Direct Sourcing Delusions, Matt Fringeli, Poll Results, Job Request Approvals, AI Decision Making, AI in the Workforce News + Bonus Meme
Your newsletter for a lighter and different spin on the CW world.
The Latest AI in the Workforce News:
Newsletter Exclusive Content:
The Direct Sourcing Delusion: It’s Not a Feature. It’s a Function.
There’s a quiet frustration brewing across CW programs: direct sourcing isn’t delivering like people thought it would.
Why?
Because too many companies think of it as a plug-and-play feature—flip a switch, turn on a talent pool, and boom, suddenly you’re hiring better, faster, cheaper.
We have to keep something in mind though: direct sourcing is a function, not a feature. One that requires building, nurturing, and ongoing attention to thrive.
A high-performing direct sourcing model needs:
Time to build and activate the talent pool - This isn’t instantaneous. It takes time. You need repeatable roles, strong intake, and enough volume to make the pool worth maintaining.
Recruitment marketing that truly attracts people - Branding matters. Candidates don’t want to apply to a job if the brand feels cold, generic, or invisible. They need to see themselves in the story you’re telling. As a baseline, they need to know about the positions.
Curation and conversion - Having a talent pool is just the start. You need intelligent curation. You need workflows. And yes, sometimes you need partners like EORs and AORs.
Change management - Because your hiring managers aren’t going to adapt on their own. New models create friction. That friction won’t solve itself. Leaders need to own the shift and support it with process, communication, and accountability.
Direct sourcing does work—but only when treated as, and enables, to be an integrated talent strategy.
LinkedIn Content You May Have Missed:
Tuesday, May 27, 2025 - Matt Fringeli
Matt joined me this week and we had a good time talking life and contingent workforce. Check it out here.
Wednesday, May 28, 2025 - Poll Results
A few weeks ago, I ran a poll on industry buzzwords. The results are in. Read the analysis and join in on the very thoughtful comments here.
Thursday, May 29, 2025 - Job Request Approvals
Approvals—while needed—can delay your job request if they’re not setup in a tactful and pragmatic manner. Read more here.
Friday May 30, 2025 - Turning Data into strategy with AI-Powered Decision Making
I created this document based on things we’re doing at Emberpath and sharing info that can help you with leveraging AI to making decisions based on your data. Read the full document here.
Bonus Meme:
Thanks for subscribing! As a way of saying thanks for being here, I’ve got a bonus meme for you!
Careful with what you say and who hears it—word travels fast.
That’s it for this week, check out more content all throughout next week!