Source Candidates

Build a ranked candidate list from example profiles or brief

Source Candidates turns a hiring conversation or a few example profiles into a scored, ranked list of people who fit the role. It splits criteria into what search filters can catch and what only a scorecard can judge, then drafts outreach for you to send from your own mailbox.

Davide Grieco

Head of Growth at Clay

About this Skill

When to use it

Use this Skill when you need to find candidates for a specific role or build a talent pool based on existing profiles. It is particularly useful when you have a few exemplar profiles or specific experience criteria in mind. This Skill helps ensure that the search criteria are accurately represented and that the candidates sourced align with the hiring manager's expectations.

What it delivers

The Skill produces a ranked list of candidates based on the defined criteria, including a scorecard for evaluation. It unlocks the decision of which candidates are worth contacting based on their scores and shared attributes. The boundaries include ensuring that only relevant candidates are sourced while avoiding those from specified do-not-source lists.

SKILL.md preview

# SKILL.md

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## Inputs and setup

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## Outputs and examples

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How someone would prompt this

We're hiring a Head of Growth in London. Here are three people I'd hire.

Other ways to ask

Inputs & outputs

What someone provides before the Skill runs, and the reviewable artifacts it returns.

Inputs

The role
- the title and one line on what the person will own
- if missing, the process stops.
The seed
- either two or three profiles of people they would hire, or the specific experience they are looking for
- if missing, the process stops.
Which shared attributes matter
- the key attributes from the seed profiles
- if missing, the Skill cannot proceed.
Location
- cities, states, countries, or a region
- if missing, the process cannot default.
Seniority and experience
- a seniority band and a years-of-experience floor or range
- if missing, no seniority filter is applied.
Scorecard criteria and weights
- the criteria a filter cannot hold, each weighted
- if missing, the Skill cannot guess.
Band cut-offs
- the score at which a candidate is worth contacting
- if missing, defaults apply.
Per-employer cap
- how many candidates may come from one company
- if missing, defaults apply.
Do-not-source list
- companies not to approach
- if missing, no exclusions are applied.
Suppression list
- optional list of people already in the pipeline
- if missing, no deduplication occurs.
Target list size
- how many candidates they want to review
- if missing, defaults apply.
Contact address
- personal email, work email, or profile link only
- if missing, defaults to profile link.
Sender and pitch facts
- who the mail is from and their relation to the role
- if missing, the copy step is skipped.
Availability heuristic
- on or off
- if missing, defaults to off.
The Clay plan tier
- no input required
- it sets the shape of the run.

Outputs

Candidate ListA ranked list of candidates sourced based on the defined criteria, including their names, titles, and scores.
ScorecardA detailed scorecard that evaluates each candidate against the specified criteria, providing evidence for their scores.
Outreach DraftsPersonalized outreach email drafts for each candidate, ready to be sent from the recruiter's mailbox.
Population SummaryA summary of each population queried, including the number of candidates found, target size, and whether more candidates are available.

Representative output

Candidate List

Name	Title	Score	Evidence Line
Jane Doe	Head of Growth	75	"demonstrated strong quantitative skills"
John Smith	Director of Marketing	68	"led successful growth initiatives"

Scorecard

Criterion	Weight	Candidate 1	Candidate 2
Ownership vs Execution	25	20	18
Strong Quantitative Background	20	25	20

Outreach Drafts

Draft for Jane Doe

Subject: Opportunity to Lead Growth at Our Company

Body: Hi Jane, we are looking for a Head of Growth to lead our initiatives in London. Your experience in driving growth at B2B SaaS companies aligns perfectly with our needs. Can we discuss this opportunity?

Draft for John Smith: Subject: Join Us as Director of Marketing Body: Hi John, we are seeking a Director of Marketing to spearhead our growth strategies. Your track record in successful marketing campaigns is impressive. Would you be open to a conversation?

Population Summary

Population	Sampled	Full Yield	More Available
In-house growth leaders at B2B SaaS	25	140	Yes
Ex-consultants two to four years in-house	25	61	Yes

How the Skill runs

Follow the steps in order. Each row includes the full instruction.

Verify the platform, pull the field list live, and say where the work runs

Verify the platform and pull the field list live, stating which workspace the work runs in.

Have the conversation. It is the intake, not a formality

Engage in a conversation to define the role and gather seed profiles or experience descriptions.

Decompose the exemplars, then ask which parts are the point

Decompose the exemplar profiles and identify which attributes are essential.

Split every criterion three ways, in front of the person who set them

Split every criterion into filterable, scorecard, and not observable categories in front of the hiring manager.

One query per population

Run one query per defined population based on the criteria established.

The sample gate: 25 rows per population, before anything else

Sample the results with a limit of 25 rows per population to assess the yield.

State the cost, then wait

State the cost of the operation and wait for approval before proceeding.

Page the full set, then score it

Page through the full set of results for each population and score them based on the established criteria.

Verdicts: evidence status first, then the band

Provide verdicts on the evidence status and assign bands to the candidates.

Outreach copy, per population, drafts only

Draft outreach copy for each population, ensuring it is tailored and specific.

Deliver, with the shape of what is missing

Deliver the results, including the yield, bands, candidates, and outreach drafts.

Connections required

No connections listed.

Install Clay and run it

1Install ClayUse the connector or official plugin in your coding-agent environment.
2Sign up or log inAuthorize Clay access and return when the connection is ready.
3Install the SkillRun the one-line install command from the Add this Skill card.
4Run the SkillPaste the example prompt and review the result.

Version history

Version 3From submitted SKILL.mdCurrent