Tangling with Talent: A Fresh Approach to Recruitment in a Changing World

By: Ron Miller (2024)

In the dynamic world of talent acquisition, where the lines between art and science blur, I find myself an unlikely scribe. As someone more at home in the trenches of recruitment than behind a keyboard, my foray into authorship might seem a stretch. But here's the twist - I am fiercely passionate about recruiting and talent acquisition, a field that, quite literally, chose me.

With over two decades in the game, I've watched talent acquisition evolve, yet I fear our art is losing its luster. It's not just about shuffling resumes or ticking boxes or relying on AI to give us a score that may or may not tell us if someone is a potential match. It's about being part-social worker, part-career coach, and part-strategic mastermind, with a dash of psychology for good measure.

But let's cut to the chase: I want to talk about proactive strategy in talent acquisition. In recent years, we've embraced AI to speed up processes and address candidate shortages. However, in this quest for efficiency, have we lost the personal touch?

Here are my two cents on building a proactive recruitment strategy:

1. Know Your Battlefield: Understanding the roles in your organization, both present and future, is crucial.
2. Metrics, Metrics, Metrics: Keep a close eye on turnover rates, time-to-hire, and other vital stats to forecast your recruitment needs accurately.
3. Forecasting is Key: It's not an exact science, but understanding your metrics helps predict future needs.
4. Pool Party: Determine how many candidates you need to keep engaged to fill roles. For example, for every ten accountants, have 3-5 potential candidates nurtured.
5. Dive into Your Talent Pool: Segment your talent pool, assign responsibilities, and make it visible using your ATS or other tools.
6. Start Swimming: Begin building your pool using your ATS and outreach strategies.
7. Expand Your Horizons: Engage with DE&I and community resources to diversify and strengthen your talent pool.
8. Post with Purpose: Only resort to job posting after careful review and measurement.

A proactive approach doesn't just fill jobs; it builds relationships. It allows you to understand candidates' needs, habits, and fit with your organization. This strategy not only elevates your recruitment game but also prevents burnout in your team and ensures your talent pool is nurtured, not neglected.

Remember, while it's impossible to be proactive all the time due to unforeseen roles and market changes, a proactive foundation makes you far more effective when you do need to react.

So, there you have it. Whether you're in a staffing firm or any traditional business, these insights are universally applicable. Let's not just fill positions; let's build bridges to our future talent, fostering connections that go beyond the resume.

Cheers!

RM