Through social media (LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, etc.), technology has made candidate sourcing much easier for recruiters. As a result, there seems to be an emerging debate that social media platforms and tools will ultimately replace recruiters. I would agree that some recruiters SHOULD be replaced by technology, but that's a subject for a different time.

The reality is that recruiters can’t and won't be replaced. Unless you can create a true recruiting culture where everyone in the company feels a responsibility to source and recruit new talent, then the role of the recruiter will never die. The best recruiters are true relationship builders and brand marketers for your company. They are not just focused on filling jobs, but understand the hiring needs and talent profiles for your company and proactively build those networks. While they gain access to talent and names via social networks, it is how they engage candidates and cultivate relationships that matters most. The best recruiters create an internal and external ecosystem of colleagues that benefits their company in the talent marketplace and I don't see that function being replaced by technology or social media anytime soon.