Use OneDrive with an AI Browser for Candidate Sourcing

Run candidate sourcing in Strawberry using OneDrive as one of the inputs. Specific surfaces, example prompt, real output, and tradeoffs vs alternatives.

Diagram of Strawberry AI browser workflow using OneDrive for candidate sourcing

If you use OneDrive and you regularly need to source candidates, the bottleneck is usually the same: OneDrive holds part of the context, but candidate sourcing also needs signals that live outside it - on the public web, in LinkedIn, in news, in other connected apps. Strawberry is built to combine the OneDrive context with the rest of the browser, and run the full workflow as a companion you can re-trigger every week.

This page describes specifically how Strawberry handles candidate sourcing when OneDrive is one of the inputs. It names the OneDrive surfaces involved, the signals the workflow actually needs, an example prompt you can paste, and what a good output looks like.

The job a recruiter, founder hiring, hiring manager is trying to do

The goal of candidate sourcing is to build a shortlist of 10-30 candidates who match the role and have at least one signal of openness. The success metric is concrete: 30% reply rate to first outreach, 5+ first-call conversions per 30 sourced. That definition matters because it shapes what OneDrive needs to contribute to the workflow.

What signals candidate sourcing actually needs

For each signal below, here is whether OneDrive can contribute directly or whether Strawberry has to find it via the browser:

  • Current role and tenure - OneDrive does not contain this directly. Strawberry uses the browser plus public sources to fetch it.
  • Recent role changes (often visible on LinkedIn) - OneDrive does not contain this directly. Strawberry uses the browser plus public sources to fetch it.
  • GitHub or content output for technical roles - OneDrive does not contain this directly. Strawberry uses the browser plus public sources to fetch it.
  • Company stage match (someone leaving a Series B is more likely to talk to a seed-stage co) - OneDrive does not contain this directly. Strawberry uses the browser plus public sources to fetch it.
  • Geo match for hybrid roles - OneDrive does not contain this directly. Strawberry uses the browser plus public sources to fetch it.
  • Openness signals (LinkedIn open-to-work, recent comments about job search) - OneDrive does not contain this directly. Strawberry uses the browser plus public sources to fetch it.

What Strawberry can do inside OneDrive

Strawberry can read Word/Excel/PowerPoint and PDF files within scope, and use SharePoint context for team workflows.

OneDrive surfaces Strawberry uses for this workflow: personal drive, shared with me, SharePoint sites, files.

How Strawberry runs candidate sourcing with OneDrive

  1. Strawberry opens the OneDrive personal drive that contains the relevant context.
  2. The companion pulls related context from OneDrive (shared with me, history, attached files) where it exists.
  3. For the parts OneDrive does not store, Strawberry uses the browser - web search, LinkedIn, news, the prospect's website.
  4. Strawberry synthesises the output in the shape this workflow needs: A shortlist with one row per candidate.
  5. A human reviews before any external action (send, update, post). Then the approved output is saved back to OneDrive or your system of record.

Example Strawberry prompt

Paste this in a new Strawberry chat with OneDrive connected. Adjust the specifics to your actual ICP, role, or topic.

Read this OneDrive personal drive and any linked context.
Then run a full candidate sourcing workflow on it. Use the browser to fill any gaps not in OneDrive.
Return the output in the shape we use for candidate sourcing: A shortlist with one row per candidate: name, current role, target role fit (1-5), one personalised opening line, contact link.
Do not send anything externally. Save the draft to me to review.

What a good candidate sourcing output looks like

Here is what a finished output for candidate sourcing should look like in practice. The specifics will change for your use case, but the shape should look similar:

  • Role: Founding Engineer (Stockholm or remote EU)
  • Candidate: Marek Novak - Senior Engineer @ Klarna, 4 years
  • Fit: 5/5 (worked on payment systems, contributed to Rust open source, recent talk on type-safe APIs)
  • Opening line: noticed his RustConf talk on type-safe API contracts and our backend lead's tweet about Marek's library
  • Contact: LinkedIn DM + GitHub email

Why OneDrive for this, and where to use a different tool

OneDrive is strong for this workflow because Strawberry can read Word/Excel/PowerPoint and PDF files within scope, and use SharePoint context for team workflows.

Where OneDrive falls short SharePoint site permissions are nested; shared folders require explicit sharing setup.

Consider also a structured CRM or Sheet for tracking actions.

Common mistakes when running candidate sourcing

  • Spray-and-pray DMs that mention nothing specific
  • Missing the obvious signals (someone just posted 'thinking about a change')
  • No quality bar - putting 200 names on the list to look productive

Connecting OneDrive to Strawberry

Microsoft Graph OAuth - shared with Outlook. Once connected, the companion can read the surfaces above without re-authenticating, and any write action still requires explicit human approval the first time the workflow runs.

Caveats

Do not let any AI agent send emails, update CRM records, or change shared systems without a clear approval step. Strawberry is strongest when the workflow combines browser context with connected-app context and a human review for sensitive actions.

How OneDrive + Strawberry runs candidate sourcing

1 OneDrive

Read

Open the relevant OneDrive personal drive; pull related context.

2 Browser

Augment

Use the browser, LinkedIn, news, and other connected apps for signals outside the CRM/tool.

3 Output

Compose

Synthesise into the candidate sourcing shape: A shortlist with one row per candidate.

4 Human

Approve

Human reviews before any external action; approved output is saved back.

FAQ - OneDrive + AI browser for candidate sourcing

Can Strawberry do candidate sourcing entirely inside OneDrive?

No, and that is the point. candidate sourcing needs signals OneDrive does not store - public web, LinkedIn, news, other apps. Strawberry combines OneDrive with the browser, which is where the real value comes from.

Does OneDrive need to be the primary CRM or system of record?

Not necessarily. OneDrive can be one input among several. Strawberry can read it as context even if your primary system of record is somewhere else.

What permissions do I need on OneDrive?

Read access to the surfaces you want Strawberry to use (personal drive, shared with me, SharePoint sites). Write permissions are only needed if you want Strawberry to update OneDrive after a human approves the change. Microsoft Graph OAuth - shared with Outlook.

What is the realistic success metric for candidate sourcing?

30% reply rate to first outreach, 5+ first-call conversions per 30 sourced - that is the target Strawberry helps you hit, not the only thing it measures.

What is the biggest mistake to avoid?

Spray-and-pray DMs that mention nothing specific.