What Is Talent Acquisition?

8 minute read

You have to be talented to find good talent, EveryoneSocial.

How many of your employees are already on social?

Talent acquisition is something that you need to be, well, talented at so you can find the right people. People have unique talents. It depends on them whether to put their talents to good use. Ideally, they must build and nurture their skills to their benefit. Most of these people are in the workforce, always putting their craft to good use and honing their talents further to pave them for better professional opportunities.

As a business owner, these highly motivated and driven people are who you should hire for your company. Recruiting leaders and achievers who will make a profound positive effect in your business is something that you must seriously invest in.

While you can hire specialists who can do the dirty work for you, below are basic things that you need to know about this job position.
 

Talent acquisition is NOT recruitment

While both job functions are technically the same, each serves a particular purpose. Recruitment is responsible for filling out job vacancies, while talent acquisition is a long-term strategy that focuses on finding people who the company can groom into leaders and executives. Companies pursue talent acquisition if they are looking to fill out a position in high demand but with a skills shortage in the job market.

Another reason why businesses employ talent acquisition instead of recruitment is to build a stronger and more productive company. Instead of hiring employees for the short term, why not acquire the best talents who will produce the best results over time?
 

Talent acquisition is proactive

Another difference between recruitment and talent acquisition is the nature in which employees are hired in the company. Because they are hiring an employee due to a vacant post, recruitment is reactive. Until someone resigns from their position, there is nothing more that recruitment can do.

Talent acquisition takes a more proactive approach because its initiatives lie in predicting a need in the future. As they look forward to time and anticipate roles to be filled out later, talent acquisition must find talented people who they feel can make an impact in your business once the need arises.

By lining up talented candidates for an anticipated future role in your company, they are responsible for pooling leaders who can help expand your business.

Developing a successful talent acquisition strategy also depends on how well you promote your brand.

You need the full effort not just from your HR department but also from your marketing team. Showcasing the strength of your company culture to potential talent helps them form a positive association with your business.
 

Talent acquisition is a skill

As mentioned, looking for talent personnel over a period is a talent in itself. The person managing your acquisition strategy must not only know where to find talent but also needs to determine the best people for the job based on different factors.

Not all companies have the money to pay nor the culture to attract the best talent on board. The reality is that businesses work within a budget and have a distinct culture that appeals only to some candidates. Therefore, the talent acquisition head must organize everything into consideration and find the best possible talent who will be a great fit in the company.

Also, the person must collaborate with your department heads to determine the kind of talent you must hire over time. In line with that, he or she needs to have a general understanding of how each department works and the temperaments of the managers running each. Having the patience to deal with the needs of all departments in the company is critical for your strategy to work.
 

Talent acquisition is all about flexibility

As mentioned earlier, talent acquisition requires you to build a plan about anticipating job vacancies to fill out with leaders who will help grow your business. Because the future is uncertain, you will need to adjust your strategy to accommodate changes that come your way.

For example, the gig economy has paved the way for people to make a living through multiple income streams. More importantly, it has changed how some employees treat the opportunities granted to them. Talents are in constant search for higher paying jobs and will leave your company immediately if the opportunity arose.

You can try and keep them on board in the hopes of retaining them, but the decision is up to them. All you can do is be thankful for the work they put on as part of your organization and move on to the next candidate.

Aside from accepting the idea that you may have to hire part-time and remote employees, your talent acquisition leader will have to deal with the fact that market is becoming more fluid than ever. Things will continue to change, so he or she needs to embrace and adapt with the times. To help out your acquisition head, you need to prepare contingency plans to manage employee churn.
 

Conclusion

Talent acquisition is a crucial part of the growing business. By finding leaders and executives who will bring your company to greater heights, you can rest assured your future will be in good hands.

As important as talent acquisition is, however, you also need to focus on the present. Recruitment complements the things that talent acquisition cannot do, which is immediately filled out job vacancies with employees now. Therefore, striking a balance by developing strategies for both ensure your business will employ the right people for the right job for a long time.

Lastly, the person who will manage your target acquisition strategy must have the organizational and analytical skills to design a plan in the hopes of nabbing leaders who will make a profound impact on your business. More importantly, your business needs to have the right culture to attract talented people who are in tune with your values. Ultimately, working together with your talent acquisition head is guaranteed to produce the best results.

 

Learn how staffing company, Kelly Services, got their recruiters and HR people active on social media to boost the talent pool and attract new business. Download this free case study.

 


More posts related to Human Resources

Why B2B Companies Should Invest in Employee Advocacy for Career Development

Staying relevant is essential for any business, but staying ahead of the curve isn’t always easy. Areas that many companies…

Jason Brain - Creative Strategist

9 Ways to Grow and Improve Your Talent Pool This Year

A large, skilled talent pool to hire from is key to modern companies’ success — especially considering that by 2030,…

Laura Moss - Manager of Content Marketing

How to Include Social Media in Onboarding — and Why You Should

Social media is so key to companies’ success today that many of them include it as part of their onboarding…

Laura Moss - Manager of Content Marketing