Talent acquisition refers to the process of identifying and acquiring skilled workers to meet your organizational needs. The talent acquisition team is responsible for identifying, acquiring, assessing, and hiring candidates to fill open positions within a company.
Talent acquisition involves:
Planning
Assessing current and future workforce needs, and developing a strategic workforce plan
Recruiting
Using internal and external recruiting, employee referrals, and other methods
Technology
Using applicant tracking, background checking, and other tools
Building relationships
Ensuring that every applicant has a good candidate experience, even if they aren’t hired
Talent acquisition teams may be part of an organization’s Human Resources department, or they may be their own department that works with HR.
Some key skills for talent acquisition professionals include: sourcing strategies, candidate assessment, compliance and hiring standards, employment branding practices, and corporate hiring initiatives.