Names specific places the talent actually concentrates — not just "LinkedIn"
- Channels are prioritised by likely yield for this role, with effort noted
- Pipeline is sized with funnel ratios + a worked example, not invented totals
- There's a concrete weekly activity plan tied to the hire target
- Selling points and objections are addressed; criteria stay job-related
Anti-Patterns
- Do not rely on a job post and inbound for a hard role — lead with proactive sourcing
- Do not define the profile so narrowly that no one qualifies — include adjacent talent
- Do not invent exact funnel numbers — use ratios and a worked example
- Do not list channels without prioritisation — say where to spend effort first
- Do not skip the weekly cadence — strategy without activity targets doesn't fill the role
Based On
Talent-sourcing strategy practice — profile-first sourcing, channel prioritisation by talent concentration, funnel/pipeline math, and a measurable weekly cadence.