LinkedIn is the default sourcing channel for most recruiters. It's where professionals live online, and tools like Recruiter make finding candidates relatively straightforward. But relying solely on LinkedIn means you're fishing in the same pond as every other recruiter.

The best candidates are often the ones who aren't being bombarded with InMails daily. Finding them requires looking beyond the obvious channels.

The Problem with LinkedIn-Only Sourcing

LinkedIn is crowded. Popular candidates in high-demand fields receive dozens of recruiter messages weekly. Response rates drop because people tune out the noise. You're also competing directly with every other recruiter who has access to the same search tools and the same candidate pool.

There's also a coverage gap. Not everyone maintains an active LinkedIn presence. Some industries and roles skew toward other platforms. Developers often prefer GitHub. Creatives showcase work on Behance or Dribbble. Senior executives may have minimal LinkedIn activity. If LinkedIn is your only source, you're missing these candidates entirely.

Diversifying your sourcing channels takes more effort, but it surfaces candidates your competitors aren't reaching.

Alternative Sourcing Channels

Your own talent pool. The most overlooked source is candidates you already know. Past applicants, people you've sourced before, and candidates who weren't right for previous roles might be perfect for current ones. A well-organised ATS with strong search capabilities lets you tap this resource before looking externally.

GitHub and Stack Overflow. For technical roles, these platforms reveal what candidates actually do, not just what they claim on a CV. GitHub shows real code and project contributions. Stack Overflow demonstrates expertise through answers and reputation scores. Candidates active on these platforms are often genuinely passionate about their craft.

Industry-specific job boards and communities. Every sector has its own gathering places. Dribbble and Behance for designers. AngelList for startup talent. Indeed and specialised boards for specific industries. These platforms attract candidates who may not be active on LinkedIn.

Professional associations and events. Industry conferences, meetups, and professional bodies are goldmines for passive candidates. People attending these events are invested in their careers and often open to conversations about opportunities, even if they're not actively job hunting.

Referrals. Still the highest-converting source for most recruiters. Placed candidates know other strong candidates. Ask systematically after every successful placement. Build referral requests into your process rather than treating them as an afterthought.

University and bootcamp alumni networks. For junior roles especially, reaching out through educational institutions can surface candidates before they hit the open market. Many programs have job boards or alumni channels where you can post opportunities.

Social media beyond LinkedIn. X is popular among tech workers, journalists, and marketing professionals. Facebook groups exist for nearly every profession and industry. Reddit has active communities for most career fields. These platforms require different approaches than LinkedIn, but can surface candidates who aren't reachable elsewhere.

Making Alternative Sourcing Work

Diversifying sources only helps if you can manage the increased complexity. Candidates from different channels need to flow into the same system so you can track and compare them effectively.

When you find candidates on GitHub or through referrals, add them to your talent pool immediately. Capture where they came from so you can measure which sources produce results over time. Use CV parsing to structure their information quickly rather than entering data manually.

Different channels also require different outreach approaches. A message that works on LinkedIn may fall flat on Twitter or in a Slack community. Adapt your tone and format to match the platform. Generally, the less formal the channel, the more conversational your approach should be.

Track your results by source. Over time, you'll discover which channels produce the best candidates for specific role types. Double down on what works and drop what doesn't.

The Bottom Line

LinkedIn is a powerful tool, but it shouldn't be your only tool. The recruiters who consistently find great candidates are the ones who source from multiple channels and build talent pools that go beyond the obvious.

Start with one or two additional sources relevant to the roles you fill most often. Add candidates to your talent pool systematically. Over time, you'll build a competitive advantage that recruiters stuck on LinkedIn alone can't match.

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