Building your Talent Network isn’t just about getting as many recruiting contacts into your database as possible.  The focus instead needs to be in getting as many interested AND qualified candidates as possible into your Talent Network.   Cause let’s face it, your Talent Network is only as valuable as the candidates in it.

So where do you start?  While I’ve gone over ways to start bringing in contacts to begin building your Talent Network in your recruiting process, I also wanted to address ways in which you can utilize candidates that are already in your funnel and ATS to start utilizing them to populate your Talent Network with qualified candidates!

As you are looking through your Talent Network process, it should not only be about sourcing new candidates but also making sure you are utilizing existing contacts that have come through your job distribution process.

So what contacts should you be making sure you are utilizing in your Talent Network.  Here’s a few to keep track of:

Qualified Candidates:  If you are like most organizations, you have some way to qualify any candidates that come into your ATS.  These candidates are then put into a separate status in your ATS so you can put them through your interview process.   But what happens to these contacts after they are removed from consideration for that job position?

The answer should be put back into your Talent Network.  While these candidates were not the choice for the position, they could be great fits for similar future positions you are recruiting for.  You should make sure to file these candidates back into your Talent Network and utilize them in email campaigns.

Good Interviews: Now when I say “good” interviews, I’m separating good interview candidates from the bad ones.  Let’s face it, not everyone you interview is going to match their resume or be a good fit for your company.  By filtering the good interviewees from the bad and putting them into appropriate pipelines in your Talent Network, you can cut down the screening process for future positions as you already know these candidates are qualified.

Past Employees: When an employee leaves make sure that your recruiters keep in touch.  Past employees are great passive candidates to have in your Talent Network.

By keeping past employees in Talent Network you do two main things.  First, when new positions open up that are career moves for these candidates.  These candidates know your company and could be great candidates for your positions.  Second, they are a great referral source for your jobs.  By including them on your Talent Network distributions you provide them with the info needed to find candidates like them that could be good fits for your company.

Your Talent Network does not have to be populated just from your job or sourcing campaigns.  Your ATS houses a number of candidates that could be great fits for future positions at your organization.  Make sure to take all the qualified contacts that enter your application and add them to your Talent Network or recruiting CRM.  And most importantly, utilize them!