As the workforce model evolves, interest in direct sourcing as a talent acquisition strategy is increasing; however, it remains an underutilized option. This is especially true for IT staffing, where hiring has become reactionary to keep up with rapid and imminent digital transformation needs. The notion that there are well-cultivated talent pools waiting at the fringes often seemed implausible. Hiring companies faced stiff competition from the beginning, racing to attract top talent with the right skills who could jump in quickly. Furthermore, how could they achieve these objectives with minimal administrative burden on an already lean (and often overworked) HR and talent acquisition team?
That’s why contingent staffing models have been critical to filling the gaps, and direct sourcing contingent labor was slow to rise. While it is ultimately fast, budget-friendly, and offers more targeted talent, a direct sourcing solution requires lead-up time to get started and a proactive, engaged employer to make for a successful program. During the height of the tech job hiring explosion, many companies didn’t have the luxury of time or resources to dedicate.
In today’s market, where a steady recovery is anticipated, organizations are now seeking additional ways to create a repeatable, cost-effective solution to on-demand talent that will have a long shelf-life, while also supporting their unique brand and hiring needs.
How Direct Sourcing Works for Contingent Staffing
In the most basic sense, when working only within a traditional contingent staffing model, the hiring manager engages a staffing firm to deliver a hire or volume of hires with a specific skill for a defined contract engagement. The hiring manager contacts the staffing firm, provides the job requisition information, and the staffing firm gets to work to circulate the job, source a suitable slate of candidates, set up interviews, and deliver the selected candidate-now-turned-consultant to the hiring company. It is cost-effective and quick, relative to full-time permanent hires, with more scalability, especially for finite projects or when an expert consult or niche skill is required.
With a direct sourcing solution, the process is similar. However, more implementation is done upfront due to the increased collaboration between the employer and the staffing provider in building the strategy. Together, the team amasses and curates a talent pool that the hiring company can leverage repeatedly when they need resources. This requires an investment into marketing the employer’s brand and leveraging it along with the jobs themselves to communicate the employer’s value proposition as a primary way to attract talent. The talent pool built relies heavily on a collection of quality candidates whose companies can repeatedly engage with and remain eager to work for them for today’s and future jobs.
When done right, this solution results in elevated candidate quality, faster hiring, better forecasting ability, and ultimately improved cost structures and efficiencies.
Why XPRESSi is an Enhanced Direct Sourcing Solution
Along with the natural benefits associated with direct sourcing noted above, XPRESSi, a collab between leading industry staffing firms SSi People and CXC, delivers an additional layered approach to the entire talent acquisition process. It changes the way organizations think of direct sourcing.
Cultivating a pool of top talent is a given, complete with brand awareness and the ability to deliver talent quickly. However, XPRESSi enhances this process by managing the total talent lifecycle globally. From hiring and onboarding and consultant management to compliance oversight, global reach, and offboarding, XPRESSi drives the entire solution.
With their combined expertise, SSi People and CXC embrace a people-first mindset to deliver a fully integrated, end-to-end workforce management solution. From recruitment to payroll, this partnership offers flexibility, compliance, and global reach, empowering businesses to manage their contingent workforce with agility and efficiency. Transparency is paramount; predictable pricing leads to better financial control and visibility.
The XPRESSi method ensures international compliance, reducing risk around tax employment laws and local regulations, making cross-border management seamless.
This, along with SSi People’s long-standing expertise in IT staffing, means that XPRESSi delivers tailored service offerings that support an organization’s initiatives and goals, resulting in a reliable and cost-effective solution to optimize any workforce.
For additional information on XPRESSi as your total talent management solution, schedule time with our team to speak further.