Why Is Talent Acquisition is Important?

Talent acquisition (TA) is the process of strategically sourcing, screening, and selecting highly qualified candidates who align with an organization's core values. It empowers companies to hire talented individuals who will commit themselves to the organization's mission and feel inspired to help it thrive.

How Is Talent Acquisition Different From Recruiting?

Unlike recruitment, which concentrates on short-term hiring needs, talent acquisition aims to achieve longer-term solutions. It's a more strategic approach to hire value-aligned talent rather than simply fill roles. If candidates align with a company's values, they are more likely to feel a sense of purpose at work and, in turn, are inclined to stay with an organization long-term.

Consider that over two-thirds of employees form their sense of purpose from the work they do. Over 90% would recommend a company to a friend if it inspires a sense of purpose.

Talent acquisition recognizes the importance of addressing and integrating candidate needs in the hiring process — like appealing to a feeling of purpose — to attract the best and brightest.

How Does Talent Acquisition Benefit Organizations?

A talent acquisition strategy offers many advantages for organizations.

Drive Business Growth

Strategic TA not only fills immediate needs, but also aligns with long-term organizational goals. By finding the candidates with the right skills, companies can build high-performing teams that propel the business forward. An effective TA strategy can ensure that organizations attract and retain the best talent to fuel innovation, enhance productivity, and maintain a competitive edge. 

Improve Retention

Proactively addressing retention is a vital part of talent acquisition. A dedicated TA team will ensure they're attracting candidates who will enjoy being part of an organization and want to see it thrive.

Integrating retention into the TA stage typically involves diving into an organization's culture and values, conducting market research to adopt new values, and revising the employer brand. Revamping an employer brand can ensure it reflects the company's most appealing values and resonates with job seekers.

Carefully Plan Workforce Needs

TA aims to ensure an organization's workforce needs are met year-round. This involves identifying current skills gaps as well as predicting future needs. A TA team may focus on building a strong, pre-vetted talent pipeline to fill roles quickly during peak hiring periods.

With effective workforce planning, businesses are well-prepared to handle fluctuations and don't need to rely on staffing agencies for temporary solutions. 

What Are the Steps in Talent Acquisition?

In general, talent acquisition involves the following steps:

• Determine organizational hiring goals and objectives.
• Build a unique and compelling employer brand.
• Define the ideal applicant by creating candidate personas.
• Source candidates through various channels, like job boards and career fairs.
• Leverage technology to screen candidates efficiently.
• Create a positive candidate experience to make potential hires feel supported.
• Collaborate with the hiring manager to complete the interviewing and selection process.
• Use data to measure talent acquisition success and improve processes as needed.

Redefine Your Talent Acquisition and Recruitment Strategies

Talent acquisition can facilitate business growth if its strategies are backed by market research and align with an organization's values. However, TA can also be time-consuming and challenging in a highly competitive, rapidly evolving labor market. 

If your organization needs assistance sourcing qualified candidates or reducing turnover, consider outsourcing your hiring process to talent acquisition experts — like Hueman RPO. As an experienced RPO provider that offers tailored talent acquisition services, we'll help your company secure highly qualified, value-aligned candidates faster.

Contact us today to launch a dynamic talent acquisition partnership.