Will you help me write “The History of Sourcing?”
It all started with a simple question.
"Jim," they asked me, "who created the sourcing industry?"
I blinked my eyes twice as they anticipated an answer that would not come. I had to confess that I had no answer; not even inkling on how to respond. My ego started tapping me on my shoulder.
"Hey Searchologist!" It said to me. "How can you not know the answer to that? Aren’t you like the champion for the Sourcing industry?"
So I made that person a promise that I would research it for the sake of answering their query and my own curiosity. The more I researched the origin of the Sourcing industry and the players involved, the more I discovered that I needed some help. All that being said, I would like to solicit the assistance of my readers and anyone else who happens along this request.
What I want to do is this:
1. I want to research the history of the Sourcing industry to include Names Sourcing, but slanted mostly towards Internet Sourcing.
2. Once I have gathered all this information, I will publish it as a part of a new book I am working on and sell it from my website.
3. As an incentive for assisting me, everyone who subscribes to my blog and contributes to this project will get a free PDF version of my book before it goes on sale later this year.
Interested? Keep reading…
I would like for you to respond to my survey by clicking this link and answering all of the questions and leaving comments as appropriate. The deadline for filling out the survey is July 31, 2007 at midnight.
Click here to fill out the survey online
As a preview of things to come, I would like to share with you a timeline of my notes in progress. What I have done (well, myself and a few others) is created a list of Sourcers (Phone and Internet, but mostly Internet) that have been active in research as a career for an extended period of time, trained others in how to research the internet (or with the phone) and created a business around internet research. I KNOW I have left some folks out which is why your filling out the survey is so important. I also know that some will argue against some of my research which is why I used (pretty heavily) The Wayback Machine to serve as a neutral third party. For those of you who are unfamiliar with The Wayback Machine, it is a website that archives the internet. It literally, attempts to save EVERY website that has been online since… umm… not sure when, but at least as far back as the 1980’s where I found some of my data.
I think as you read through my timeline of notes that you will be pleasantly surprised in realizing that Internet Sourcing has been alive and well and thriving for a very long time. I wonder, where you will fit in the final analysis of things? Time will tell. For now, here is what I have. More to come later this year.
Jim Stroud
The History of Sourcing - Timeline (v1.0)
(C) 2007 Jim Stroud
www.JimStroud.com
1985
(The original Names Sourcer?) Constance "Conni" C. LaDouceur founded ExecuQuest in 1985 after 5 years with Heidrick & Struggles, Inc. ExecuQuest provides efficient sourcing solutions in all industries and functions, nationwide and abroad, via original telephone identification of qualified individuals and a passion for the hunt.
Source: http://web.archive.org/web/19991001092416/http://www.eqcresearch.com
1986
Brentwood group is created as a research firm specializing in Namesourcing (over the phone) and later incorporating internet sourcing.
Source: http://www.thebrentwoodgroup.com/
1987
Professional Research Services (PRS) established. (Phone research mostly)
Source: http://www.prs1.com/
1990 - 1992
Bill Warren used CompuServe and Prodigy for communicating job vacancies. Quote: "When I was VP-Industrial Relations for Admiral Division of Rockwell International we had used CompuServe and Prodigy for communicating job vacancies between different Rockwell plants and divisions. When the Internet opened up to commercial use in 1992 I realized it had great potential for recruiting and employment."
Source: http://www.internetinc.com/Meet-Online-Recruiting-Founder-Bill-Warren
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Comments
Jim, the true pioneer of sourcing (they called it Recruiting Research back then) was Frank McCarthy. You can’t write a book on this subject without profiling him. He literally wrote the book on the subject in the mid-1970s, and around the same time, created Xavier Associates, the first standalone recruiting research firm. It was bought by Gatti & Associates. Frank is the pioneer, and he’s still alive and kicking. You can reach him via http://www.diverseworkplace.com (diversity recruiting is his focus now). I consider him a good friend, so call him at my recommendation: 508-350-0053. He would also make a great podcast interview!
More specifically, Frank McCarthy started the first pure recruiting research firm, Xavier Associates, in 1973 (still exists as the research division of HR-focused search firm Gatti & Associates). He co-authored the first book on the subject for recruiters, Search Research: Mastering the Search Research Function (The Kimberly Organization, 1975). You can still buy it on RecruitersWorld (http://www.recruitersworld.com/Shopping/ProductDescription.asp?ID=38). Frank is still a big fan of the latest research methods, which is how he and I first became acquainted back in 2001.
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