Is there really a difference between a head hunter, recruiter, and talent acquisition manager? I’m quick to answer that YES, there is a difference!
Technology has changed the path to employment through social media and data analytics platforms. I’m sure most of us will agree that using job boards to fish for new candidates is no longer the key strategy for growing your business. That’s why at eQ, talent acquisition is about creating strategies to attract, retain, and promote professionals who are at the top of their game.
We all know that changing jobs is one of life’s most stressful situations. And, in my opinion, head hunting and recruiting don’t ease the stress because they don’t speak to the process that’s involved after someone interviews. Talent acquisition, on the other hand focuses on the lifecycle that happens from when someone says they are interested in hearing about a job opportunity to 90 days after someone starts a new position. To gain someone’s trust throughout this process, we must showcase our expertise, engage our candidates, and build a relationship beyond what understanding someone’s resume.
The definition of recruiting is “to furnish or replenish with a fresh supply; renew.” At eQ we are doing way more than supplying people to fill a gap. By building relationships with our candidates, we are learning about the attributes they have that will give them the ability to grow and develop within a position, this also gives us insight into the likelihood of their ability to be successful.
So if you are sitting here thinking, “What can our company do to really capture the best talent in the industry?” check out a few things that we are doing at eQ that are helping us grow:
- Build a referral program from your candidates. According to a study from Bullhorn, a leading recruiting software company, 49% of agency hires come from their database. So what’s that mean? It means that every touch we have on a candidate has to be nothing but unforgettable, in of course a good way. There are many recruiting companies out there and you have to set yourself apart from the stereotypes of being the “scripted recruiter.” Once one person has a great experience with your company, they are very likely to refer you to their friends.
- Read between the lines. Getting to understand someone beyond what the resume says will make that candidate feel a deeper sense of connection. Understanding someone’s personal goals tells you a lot about their strategy for reaching professional goals.
- Be honest and give feedback. We are often quick to forget about the candidates that we don’t want to advance in our process and that’s typically because something in the interview did not go well. We can’t stress enough the value in providing candidates with constructive feedback. I’m sure there is something in your life that you were once not good at, but with some coaching you became pretty good. Interviewing can be the same way. For example, let’s say someone loved their job and was laid off after 10 years of employment. Even though they had the best 10 years, in the moment of an interview, emotions could surface that make it appear they are talking negatively. As people who specializes in discovering the potential in people, it’s our responsibility to help someone become aware of their strengths and weaknesses, especially in an interview. This candidate might be a very optimistic person and is not aware they are letting emotion take over. How about the candidate that is five minutes late? Do you ask them why they are late? The candidate’s response will give you a glimpse into how they handle adversity and how easy they are to coach. This may be uncomfortable, but you can remind the candidate that your honesty and feedback is part of the value they gain from working with you. It’s not easy giving feedback to someone during an interview, but if you can train your team to this, we promise that your relationships will strengthen and so will the reputation of your company.
- Be an advisor not an order taker. When new job opportunities arise with your clients, arrange an in-person or over the phone meeting to really dig through their needs. Does the job description really speak to what they say they are looking for? Maybe you assume that since you have hired for this position before, nothing has changed—never assume! Another tactic that we have found really helpful is to have your client give you three profiles of candidates that they would be interested in speaking to. This exercise helps your client be more creative and gives you more flexibility in your candidate pool that can lead to getting someone hired faster!
Growing a talent acquisition department will require strategies beyond training employees on the basics of sourcing, interviewing, and negotiating. In today’s competitive environment, your relationship with your clients and candidates have to be a partnership. Your clients should want to work with you because they need you to be the expert in engaging the top talent in the industry. Candidates should rely on you to match their values and goals with the clients’ needs. Stay tuned for more tactics to help your talent acquisition team grow.
As Talent Acquisition Manager, Jessica focuses on finding the right candidates to fit our clients’ needs. She works with our clients to understand the exact skills and attributes that would fit with the cultural climate and their environment.
