Talent acquisition specialists

What is a talent acquisition specialist?

A talent acquisition specialist is part of an HR team. TAS manages the entire recruiting cycle. Most HR professionals are responsible for hiring. They identify individuals with potential who may still need the training to fill their roles. Many HR jobs do not involve the creation of longer-term staffing strategies.

The talent acquisition specialist vs the recruiter

Talent acquisition partner vs recruiter

There are subtle but important differences between talent acquisition partners and recruiters. Recruiters focus on filling open positions in your company. Talent acquisition partners focus on the overall company vision and help create long-term strategies to attract and retain top talent. In other words, talent acquisition partners function more as consultants and strategists than traditional recruiters. Now let’s talk about the roles of a talent acquisition partner vs a recruiter.

What does a talent acquisition partner do?

Creating the job description

Experts in the relevant field as well as a specialist in recruiting should write the job descriptions. The talent acquisition specialist is the recruitment expert, while the hiring manager is the field-level expert. Job descriptions must provide information about the open position and comply with all applicable laws. References to age, gender, or other traits may be prohibited depending on where you live. Furthermore, the words used can affect who applies. Who applies based on gender is also influenced by the number of qualifications. A competent talent acquisition professional is aware that including 40 conditions that aren’t necessarily only serves to lower the number of female applications. A recruitment expert should go over and refine each job description with assistance from the subject matter expert.

Sourcing of candidates

Candidates are located by the talent acquisition specialist. Posting a job description on the corporate website and then waiting for applicants to apply is sometimes a simple procedure. The TAS must genuinely go out and locate applicants for some jobs. Visits to universities or employment fairs are two examples of this. The majority, however, rely on contacts developed in the industry, engaging with professional headhunters, and asking present workers for recommendations.

Candidate evaluation

A talent acquisition specialist must decide which candidate matches the criteria and should advance after gathering candidates. Multiple applicants for a position may result in more time being spent rejecting applicants than accepting them for further assessment. TAS frequently manages the search utilizing applicant tracking tools with a keyword-focused approach. The TAS then makes contact to offer further, one-on-one screening after narrowing the pool of applicants to a manageable amount.

Traditionally, a phone call is used for this, though texting is becoming more popular. At this point, some businesses are using AI to perform very rudimentary candidate screening, but bear in mind that AI is only as good as its coder. Similar to humans, artificial intelligence screening robots are subject to bias. Any such screening should be under a TAS’s supervision. Additionally, video conferencing is an option. At this point, a TAS typically doesn’t meet with candidates in person.

Recommending potential hires

The TAS provides the recruiting manager with the information after choosing and vetting the candidates. From this list, the recruiting manager can choose which candidates she wants to interview. Naturally, the recruiting manager may suggest candidates who apply in unconventional ways. Given that the hiring manager is the subject-matter expert, a TAS should consider these suggestions seriously. She must take care to make sure the business complies with local legislation and that the unconventional candidate would be a suitable fit and meet the minimum requirements.

Scheduling interviews

The TAS is frequently tasked with this administrative duty. Scheduling and making preparations for anyone can be challenging depending on who needs to be engaged.

Giving hiring managers advice

What does talent acquisition partner do?

The TAS should train and mentor managers throughout the hiring process even while the hiring manager’s (or her supervisors’) final word in hiring decisions rests with them. Managers hire seldom, and there are several risks, notably discrimination regulations. The TAS expert should make sure that any hiring manager is ready to conduct interviews before assisting the manager in assessing the applicants.

Formally extends the job offer

This can (and probably should) originate from the recruiting manager, but the TAS makes sure that it is properly drafted and has the right compensation and benefits information. To help identify a market rate salary for the candidate, they ought to collaborate closely with the compensation department.

Deals with onboarding

During the onboarding process, the talent acquisition specialist is available to assist with the paperwork and make the new employee feel at home in the new business. She represents HR to the new employee, therefore her role in defining their expectations is crucial.

Reporting

The Talent Acquisition Specialist is in charge of keeping track of these figures and completing the necessary paperwork because many nations have reporting obligations for hiring and recruitment.

Involvement in succession planning

Organizations should be ready for the inescapable transition of leadership roles. As a result, planning is done, which covers hiring as well as training and development. When a talent acquisition specialist is a member of the succession planning team, she can work to fill the first role while also identifying candidates for the following role.

Manages the hiring process

This is crucial for both hiring and the public affairs aspect of the job. The Talent Acquisition Specialist frequently interacts with individuals who will never work for the organization but could potentially become clients, either as B2B clients or as individual customers. As a result, the Talent Acquisition Specialist must treat applicants fairly because doing so not only ensures a wider pool of potential hires but also enhances the company’s reputation.

What does a recruiter do?

Post job opportunities

When a position becomes available, a corporation wants to fill it as soon as possible with the best candidate. They need to contact potential prospects to achieve that, which is where recruiters come in. On the website of their business, on job boards, and occasionally even on social media, recruiters post job openings.

Headhunt

A recruiter who specializes in finding candidates for senior-level employment is known as a headhunter or executive recruiter. They frequently work for executive search organizations, and businesses hire them to find the best applicants for open positions.

Headhunters look for candidates via networking with people in the business, going to industry gatherings, and browsing résumé databases. Following that, they pair candidates with firms’ available vacancies.

Application reviews

Recruiters examine resumes and applications to determine whether prospects are qualified. After locating a candidate who satisfies all the criteria, they will interview them to see whether they are a suitable fit for the business. Human Resource Managers will then have to determine whether or not to hire them.

Interview and evaluate prospective employees

One of the most crucial things recruiters do is certainly this. Depending on where they are located, they will meet with applicants in person or virtually to see whether or not they would be a suitable fit for your business. They will also check their backgrounds to make sure they have the qualifications and experience needed for the position.

Salary and perks should be negotiated.

The recruiter (or HR department) must discuss compensation and benefits packages with a potential hire after they have made it beyond the preliminary screening stage. They will discuss what your company can afford to spend on salaries as well as any benefits, such as paid time off, health insurance, etc.

Talent spotting

Even if there isn’t a position open right now, recruiters work out the types of people who would be excellent employees in the future. Businesses can avoid having to start again when a person leaves or takes time off in this manner. When they require new personnel, they know exactly who to contact!

Talent acquisition job description

Talent Acquisition responsibilities include sourcing candidates through various channels, planning interview and selection procedures, and hosting or participating in career events. To be successful in this role, you should be able to develop long-term recruiting strategies and nurture trusting relationships with potential hires.

Ultimately, you will create strong talent pipelines for our company’s current and future hiring needs.

Responsibilities

Coordinate with hiring managers to identify staffing needs
Determine selection criteria
Source potential candidates through online channels (e.g. social platforms and professional networks)
Plan interview and selection procedures, including screening calls, assessments, and in-person interviews
Assess candidate information, including resumes and contact details, using our Applicant Tracking System
Design job descriptions and interview questions that reflect each position’s requirements
Lead employer branding initiatives
Organize and attend job fairs and recruitment events
Forecast quarterly and annual hiring needs by department
Foster long-term relationships with past applicants and potential candidates

Requirements and skills

Proven work experience as a Talent Acquisition Specialist or similar role
Familiarity with social media, resume databases, and professional networks (e.g. Stack Overflow and Github)
Hands-on experience with full-cycle recruiting using various interview techniques and evaluation methods
Knowledge of Applicant Tracking Systems (ATSs)
Excellent verbal and written communication skills
A keen understanding of the differences between various roles within organizations
BSc in Human Resources Management or relevant field