Recap: How talent leaders are slashing external sourcing spend with AI

Talent leaders today aren’t just expected to fill roles. Despite the promises of AI in recruiting, budget scrutiny is more intense than ever. Teams are now on the hook to hire faster, better, and at a fraction of yesterday’s costs. 

External sourcing, once a necessary evil, is now in the CFO’s crosshairs. So how do modern teams slash third-party spend without compromising quality or candidate experience? 

That’s exactly what we covered in our recent webinar with leaders from Greenhouse and Boulevard, including moderator and industry analyst Kyle Lagunas. The focus: real strategies for taking back control by consolidating your stack and letting AI handle the heavy lifting, so talent professionals can focus on the human side of hiring.

What’s driving the shift from external sourcing?

Recruiting teams are facing new rules of engagement. Gone are the days of endless vendor lists and “just throw money at the problem” solutions. Today, the push to streamline, automate, and prove real ROI is reshaping how talent leaders source candidates. Here’s what’s driving the change, and why it matters now more than ever.

• AI is now table stakes: Investors expect portfolio companies to demonstrate real AI ROI — “There is no other option,” as Travis Baker puts it.
• Efficiency over simple cost-cutting: True efficiency should drive excellence, not just smaller budgets.
• Tech stack consolidation is accelerating: Teams are dropping redundant vendors. Platforms like Findem that integrate with Greenhouse are becoming the backbone for modern talent organizations.
• Candidate volume and quality challenges: As Nkem Nwankwo notes, “You post a job and get over a thousand candidates in 24 hours. Many are AI-generated or outright fraudulent.” Accuracy and automation are now mission-critical.

🔑 Top 5 takeaways from the conversation

Efficiency is a mandate, not a nice-to-have

“It’s not optional to focus on efficiency anymore. As a talent acquisition function, we’re in the spotlight more than ever.” - David Malloy, Findem

AI unleashes strategic value, not just speed

“For us, AI is about reducing high-effort, low-value tasks so we can redeploy our time into more strategic work. Our recruiters felt constantly overloaded. This technology gives us the advantage to be more human.” - David Malloy

Make your stack a retention tool

“Could we build a tech stack so good it becomes a retention mechanism? We wanted to prove it. We’re metrics-driven — cutting time from 9 days to 5.8 days from req open to candidate flow (a 35% improvement), and from 55 days to 38 days from open to accepted (a 30% improvement).”  - David Malloy

Best-in-breed wins over single-vendor stacks

“Greenhouse is reliable — boring in the best possible way. Findem brings edge innovation. The amount of data and the full profile view you get is much richer, so you can make more informed decisions earlier in the funnel, which is critical.” - Travis Baker, Boulevard

Data can help you defend every decision

“Humans want to be hired by humans. We can automate the tasks that drain effort, so we can focus on high-value work. It’s our responsibility to bring a thoughtful, human approach and ensure technology enhances the experience.” - Travis Baker

How leaders can prepare for AI in the tech stack

Making AI work for your team takes more than flipping a switch. Forward-thinking leaders are laying the groundwork now to ensure their tech, people, and processes are ready for the shift. Here’s how to get ahead of the curve and set your recruiting organization up for success.

• Audit your stack: Spot the ROI dead zones before renewal season rolls around.
• Prioritize best-in-breed integration, not just consolidation: Streamline your tech, but don’t sacrifice capability or recruiter experience.
• Train for new skills: Invest in upskilling recruiters — think data, storytelling, and smarter decision-making, not just sourcing volume.
• Make every dollar defensible: Track pipeline quality, time to hire, and hiring manager satisfaction like your budget depends on it.
• Don’t go it alone: Tap into peer leaders and partners for insights and support. As Kyle put it, “Don’t go it alone…Total geeks for this. We’re recruiters. Hit us up on LinkedIn.”

Ready for AI transformation?

Cutting spend doesn’t have to mean cutting corners. AI-powered sourcing, smart stack consolidation, and world-class integrations let you control costs and outcomes so you can deliver better, faster, more human-centered recruiting, even when the budget gets tight.

Ready to watch the full replay? Want a custom walkthrough? Reach out, and let’s talk about how your team can cut without compromise.