‘My contact with the candidates is personal and unique’

The talent sourcers of the IND belong to the Recruitment Team and are part of the Operational Management Department. Among other things, this department is responsible for implementing the HR policy of the IND properly. During his work, Fatih actively looks for suitable talent for vacancies that are difficult to fill. He does this proactively and personally, by establishing contact himself.

Making a personal connection

‘I myself have regularly been approached on LinkedIn by recruiters,’ Fatih begins when asked about his own experience with talent sourcers. ‘And usually, this contact was rather impersonal. Nine out of ten times, I received a standard text, which you start to recognise after a while. Sometimes I got the feeling I was a number – one of hundreds – on a long list that had to be ticked off.’ 

He briefly laughs. ‘At least that taught me how I don’t want to do it. So, I do the exact opposite: I really try to establish a personal connection with a potential candidate. I always indicate why I am approaching someone and what I think they have in common with the vacancy. This is appreciated enormously and often stands out among loads of standard messages.’

Focused search

For Fatih, each day is different. ‘That sounds cliché, but it’s really true,’ he says, laughing. ‘Of course the activities that are part of my job are clear. I am particularly responsible for actively searching candidates via LinkedIn. For this, I use the LinkedIn Recruiter Seat because I can then filter specifically for job description, work experience and location.’

‘For each vacancy, I study the target group: where are these people currently working, what do they consider important in a job and how can we be attractive for them as IND?’ Fatih continues. ‘Based on this, I determine how I can best approach them. I also work closely together with the managers who are looking for candidates, so that I know exactly what’s part of the job. I can use this knowledge to excite candidates.’

The person behind the profile

‘The way I establish contact with potential candidates is what makes it different each day,’ Fatih explains. ‘It is personal and unique, right from the first moment of contact. I don’t look at just the CVs, but especially at the person behind the profile. What are their ambitions? What drives them? Why would they want to work for the IND? These are the questions I go through before I approach someone. I guide someone throughout the application process: from a quick call to wish someone good luck to a final check to see how it has been for someone. I want the candidate to experience the whole process positively, because that may be just as important as the job itself.’

Fatih remembers a vacancy for a tactical manager with the Asylum and Protection Department. ‘There had already been a couple of vacancies, but still no suitable match had been found. Then, I started looking actively myself and found a candidate who was also hired eventually.’ He smiles, proudly. ‘That was a great moment. I literally leaped into the air with joy. The sense that I found someone for such a challenging position, that was great! And she also got back to me saying I played a big role in it. I am still proud of that.’

Contributing to something greater

It is important for Fatih that he can give something back to society through his job. ‘In my case, I do this by making sure that the right candidates are in the right place,’ he explains. ‘By finding talented people – and connecting with them to the IND – I do not only help them get their dream job, but also contribute to the quality and growth of our organisation. This makes my work meaningful to me.’

‘In addition, I’m also having a great time here,’ Fatih emphasises. ‘For me, it’s more than a job. I’m part of an organisation that really makes an impact. Whether you work directly with applicants or – like me – recruit talent for a department, you contribute to something greater. That’s what makes the work so special.