I used to write a lot about what I did as a phone sourcer.
Sometimes I get up really early and do phone banks.
That’s when I call into companies and thumb through their telephone directories by hitting “2” for any names starting with A, B or C and “3” for any names starting with D, E or F and so on.
Here’s a link on phone directories.
Yeah, that’s some of what phone sourcers do for early morning kicks – some of us.
Nowadays we do a lot of competitive intelligence stuff and we don’t write so much about it anymore.
This morning I had an early morning two-hour “chat” with my good friend Alejandro Guzman.
Alejandro is a recruiter.
Follow him on Twitter: @TRGAlejandro
He prefers that medium.
We got ‘round to talking about sourcing.
Alejandro declared:
You cannot source information that is already there.
The function is inherent in the title.
New information is provided by opening and penetrating organizations and mapping companies out.
Those are the values inherent in a sourcer.
If the information is online, that’s coalescing – not sourcing.
That’s retrieval and organization of existing information – more of a librarian’s function.
[clickToTweet tweet=”If you’re not providing original information you’re not a sourcer.” quote=”If you’re not providing original information you’re not a sourcer.”]
[clickToTweet tweet=”To be a sourcer is to provide an original source of information.” quote=”To be a sourcer is to provide an original source of information.”]
I just about fell out of my lovely, high-pillowed bed that I sometimes work from in the mornings.
“Go on,” I said, my hand over my beating heart.
If you’re not providing anything fresh, you have to provide other services, like recruiting.
That’s why some sourcers are getting bogged down in engagement.
I do think Internet sources can provide new information – its just a rare skill just like phone sourcing.
Being a sourcer is providing NEW information.
It’s providing HOT STUFF.
I’m gonna get you a T-shirt.
What’s your favorite color?
“Purple,” I answered, immediately.
“I love you, Alejandro.”
“I love you too, Maureen,” he said back to me.
I’m expecting a package, any day.