It's on every recruiter's mind.  It's on every hiring manager's mind.  It's on every VP/Executive/CEO's mind. How will I keep my pipelines full and how will I anticipate the need prior to it arising? How will I manage the changing parameters of my day and my desk? How can I build a staffing brand so interesting and compelling to candidates that I can have competitors shaking?  What is it - what is the key element to a successful recruiting venture that will overtake the coveted passive hire, or the hard to convince candidate, that yours is the place to be?  How can one battle the ages old question about fit and be a place that hundreds, even thousands of folks want to be a part of?  What is it that opens the door to opportunity in the staffing realm to go above and beyond such that - even the hardest to fill positions become easy?  How does one take their sourcing magic and compel even the biggest challenges to our careers to become the powerhouse that can find the elusive candidates, garner candidate referrels, build trust and bridges that generate key hires that add value to revenue streams, eliminate process waste, and create the movement that is the heart of success in a recruiting capacity?

There is much there - but every recruiter I know at some point has been overwhelmed by the time attackers, the challenges, and "smoke and mirrors" affect that comes into our very being.

The number one most important - not to mention "Holy Grail" of staffing is the sourcing function - it is manna to the recruiting process.  Every other avenue of recruiting is an apendage to sourcing.  I am a sourcer first and a recruiter second.  The one thing that creates the difference between the A Player Talent Attractors, and the B Player Talent Attractors and everyone else - is indeed sourcing.

Ponder for a moment the elements of the staffing process:

1. The Funnel, OR sourcing effort to find key talent.
2. Screening the talent for appropriate qualifications.
3. Being on the Phone - Networking, and Contacting.
4. Interview with Hiring Manager and Hiring Committee Members
5. Offer and Negotiation.
6. Onboarding and Start
7. Long Term Career Engagement.

The most important element is the the "Funnel" or Sourcing component or as I like to call it finding.

Sometimes when a sourcer/recruiter goes to find talent they are met with an enormous mountain of data to sift through to find the gold.  This vetting process is key.  When we are in full blown reactive mode that is when staffing challenges arise.

A passionate staffing player seeks the effort to create a proactive talent pipeline strategy.  All elements of the sourcing puzzle must be addressed:

• Campus Recruiting/Alumni Associations
• Community partners to hiring.
• Social Media tools - LinkedIn, Plaxo, Twitter, Facebook, MySpace, Google+, joining LinkedIn Groups, posting and networking, Indeed.com
• Professional Association Contacts.
• Employee Referrels
• Candidate Referrels
• Open web X-Ray and other techniques.
• Formal engagement of Diversity Related efforts.
• ATS/HRIS searches
• Career Fairs
• Networking
• Niche Sites

Finally - I think necessary to be able to show your Employment Value Brand and the affects that has on company culture and what is like to work there are all important considerations.

I think treating candidates reasonably is also an important component.  Indeed, being open minded to a candidate's struggles and facilitating ongoing help, while keeping them on the bench until managers are readu is a true balancing act.

By creating a continuous Staffing Improvement "Kaizen" approach you build on past success as you look at metrics that help define your direction.

Being able to use multiple recruiting tools and having a powerful sourcing approach has a "cause and affect" relationship which follows to all other areas of the staffing equation.

I think we just sometimes need a focused effort on the areas that will allow managers and recruiters to take control of the process to deliver the key talent quietly but efficiently.

It is only when we master sourcing that recruiting takes on incredible outcomes.

Building one's knowledge in the basis of staffing success is a key element to build confidence and quick fills as a result of having engaged the sourcing arena.

Sourcing - is and will always be the pinnacle of the Recruiting puzzle to sucess.

Masterful sourcing from the perspective of quality is the very core of staffing.