Why Sourcing Has Become the #1 Recruitment Lever in 2026

The verdict for all recruiters in Belgium is clear: the market for hiring interns and young talent has radically changed. A few years ago, posting an offer on a classic portal like Student.be was enough to generate an avalanche of CVs.

Today, in 2026, this "Post & Pray" strategy belongs to the past. Inboxes remain desperately quiet, or worse, fill up with profiles that simply don’t fit the company culture.

In this context of talent scarcity, a practice once reserved for Silicon Valley headhunters is taking over Belgian companies: sourcing. But beyond the buzzword, what does this shift really imply? Is it truly the silver bullet for finding Gen Z gems?

The end of the era of passive recruitment

Traditional recruitment, as we knew it, is a strategy of waiting. It is, by definition, a reactive method. Sourcing, on the contrary, is the art of proactivity. Sourcing is identifying and engaging talent even before they have applied. It’s about going to find the student where they are, in their own universe, using their codes.

Why has this shift become vital? Because in Belgium, competition for qualified profiles is fierce. If you wait for the ideal intern to knock on your door, chances are they have already been "sourced" by a more agile competitor. Sourcing provides access to what we call "passive candidates": those brilliant students who don’t spend their day on job sites because they are already invested in their projects, but who would be open to an opportunity if it came to them in a personalized way.

Sourcing vs. Recruitment: the match of relevance

Make no mistake: sourcing is not just an extra step in recruitment; it is a different philosophy. Where classic recruitment focuses on the "What" (the degree, technical skills), modern sourcing looks at the "Who" and the "Why."

In Meetern’s vision, sourcing is the bridge between two needs: a company's need for growth and a young talent's need for fulfillment. While mass platforms focus on raw volume, we believe that value now lies in impact and value alignment. Sourcing means ensuring from the very first contact that a human match is possible.

Imagine the time saved: instead of sorting through 200 generic applications, you engage in conversation with 5 profiles that you already know share your vision. This is where sourcing becomes a lever of pure profitability for your HR.

Candidate psychology: why sourcing weduces Gen Z

To understand why sourcing works so well in 2026, we must look at the psychology of the new generation. Today's students are digital natives. They are used to extreme personalization. Receiving a "ready-to-wear" internship offer sent en masse to thousands of people no longer excites them. They see it as a lack of consideration.

Conversely, being personally contacted by a manager who has taken the time to look at their portfolio, understand their soft skills, and see their potential is extremely rewarding. Sourcing transforms the power dynamic: the company no longer just selects; it seduces. It is a paradigm shift that instantly strengthens your employer brand.

The 5 pillars of a high-performing sourcing strategy

To ensure sourcing doesn’t become ignored "spam," it must rest on solid foundations. Here are the pillars we observe among the most successful companies on Meetern:

1. Defining the "Talent Persona

"Before searching, you must know who you are looking for. Don’t stop at "Master’s in Marketing." Go further: What temperament are we looking for? An introvert but ultra-analytical person for data? A go-getter capable of pitching any project? By defining these personality traits, your sourcing becomes surgical.

2. The Multi-Channel Approach

‍Sourcing isn't limited to a single platform. It’s an ecosystem. Use social media for visibility, but rely on specialized tools like Meetern for precision. Referral programs (asking your own interns to recommend their peers) is also a form of sourcing that is incredibly effective.

3. Personalized Outreach

‍The fatal error? Copy-pasting. A student spots an automated message in two seconds. Your approach must mention a specific detail of their profile, a project they’ve completed, or a skill they’ve highlighted in their portfolio. This detail is what triggers the response.

4. Reactivity (Time-to-Hire)

‍Sourced talent is often volatile because they are high quality. If they respond, be ready to move quickly. Sourcing requires organizational agility: if your interview process takes three weeks, you will lose the candidate to a faster structure.

5. Measurement and Adjustment (KPIs)

‍Track your indicators. Which channel brings the best profiles? Which type of message gets the best response rate? Sourcing is a science of constant iteration.

The Tool: the reart of the recruitment engine

Manual sourcing at scale is no longer viable in 2026. The time spent by your HR teams scouring social media is too precious. That’s where investing in a dedicated sourcing tool makes sense. A good tool must be able to handle the semantic and psychological sorting for you.

At Meetern, we designed our talent pool not as a static directory, but as a search engine for potential. By filtering by personality traits and affinities, you don't just find an intern or a student worker; you find the future collaborator who will integrate perfectly into your team in Brussels, Antwerp, or Ghent. Automated yet deeply human sourcing—that is the key to success today.

Sourcing as a response to Belgian challenges

In Belgium, the framework for student work and internships (the 650-hour quota, internship conventions, voluntary vs. mandatory internships) is particularly complex. Effective sourcing integrates these constraints from the start. By talking directly to the student via a dedicated platform, you immediately clarify their availability and status.

This avoids administrative surprises at the end of the process. Moreover, sourcing drastically reduces the cost per hire in the long term. Fewer repeated paid ads, less time wasted in "off-topic" interviews, and a higher retention rate. A well-sourced intern is an intern who stays.

Conclusion: take control of your future recruitment

Sourcing is not a passing fad; it is the natural evolution of a fragmenting job market. By choosing to go out and meet talent, you show that your company is modern, human, and proactive.

Passive recruitment belongs to the past. The future belongs to companies that know how to identify talent, understand their aspirations, and offer them a project that resonates with their personality.

Are you ready to let the best talent come to you?

Meetern, your ally in this transition.

Because we have removed the barrier of the classic CV to highlight what really matters: the human encounter. Our sourcing tool allows you to access the new generation of Belgian talent with unparalleled precision.

Take action: explore our talent pool and start sourcing your future collaborators now.