Urgency Vs Strategy: when you need to hire, where do you look first?

Every #hiring decision feels urgent. Which is why many leaders skip the first, most important question: Where should I look? Inside the team I already have, among people actively applying, or at the talent that isn’t even on the market yet?

How you choose to set up your hiring #strategy direct impacts your #team, your strategic growth and, ultimately, your #culture.

Let's look at the three #talent pools in more detail:

💎Internal talent

Definition: people already in your org who can step up, move sideways, or take on more.

➕Advantages: Internal hires consistently outperform externals and stay longer. Cornell research shows top internal hires are both higher performers and more likely to stick. Internal hires also ramp faster and cost less to onboard.

➖Risks: Your team may start lacking fresh perspectives, if you keep recycling existing resources. Plus, not every role has a ready successor and throwing someone in the deep too soon might negatively impact their development.

*Approach* always scan internally before opening a req. Ask: Who here is ready for more and just needs a chance?

🙋Active talent

Definition: candidates actively searching, applying, and raising their hands.

➕Advantages: motivated, available now, easier to access through postings. They help fill urgent gaps.

➖Risks: The pool is shallow. You’re limited to who happens to be looking right now, which means you might be prioritizing speed over fit.

*Approach* don’t confuse being visible with being best. Good for urgent fills, not always for critical roles.

🤝Passive talent

Definition: people not actively applying but open to the right opportunity, often found through networks or direct outreach.

➕Advantages: Larger pool, often stronger performers, can bring fresh ideas. Recruiters expect sourcing passive candidates to grow in importance - 77% think that active sourcing is essential, especially for senior or specialist roles.

➖Risks: Harder to engage, takes longer, often more expensive.

*Approach* worth the effort for senior or strategic roles where fit and capability outweigh speed.

👉 How to prioritize

✅Start internally: check who on your team could rise into the role. Ignoring internal talent is one of the fastest ways to lose good people.

✅Balance active with urgency: if time is critical, active talent helps fill gaps fast.

✅Invest in building a pipeline of passive talent now: those are the people who will transform your #business in the future.

---

🌟Sparking Leadership # 20: a weekly series on human-centered, sustainable #leadership. Follow for real talk and practical tools. In the meantime, lead with spark!