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Mar 16, 2018
This article is part of a series called Editor's Pick.

My first SourceCon, the two people on my list to meet in real life were Aaron Lintz (who helped with a noob question about Kimono), and the Tool Master, Dean Da Costa. This was way before I was writing articles, building toolboxes, or muttering about profiles sites in front of an audience.

It all still feels unreal, especially when I started seeing some of my CSEs (Custom Search Engines) and tools on Da Costa’s website. So when they asked for someone to cover Da Costa’s session, I had to volunteer. Before I get to the tools, I just want to encourage everyone to talk to Da Costa if you can. He exudes what SourceCon and the sourcing community is about. Helping others, answering questions, and not only figuring out new technologies but sharing them with the world. Authentic leadership and inspiration come with what one shares with others. You make the guild stronger then no one has to get stuck in the dungeon.

The great thing about Da Costa is that when he does brag (which is not often), it’s about OTHER people. You are a class act Da Costa. From an unknown in a cube to a jittery conference speaker, this is one guy you’ll always keep inspiring. There are many tools contained below, many which we’ll have to experiment to understand fully. I say bring it; we’ll figure them out together!

Da Costa’s Bum Rush of Tools and Tricks:

First ten mins:

  • OSINT
  • TOR
  • URL Domain Availability
  • Email permutator
  • duckduckgo
  • Toofr
  • Email checker
  • Mailtester

Username research:

  • Namechk
  • org
  • name

Detective/Hacker Tools

  • Geotrack
  • Oryon
  • HTTRack Website Copier
  • Buscador
  • Maltego
  • OSINT Linux Virtual Machine
  • OSIRT
  • FAW (Forensic Acquisition Website)
  • Glance
  • Creepy
  • Scythe

And while I’m at it, I’m going to say something about Steve Levy. You need to talk to him too, especially if you are looking for scientists or work in healthcare. He is a significant inspiration to the techniques I use to find profiles, but what’s more is his humanity in engaging candidates. Ask him about his “pickup lines:”

Here are a few of Levy’s “tools:”

There are so many more; I was laughing out loud when I went back and read them. Humor can separate you from the spammers, and humanity is the primary factor in improving response rates.

Sourcing is Like Olympic Curling

Levy and Da Costa, you guys have been great mentors and friends. The most prominent compliment is when someone makes you their mentor, regardless if you’ve asked.  Spoiler Alert: you guys have been a few of mine since I got into sourcing. People now tell me they read my articles, they see my speeches, I’m a “rock star” or genius, but it’s not me. It’s the tribe, the Sourcing Guild, the #CircleOfSourcing or whatever you call it.

We all lean on each other and learn from each other, like Olympic Curling, people on the outside don’t understand what we do, but we can make a huge impact when we work together.

Thank you two, and thank you all for reading.

This article is part of a series called Editor's Pick.