A defined sourcing strategy is key to securing top talent and building a diverse team. It helps us proactively target and engage passive candidates who may not be actively searching for a job. By improving efficiency, it gives us a competitive advantage and the ability to find and hire the best people faster.

Locations

Prioritize hiring in our legal entity countries (USA, UK, Australia, Germany, Spain, Romania). If you find a candidate outside these regions, always consult your recruitment partner first to explore compliant employment options.

Internal advertising

All roles must be advertised internally for a minimum of 7 days to allow colleagues the chance to apply if interested.

Core channels

  • Digital Science & Holtzbrink Careers Site:
    Our main hub for showcasing roles, culture, and employee stories. All applications are managed via Pinpoint.

  • Social Media:
    Roles are promoted via LinkedIn to engage a broad and diverse audience with stories, culture, and job updates.

  • Job Boards:
    We post on leading platforms like LinkedIn, http://Talent.com , and Monster. For U.S. roles, we also use ZipRecruiter for targeted reach.

  • Internal Careers/Referrals Slack Channel:
    All vacancies are posted internally to encourage internal mobility and referrals.

  • Referral Programme:
    Our most effective source of high-quality candidates. Employees are encouraged to refer talent from their networks. Programme details and incentives are shared internally.

How you can amplify reach

Alternative channels

Pinpoint Profile:
Set up your Hiring Manager profile to give candidates insights into your background, team, and role. It humanises the job and builds trust.

LinkedIn “I’m Hiring” Banner:
Add this to your profile to signal your active hiring status and increase exposure.

  1. Go to your LinkedIn profile.

  2. Click on your profile image.

  3. Click on ‘Frames’ and then click the Hiring banner and ‘Apply’.

  4. Click ‘Add job post’, select ‘Digital Science’ and then select the job advert from the list of roles being advertised on LinkedIn. You may need to verify your work email which you’ll be prompted to do and is straight forward.

  5. Click the role you want to link to your profile and click ‘Next’ the click ‘Add to profile’.

  6. You can choose to Invite coworkers so they can also add the advert and banner to their profile.

  7. If you skip you can then either ‘Start a post’ which will show on your LinkedIn profile and feed to help promote the role, or ‘No thanks’ and it will take you back to your profile where your banner and linked job advert is visible to your network. 

  8. To remove the advert you simply click on the little edit icon next to the job listing on your profile and select ‘Delete from profile’ which will remove the advert and the banner from your profile. 

Personal Social Posts:
Share roles on your LinkedIn and relevant platforms. Highlight what makes the role exciting, this personal touch gets noticed.

Industry Forums & Communities:
For niche roles, engage in relevant online groups where your target talent spends time.

Industry Events:
Promote roles during events or speaking engagements to connect with a relevant audience.

Leverage Team Networks:
Ask your team to share roles within their own networks. Peer endorsements are powerful.

Targeted Outreach (with Recruiter):
Collaborate with your Recruiter to identify potential candidates or companies. Share names and insights and your recruiter we’ll handle outreach.

Proactive Outreach and Engagement (Recruiter's Specialised Role)

Recruiter's Proactive Sourcing/Headhunting: Your Recruiter plays a pivotal role in actively seeking out and engaging candidates who may not be actively applying. This involves:

  • Leveraging Social Media & Professional Networks: The Recruiter will extensively use platforms like LinkedIn Recruiter, specialist professional networks, and other social media channels to identify, connect with, and assess potential candidates.

  • Direct Approach: This often involves crafting personalised messages, emails, or in-mail communications to passive candidates who fit the ideal profile, highlighting the unique selling points of the role and the company.

  • Pinpoint: Leverage our database for previously engaged candidates and silver medalists. 

  • Networking & Talent Pools: The Recruiter will actively build and maintain talent pools for hard-to-fill roles, attending virtual or in-person industry events, and engaging with professional communities.

Targeted Sourcing (Hiring Manager's Active Role)

As a hiring manager, your active involvement is crucial for effective sourcing. Here's how you can help your recruiter find the best talent.

  • Define the "Why": Clearly articulate what makes the role, team, and company exciting. This narrative is the recruiter’s most powerful tool for attracting candidates.

  • Create a Target List: Work with your recruiter to identify specific companies where top talent might be. This provides a clear focus for their search.

  • Share Your Network: Proactively share leads from your personal and professional connections. Your direct insights can significantly shorten the hiring timeline.

  • Learn from the Past: Highlight your top performers and where they came from. This helps the recruiting team identify successful hiring patterns and informs future sourcing strategies.

Engaging with a recruitment agency

Recruitment agencies can be useful in specific cases, but their use must be controlled and aligned with our process. Here's what you need to know:

  1. Engage Your Recruiter First

Before contacting any external agency, speak with your internal Recruiter. Together, you’ll assess:

  • Whether an agency is necessary

  • What other sourcing options are available

  • If the role qualifies for agency support (e.g., niche skills, urgent timelines)

  1. Approved Agency Only (PSL)

 We only work with agencies on our Preferred Supplier List (PSL). This ensures:

  • Pre-agreed commercial terms

  • Quality and compliance standards

  • A consistent candidate experience

No exceptions will be made for off-PSL agencies without formal approval.

  1. Get Approval

All agency usage must be approved by the Recruitment Lead and the budget holder before engagement begins. Your Recruiter will coordinate this process with the agency.

  1. Do Not Engage Agencies Directly

Hiring Managers must not contact, brief, or accept CVs from agencies independently. This can lead to legal and commercial issues. All agency interaction is managed by the Recruitment team.

Can’t find what you are looking for? Contact us via People Team Support ticket.