It is no news that the world of talent today is full of unprecedented challenges. The talent management approaches are going through a huge shift to suit the changing needs of business and the new demands being created by various external forces. 

The most hit by such disruptions is, of course, the primary function - Talent Acquisition. The war for talent is on and companies are struggling to attract the right talent while simultaneously juggling with other challenges like adapting newer technologies and understanding the changing dynamics of the world of work. 

The big 5 challenges for TA professionals

• Future Skills and leadership pipeline
• Redefining talent 
• Retention and onboarding
• More informed job seekers
• Changing attitudes to work 

The big question is how can TA professionals face these challenges and rise above them to make a better business impact. 

Mervyn Dinnen, HR & Talent Trends Analyst, Author of Exceptional Talent says, "The talent acquisition team should be business focused and marketing led."

The new age TA professional

A recruiter’s job is no more restricted to filling vacancies and chasing the hiring numbers. Their role has become strategic and they themselves have to realize that and own up to it. They are a crucial part of the overall business strategy and are responsible for the key resource that drives the entire business, the talent. 

From understanding the business model, the future skill requirements to knowing how to access strengths and capabilities of the candidates, the TA professionals have to take new approaches and start new practices to be able to cope with today’s challenges.

Here are a few things TA professionals need to do to move in tune with the changing times:

• Move from filling vacancies to being part of the overall talent strategy for business.
• Be proactive internal consultants and focus on relationship building.
• Research, and analyze to understand the future skills requirement, not only in the context of their company but at a macro level.  
• Know how to assess candidate strengths and capabilities and make more effective hiring decisions.
• Have a more attractive recruitment process.
• Automate workflows. Make technology your ally and leverage it for all the operational tasks to better focus on being a talent strategist. 
• Create meaningful content to keep potential candidates engaged.
• Go beyond attracting and hiring talent and focus on creating experiences for talent at each stage of the employee lifecycle. Hence, focus on talent management and not just talent acquisition.

Most recruiters think their job is done as soon as they hire the candidate and candidate joins the company. But times have changed. Each candidate - active, passive, rejected, hired, is the brand ambassador of the company and hence their experience is critical for TA professionals. Engage with them, build relationships, take care of their needs and work closely with managers and business leaders. 

The new age TA professionals not only has to be a good listener or a communicator but has to be a talent strategist and a marketer. 

(This article is based on the keynote session by Mervyn Dinnen, HR & Talent Trends Analyst, Author of Exceptional Talent on Changing Talent Landscape - Redefining TA at People Matters Talent Acquisition Conference 2019.)