When a critical role opens and you need someone now, scrambling through applications is hardly efficient. The best companies build talent pipelines before the urgent need. Here's how.
Step 1: Define your future needs
Don't wait for turnover. Forecast growth, plan expansions, and identify roles that may open due to attrition or strategy change. Then begin sourcing early.
Step 2: Keep relationships alive
Once you find strong candidates who weren't hired (or were hired elsewhere), keep the dialogue open. Build a "we'd love to talk when the timing's right" network.
Step 3: Employer branding matters
Candidates in your pipeline should feel connected to your mission. Workshops, webinars, talent-community events, LinkedIn features—all are ways to stay present.
Step 4: Use data and segmentation
Track candidate status: "open to move," "passive," "needs 6+ months notice," "skills under development." Segment by function, level, location. Your pipeline becomes a dashboard, not a list.
Step 5: Engage proactively
Don't wait for a role to open. Every quarter, reach out with updates, ask about career changes, share your industry insights. Maintenance matters.
Step 6: When you need someone urgently
If you've built the pipeline, you'll have several engaged candidates ready. You move quicker, have fewer surprises, maintain quality—and cost/time go down.
Conclusion
In hiring, "urgency" is the enemy of quality. Build ahead of time. Engage continuously. Let strategy lead, not desperation. Then when you open the role, you'll already have a strong lineup.