About Dean, the site’s creator

Dean Da Costa is a decorated veteran and recognized sourcing expert with more than 20 years of experience. He writes The Search Authority, one of the most influential blogs in the business.

Dean began his career while in the military, connecting the dots from resume writing to making employer contacts for fellow service members who were entering civilian life.

He has spoken at numerous conferences to include Sourcecon, Talent42, And Recruiting trends.

He is best known for his work in the highly difficult security and mobile arena's, and the gold star winning numbers he produced. His keen insight and creation of ground breaking tools and processes, to enhance and change staffing as we know it, have proven he is a "Staffing Thought Leader". Despite all this he remains first and foremost one of the top sourcers and full cycle recruiters in the industry and a true "Search Authority".

Dean’s Awards, Affiliations and Recognitions

  • Recipient of 2 Gold Stars from Microsoft. Gold Star is to recognize, reward, and retain high–performing employees within a given organization. Recognized as a Sourcing expert.

  • Recipient of 2 Diversity recruiting awards, and 3 special achievement Awards in staffing.

  • Numerous military awards including; 3 Army Commendation Medals, 4 Army Achievement awards, Southwest Asia Service medal with 3 Stars, Kuwait Liberation Medal, National Defense Service Medal, and more.

  • 2012 HRE most influential Staffing Professional. http://www.hrexaminer.com/lists/online-influence-recruiting-2012-v5

  • Top 25 Must Read Blogs for Recruiters #12 http://hr.sparkhire.com/human-resources-news/spark-hires-top-25-must-read-blogs-for-recruiters/

  • Created and pioneered the ASA sourcing method, BTOS interviewing system, Looklisology, "Lean Recruiting", DIAL (Day in a Life) Social staffing branding and job description creation methodology and the HMCS staffing methodology!

  • Defined, Created and implemented JDSO, SSO, and TSO methodologies!

  • Architect for sourcing tool currently used at a fortune 100 company!

  • Received Special Achievement award for starting and managing top revenue producing technical office in Remedy company history.

  • Sourcecon Speaker and Presenter labs at both the 2012 & 2013 ,2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020.

  • Recruiting Trends presenter and panel member 2014

  • Talent42 presenter 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019

  • Speaker and Presenter and member of Sourcing 7 and NWRA 2015 - present.

  • Speaker and Presenter for numerous Sourceon Google Hangouts 2015 - present.

  • Selected as Feature blogger on Recruitingblogs.com

  • Member of Sourcing 7 Leadership team

  • Member of RecruitingBlogs Editorial Advisory Board

  • Speaker at TMA Conference Dec 2014, Dec 2017

  • Speaker LAXTech 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020

  • Spoke at Numerous Webinars and Google Hangouts hosted by Sourceon, ERE, New Vector, avg 12 a year

  • Mentor for Talent Tech Labs

  • Mentor Ementor for Vets

  • Featured in SHRM HR Magazine Nov 2015

  • Special Advisor to Connectifier, Veruca, Talent IQ, Amazing Hiring, Candidate.ai, Loxo, Dataminer, Engage Talent, ZenSourcer, Seek out, Zapinfo, Swordfish, Job Jet, Context Scout, Nymeria, HUmantic, and others

  • Advisory Member to Association of Talent Acquisition Professionals (ATAP )

  • Lockheed Martin SPOT Award winner

  • Member Sourcecon Advisory Committee

  • Lockheed Martin TOP Award Winner

  • Published author of "The Book of Recruiting Da Costa Style"

  • Published author of "OSINT for the Staffing World"

  • Certified OSINT expert

You can contact Dean at
dean@thesourcinglink.com