What and Who Makes A Good Name Sourcer?

Maureen Sharib is a renowned American telephone names sourcer who recently wrote an article for the newsletter on "The What, How, Who and Why of Name Sourcing".

She has written a follow up article for the blog.

Sourcing is primarily an art form, with a sizable amount of understanding of human nature mixed in.  A good name sourcer can come from any background.  Many HR departments believe they must have their sourcers “captive” in their organizations – I don’t believe this to be true.  Quite the opposite, a good name sourcer is often one who enjoys working alone, who’s self-disciplined almost to the point of obsession, who doesn’t relish the thought of work-place companionship or others listening to them on the phone "doing their thing".  They are usually like bull-dogs who latch onto something and won't let go of it until it's completed so the "need" to monitor their work habits is a moot point. What you need to worry about is on your end. Can you handle the pipelines they have a tendency to fill to over-flowing?

Good sourcers are focused, self-motivated and extremely productive. They could be right under your nose in your organization – you may even be one!  If you don’t have one, and I believe they’re few and far-between, find one!  They’re imperative to the success of your mission.   Sourcing doesn't have to be a local thing. Very little of my work is even in my state, the vast majority of it is done all around the US, a smaller part is done around the world.  The fact is that much of the work is concentrated in specific talent pools.  Your sourcer will go where you direct him/her, he/she will follow your instructions, and will deliver to you what you ask for.  He/she’s that little eager puppy-dog that fetches.  Who could ask for more?

I’ve noticed lately more than a few companies have indicated they’re “building a research team” within their corporate domains. I’ve also noted that these companies are finding that past “job stability” is difficult to come by in researchers.   I believe this is because what they’re really looking for are people that haven’t been active “employees” (doing sourcing) of any one company in the past - and if they have, they more than likely have not been engaged in true “sourcing” - the non-reliance in their processes on job boards and the internet in general and possessing the almost maniacal preference towards the telephone for their sourcing results.

More than likely, what they’re looking for are lone wolves – people out there in the world, working alone, doing 20, 50, 100, 1000 name-generation jobs (on a per name rate basis or by the hour) in the privacy of their own home offices. They are quite probably in their pyjamas (it’s not pretty) with the door closed (knock only if it’s a life-or-death emergency) and with a headset on (they can’t hear you even when you do knock, so don’t!).  With their word document in front of them on their flat screen and the internet running in the background.  With their fingers moving between their keyboards and the telephone dial-set (don’t get in the path of progress you might lose a digit or two).  With all their attention focused on the job at hand (nothing else exists for them when they’re “on”).  They are too busy to look for new or additional work cause they’re so slammed with what they have. 
Indications You Could Have a Good Name Sourcer On Your Hands
*When she says things like, “I dream of ways to get into companies.”  (Meaning she actually dreams of them!)
*She’s the type of person who knows everything about you, including your net worth, within 15 minutes of meeting you, and afterwards you wondered why you shared so much information with her!
*You immediately liked her, felt like you knew him a long time after only a few short minutes.
*She remarks, “It’s like a puzzle (or a baseball game, or a treasure hunt…).”
*She IS a treasure hunter.
*She’s self knowledgeable.  This is very different from self-assured.
*She always seems to be available for you.

There are many indicators that a person may be good at name sourcing but if I had to name a few characteristics that I think most carry, they are: curious, trusting, friendly, adventurous, resourceful, honest, patient, diligent, driven, neurotic/obsessive/compulsive and introverted but usually socially skilled (meaning they can talk to people if they have to).

Maureen is co-owner of TechTrak, a telephone names sourcing firm based in the US.  Maureen has been telephone names sourcing since 1996, having stumbled into this arcane business after twenty plus years of selling small businesses. You can read her articles around the nitty-gritty tips and techniques of name sourcing (how to get names from a telephone directory, how to title-identify those name, how to deal with scary gatekeepers, how to fill your internal pipelines with skilled, valuable candidates, how to read “between the lines” and hear clues in the silences) on her website at www.techtrak.com.

Comments

[Maureen Sharib]

Thanks Louise, for featuring me!
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Maureen Sharib
Telephone Names Sourcer/MagicMethod Trainer
513 899 9628
TechTrak.com, Inc.
maureen at techtrak.com