Episode 13
Sourcing in Covid-19 Times with Stacy Zapar
COVID-19 has flipped sourcing upside down. Response rates are down, hesitation is up, and cold outreach barely works. Stacy shares five high-yield sourcing channels—from your ATS to boomerangs—that drive real engagement when passive candidates are afraid to move.
Episode Key Takeaways
People aren’t quitting their jobs. The US quit rate plummeted in 2020, meaning the supply of available talent dropped sharply even as unemployment rose. This inverts the recruiter’s assumption: more unemployment doesn’t mean more applicants willing to move. Fear of the unknown—remote onboarding, job security, childcare—keeps passive candidates locked in place, making empathy and transparency non-negotiable.
Your ATS and past applicants are warmer than LinkedIn cold outreach. Stacy reports that people who have already applied, interviewed, or expressed interest in your company are far more likely to respond than strangers. These warm leads have consumed your content, filled out your application, and left contact info—they’ve already raised their hand once. Sourcing your own database first eliminates the noise of mass outreach.
Referral sourcing works best when you tell people who they know, not ask them. Instead of generic ‘who do you know?’ campaigns, source the first-level connections of your hiring team on LinkedIn and present specific names: ‘Hey, these three people in your network look perfect for this role.’ This removes friction and leverages existing trust, making candidates far more likely to engage when they already know someone on the team.
Boomerangs and internal mobility are less scary than brand-new roles. Returning employees already know the culture, players, and expectations—a massive advantage when candidates are risk-averse. Similarly, promoting from within or backfilling lower roles keeps morale high and removes the uncertainty of joining an unknown company during a crisis. Both channels should be sourced actively, not just posted.
When hiring slows, pipeline aggressively and upskill ruthlessly. Downtime is not downtime. Use it to clean your ATS, tag candidates by skill and location, update contact info, and start transparent conversations about future hiring. Simultaneously, invest in training—online courses, ATS mastery, new recruiting verticals—to increase your value and marketability when hiring resumes.
Frequently
Asked
Questions
How do I source candidates when response rates have dropped?
Prioritize warm pools: people who follow your company, past applicants in your ATS, internal candidates, boomerangs, and referrals from your team. Cold LinkedIn outreach yields lower response rates in a pandemic because candidates are hesitant to move. Warm leads—people who’ve already shown interest—are 2–3x more likely to engage and say yes.
Should I use layoff lists to source candidates?
Use them strategically as research, not just as candidate lists. Layoff lists reveal which companies and industries are struggling, signaling where employees might be nervous about job security. Source the 90% still employed at those companies—they’re more likely to be open to conversations than the overwhelmed people directly on the list receiving hundreds of recruiter emails.
How do I handle candidate ghosting during COVID?
Ghosting often signals hesitation, not rejection. Follow up gently with empathy: ‘I know it’s been a couple weeks and everyone’s swamped—no pressure, but I’m still interested when you’re ready.’ People are debating moves, waiting for school updates, and uncertain about timing. Gentle persistence keeps the door open without pushing. If they say no, that’s clarity; silence means they’re thinking.
What should I do if my hiring freezes but I'm still employed?
Raise your hand to help other teams—college recruiting, retail, field recruiting—and show your value. Use downtime to upskill through online training, clean and tag your ATS, and pipeline talent for roles that will open in the fall. Don’t assume slow hiring means you’re not needed; proactively demonstrate you’re a team player and expand your capabilities.
How do I source entry-level candidates effectively?
Look for indicators of high potential: extracurriculars, GPA, travel, leadership in sports, or passion evident in their resume. Entry-level candidates often look similar on paper, so differentiation is hard. Ask your current employees—especially those in diverse networks—who they’d recommend from their connections. Referrals and internal networks are more reliable than resume screening alone.