Knowing how to find candidates is what separates great recruiters from average ones.
Posting jobs and waiting for inbound CVs isn’t enough.
The best candidates aren’t applying. They’re already busy, already being approached, and already making decisions. To hire them first, you need a proactive approach.
This guide covers 10 proven methods top recruiters use to fill roles fast and stay ahead.
Let’s get started.👇
LinkedIn is the number one place to start. It’s packed with active, engaged professionals who are open to new opportunities, so it’s no surprise it’s been the go-to platform for years.
The challenge isn’t figuring out how to find candidates on LinkedIn. It’s standing out.
Everyone’s searching. Everyone’s messaging. Potential candidates get bombarded with connection requests and InMails every day.
So, the real question is:
How do you actually break through the noise?
Before you send a single message, make sure you’re someone candidates want to hear from.
They’ll check who’s reaching out. They want to see someone credible, someone they’d want to work with. That means:
If your profile feels half-hearted, your messages will be easy to ignore.
Once your profile’s ready, it’s time to get smarter about how you search. A basic keyword search isn’t enough anymore. You’ve got to use filters properly. Think skills, industry, location, and even previous companies.
And if you want to take it up a level, learn a few simple LinkedIn Boolean tricks:
Niche job boards don’t have millions of profiles but the candidates you find are often a much closer match.
The candidate pool on niche boards is more engaged. They’re not just there because it’s expected. They’ve made an effort to join a community that’s directly tied to their craft or industry. And that usually means higher-quality conversations once you reach out.
Learning how to find job candidates through the right boards makes all the difference.
It doesn’t make sense to post everywhere. Start by getting clear on what you actually need:
Once you know that, find the boards that speak directly to that talent pool. Here are a few to get you started:
Some online job boards are free. Others charge posting fees, usually between $65 and $400, depending on the site and the visibility you want.
But if you’re hiring for a critical or specialized role, that small investment usually pays off faster than throwing $1,300+ at a mass-market board like Indeed.
Your best recruiters are already on your payroll. Employees know your company culture. They understand what makes a successful hire. And they have networks full of potential talent. Yet most companies aren’t using employee referrals effectively.
Good referral programs don’t run on autopilot. They need smart, consistent engagement.
Start by making the process ridiculously easy. Set up a dedicated Slack thread (or similar channel) and a referral form that takes less than 60 seconds to complete. The faster and simpler it is, the more likely people will use it.
Once the basics are in place, get specific with your asks. Generic “please refer someone” emails rarely work.
Instead, try targeted asks like:
“We’re hiring senior developers with React experience. Is there someone in your network who fits this profile?”
This specificity helps employees mentally scan their connections and surface qualified candidates they might otherwise miss.
You don’t need a huge budget or fancy setup to run a great career fair. You can host one with simple tools like Zoom or go bigger with specialized online platforms if you want more features.
Candidates can join from anywhere. You get to showcase your brand, chat one-on-one, and collect CVs. It’s efficient, flexible, and way easier to organize than an in-person event.
The best part? You can target exactly who you want, and it’s a great tactic if you’re focused on how to find diverse candidates. Want to connect with fresh graduates, mid-level engineers, or remote-only marketers? Pick your theme, promote it in the right places, and the best-fit candidates will show up.
Of course, there are challenges, too.
Standing out virtually is tougher than standing out in a busy conference hall. If your industry event feels generic or disorganized, people will drop off fast. To keep them engaged, build short, punchy sessions:
Remember to follow up. A lot of value happens after the fair ends. Have a system ready to sort attendees, schedule interviews, and keep the conversation moving while the excitement is still fresh.
Data providers give you instant access to up-to-date, accurate contact details for potential candidates. You can search by role, experience, location, and more. It’s a huge time-saver compared to manual sourcing.
One example is Kaspr.
Here’s how it works:
You browse LinkedIn like you normally would. But instead of copying information or sending endless connection requests, you use Kaspr’s extension to pull and export verified emails and phone numbers in seconds.
It’s simple, fast, and GDPR aligned. Take a look. 👇
If you’re serious about improving how to find candidates as a recruiter, testing a recruitment platform like Kaspr can quickly and easily set you apart. It’s a faster, easier way to connect with high-quality candidates, and it’s absolutely worth trying.
Not every great candidate comes from a fresh search. If you want to know how to find job candidates for free, start by looking inside your applicant tracking system (ATS).
Before you advertise a new role, search your existing ATS pipeline. Potential candidates who applied 6 or 12 months ago might now have the skills or experience you’re looking for.
Filter by relevant job titles, skills, locations, or previous hiring stages. Focus especially on silver medalists who made it far in previous processes but didn’t get hired. They already know your company. They’ve already shown interest.
And chances are, they’re even stronger now.
Tags matter, too. If you’ve used tags like “Java developer,” “Revenue Operations Manager,” or “Remote UK,” you can quickly resurface highly relevant candidates. If your tags are messy, it’s worth cleaning them up. It saves you serious time later.
Alumni networks are one of the smartest strategies if you’re looking for how to find more candidates with a strong culture fit.
Whether it’s former employees, university graduates, or ex-colleagues from past companies, these groups hold strong potential. You already share something important with them: a culture, a way of working, and values.
That connection builds trust and often leads to faster, more successful hiring conversations.
Start by figuring out which alumni networks are most appropriate for the roles you’re hiring for. Company alum groups are a great first stop, especially if your organization maintains an active community.
If not, turn to your own professional network. Look back at former employers, industry groups, and university alum platforms. LinkedIn is especially powerful here. Use filters to find candidates who share your past companies or education history.
When you reach out, don’t treat alum groups like job boards. Posting a vacancy and hoping for the best won’t cut it. Frame your message around why the opportunity might appeal to someone from that background.
Mention the connection you share. Keep the tone direct, clear, and respectful of their time. If you can, offer value beyond a job posting. For example, share career tips, offer advice, or contribute to alumni events. Recruiters who give back to these talent communities get much better responses.
Start by picking the right social media platforms for the roles you’re hiring. LinkedIn is obvious for corporate and professional roles. But don’t overlook Instagram for creative fields, GitHub for developers, or even TikTok if you’re hiring for early-career positions.
Each online platform offers different ways to connect, and choosing the wrong one wastes time.
Once you’ve picked your platforms, focus on visibility and engagement. How to find good candidates on social media comes down to more than just posting job opportunities.
Share updates about your company culture, team wins, and behind-the-scenes moments. Suitable candidates often choose where to apply based not just on the role but on how a company feels. The more real and human your brand looks online, the more inbound interest you’ll attract.
Direct outreach can also be powerful if you do it right. Messaging candidates via LinkedIn, Instagram, or even Twitter works if the message feels personal. Reference something specific: a project they posted, a comment they made, or anything that shows you’re paying attention.
The challenge with social media candidate sourcing is that it requires consistency. One post won’t fill a role. You need to stay active, stay visible, and keep the conversations going.
Potential candidates often research companies before responding to messages or applying for roles. If they see positive employee stories, a clear mission, and real examples of career growth, they are more likely to engage with you.
A strong employer brand also acts as a filter. It shows candidates what kind of people thrive at your company. This means more relevant applications from people who already see a fit between their values and your culture.
You don’t need a huge marketing budget to build a brand that attracts strong candidates. Start simple:
Face-to-face conversations build trust faster than any email or LinkedIn message ever could. Prospective candidates you meet in person are more likely to remember you, respond to future outreach, and recommend others in their network.
Sometimes, a quick coffee chat at an event does more than weeks of cold messaging.
But choose your events carefully. Focus on meetups that match the roles you’re hiring for, like tech conferences for developers, marketing meetups for growth roles, or local startup events for general talent pools.
Big career fairs can be useful. Yet, smaller, niche meetups often lead to better conversations and stronger candidates.
When you’re there, don’t lead with a job pitch. Start by listening. Ask about their work, their interests, and their career goals. Genuine conversations build real relationships. And when the right role opens up later, reaching out feels natural.
Kaspr is a plug-and-play prospecting tool designed to speed up and improve candidate sourcing. It helps you find verified contact information for your ideal candidates directly from LinkedIn.
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