Does sourcing seem hard to you sometimes? I'd like to share five sourcing hints that, I hope, will make it easier, more relaxed and more efficient. (I also post hints on my blog). 

1. Use the advanced search dialog on Google, Yahoo, LinkedIn, and any other services – especially if you are new at this. This will guarantee correct syntax. Wrong syntax produces unexpected results, wastes the time, and lowers our confidence.
2. Missing some relevant results is inevitable. It’s not a problem though; we are looking to find a few great candidates, not to find everybody in the world with the given skills.
3. False positives in a search are not a big deal. If there are few, ignore them and move on. There’s no need to modify your strings to get only relevant results.
4. You do not have to use every important keyword in your search. Do not use tough keywords such as the state of Oregon or a Bachelor’s degree. You can always verify things when you look at the resume or the profile.
5. There’s never a perfect search string and no “wrong” strings either. It’s best to run many quick tries for any given search. Start somewhere and modify your string watching for the right results to show up. When they do, collect them. The start somewhere else and repeat. 

Happy sourcing! (Copied from http://community.ere.net/blogs/irinashamaeva/2010/07/top-five-princ...)