ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Functional sourcing

Functional sourcing is like going to a supermarket with a specific shopping list. Let's say your mom wants to make spaghetti for dinner tonight. She knows she needs spaghetti pasta, tomato sauce, ground beef, and some spices.

Now, instead of just randomly picking up items from the store, functional sourcing involves looking for specific items that serve a particular purpose. So, mom heads straight to the pasta aisle and picks a pack of spaghetti pasta. She then goes to the canned goods aisle and gets tomato sauce and some spices.

Functional souring is like having a plan before you start shopping. You know what you need, and you look for items to fit that need. The same applies when businesses are looking to fill a role. They have a list of skills that the ideal candidate should have, and they start looking for people with those skills.

The functional sourcing process involves taking the job requirements and creating a profile of the ideal candidate. This profile can include specific skills, education, experience, or any other factor that would qualify someone for the job.

After the profile is created, recruiters or hiring managers can start looking for candidates that fit that profile. They may search through job boards, social media, or even reach out to industry contacts in search of the right person.

Functional sourcing allows businesses to find the best candidates for their roles quickly and efficiently. Like shopping with a list, having a clear plan in place before recruiting can save time and resources in the long run.