Talent acquisition plays a vital role in your organization’s success. Your ability to attract and keep top talent helps you develop a strong workforce, drive business growth and create a competitive advantage.
In today’s fast-paced, dynamic business environment, it’s more important than ever to have an effective talent acquisition strategy that fuels your company’s growth objectives. Let’s look at three important steps to help you maximize your talent acquisition efforts.
1. Understand Your Needs
Before developing a talent acquisition plan, you need to assess your company's short- and long-term needs and goals. What are your existing or expected job openings? What skills will your workforce require to meet performance expectations in the future? You’ll also want to project how your job roles and skill sets will evolve over time.
This analysis is the first step in developing an effective strategy, according to Dakota McDaniels, Co-Founder and Chief Product Officer at Pluto. Not only will your company better understand what areas need improvement, but you’ll also identify the appropriate skills and competencies you want from ideal candidates.
“This process will help us shift through a large talent pool and reach out to the most qualified prospects,” McDaniels says. “Hiring the right candidates is much easier with structure and a solid plan for recruiting.”
2. Plan for the Unexpected
Companies have realized the value of adaptability in recent years while overcoming global market disruptions and revolutionary technological developments. Disruption and economic uncertainty can lead many organizations to reconsider their talent acquisition and workforce plans.
“Workforce planning for an economic downturn will be hugely important,” says Paul Forrest, Non-Executive Chairman at MBN Solutions. “Companies should develop plans for the best, average and worst-case scenarios, and keep a close tracking eye on market conditions,” he adds.
Though many employers have embraced remote and hybrid work, many are also developing return-to-office plans for 2023. This shift could affect employers’ ability to attract and retain talented people who expect a hybrid or remote environment, Forrest says. Other trends Forrest expects to see in 2023 include increased internal mobility, a rise in ex-employees returning to their old employers, a more robust focus on diversity, equity and inclusion, and an emphasis on employee well-being.
3. Stand Out From the Competition
The Great Resignation led to tens of millions of people aggressively seeking career changes. Even now, the U.S. labor market is still tight, with many companies facing a shortage of available workers.
Make sure you’re communicating employer branding, values, goals and voice to potential candidates, says Andrew Chen, Chief Product Officer at CommentSold and Videoo. Chen says his company plans to expand its messaging through “informative YouTube videos, press releases, volunteering, blogs, case studies, employee testimonials and conferences, among other methods.”
Ensure your talent needs and expectations are aligned. Many employers inadvertently exclude less-experienced candidates who can develop skills over time. Offering candidates paid skilled assessments, for example, can help you identify strong applicants who could otherwise might be excluded.
Always Be Recruiting
Talent acquisition is an ongoing process that isn’t just affected by a single event or role. By understanding your needs, finding opportunities for internal mobility and standing out from your competitors, you can create an effective talent acquisition strategy for 2023 and beyond.