Talent Management:  4 Things Recruiters Should Know

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I know you're thinking: "Really? I've got enough to think about already - what does talent management have to do with me?" But bear with me . . . understanding your organization's talent strategy and its talent management processes and priorities will make you a better recruiter. Simple as that. Here are four specific things that you should find out about - if you don't already: 

 1. Which jobs are mission critical. These are the positions that, if empty, your company will lose money. They are critical to the success of your business. Once you have even a general idea about what these jobs are, you are better able to prioritize your reqs, sourcing efforts, passive candidate management and hiring manager requests. You will also have more credibility with your business leaders when you can speak in an informed way about the importance of these roles.

2. Which jobs have slates of internal candidates. It's key to know which positions in the organization have (even informal) slates of candidates lined up. Without this information, it's impossible to know if your first move should be to source external candidates or look to move someone internally.

3. Who is considered "hot" talent in your organization. Even if you don't have access to employee pay or performance review ratings, you can still work closely with your TM or HR counterparts to understand who the hot, promotable talent is. After all, managers constantly struggle to retain and challenge their best performers. If there is no link between their work and your efforts to promote 'ready-now' talent, then it can all be pretty pointless. Once you know who the hot talent is, you (or someone!) should invite them to apply for a targeted job when it comes open.

4. What new talent management initiatives are gaining steam. Talent management work is usually funded and supported because it is seen as helping the business achieve its goals. So if a new leadership development program is being launched - or performance management is being gutted - there's a reason for that and you need to know about it. Talk to HR leaders to find out what's underneath all the activity - and how it should be linked to talent acquisition.

If you don't know this information - don't wait for someone to invite you to the table to tell you all about it. Go out and get it. Set up meetings with your HR peers, business leaders, your Talent Management Center of Excellence, etc. Once you know these answers, you'll be a better recruiter. It's that simple.

O and hey! Are you in the Chicago area? If so, join us this Thursday, June 21, at the Staffing Management Association of Greater Chicago's Professional Development Program on "Winning the War: Integrating Talent Acquisition & Talent Management" - featuring your fav blogger . . . . me! :)

Other Articles You May Find Interesting:

The Intersection of Talent Acquisition and Talent Management

How Integrated is Talent Acquisition in Your Organization?