Measurement of success begins with understanding the gap between achievement and failure. Before you can evaluate the effectiveness of your sourcing function you must first diagnose where it exists now, then determine your goals so you can measure the gap between the two.

Sourcing today is being described many different ways, with definitions sometimes in violent opposition. At SourceCon just recently I presented a session introducing clarity around practical ways to measure success in sourcing — whether you work alone or as part of a team. There is a broad variety of sourcing models, encompassing everything from teams of dedicated Internet and telephone researchers to mixed roles involving outreach of both active and passive candidates as well as combinations of recruitment marketing, social media, RPOs, and multiple vendors. As such, a “number of hires” metric is inadequate at expressing the value of the sourcing function.

I've experience well over 200 sourcing models throughout my career now, and I have continuous conversations with recruitment thought leaders around the world. Because of that I believe I have one of the most comprehensive perspectives of what it takes to create a successful sourcing function, and how to evaluate if yours is on the right path. Check out the Prezi I did at SourceCon: 

Effective recruitment replenishes the talent ranks of an organization by connecting great people with great employment opportunities. Sourcing is a skill that brings about great recruiting. Without sourcing, recruiters can feel like Sisyphus ceaselessly rolling giant reqs up to the top of the mountain only to see them roll down the other side again. This is nothing more than the pursuit of mediocrity, chasing after our candidates and hiring managers only to begin anew when the next "urgent" requirement comes through. Recruiters who fail to create a sourcing plan are destined to suffer stoically at the hands of demanding hiring managers, desperate candidates, and weary staffing leaders.