The terms “talent acquisition partner” and “recruiter” are often used in the human resources or talent acquisition field. These two have very different responsibilities, but they both perform a critical function for your company: finding and hiring talent. In this post, we’ll look at a talent acquisition partner vs recruiter to understand the differences between these two. We’ll also help you understand when to use each type.
Talent acquisition partner vs recruiter
There are subtle but important differences between talent acquisition partners and recruiters. Recruiters focus on filling open positions in your company. Talent acquisition partners focus on the overall company vision and help create long-term strategies to attract and retain top talent. In other words, talent acquisition partners function more as consultants and strategists than traditional recruiters. Now let’s talk about the roles of a talent acquisition partner vs recruiter.
What does a talent acquisition partner do?
Consultation
A talent acquisition partner will sit down with you and your team to determine what you need from a candidate, what qualities are most important for success in the role you want to fill, and how best to engage with candidates. This consultation can occur over email or phone calls or through one-on-one meetings.
Assessment and planning
After your initial consultation, the talent acquisition partner will assess your company’s current workforce and create a plan to fill any gaps in skills or experience. They’ll also help you develop a strategy for finding new hires that work within your budget and timeline.
Branding and engagement
The talent acquisition partner will work with you to create a brand that attracts top talent at every level of employment – from entry-level all the way through to executive positions. They’ll also work with you to create a strategy for engaging potential applicants throughout their recruitment process, from resume screening to final interviews.
Marketing
Whether posting job descriptions on various sites or interacting with employees at career fairs, a talent acquisition partner helps you advertise the position to the widest possible audience. They also help reach out to passive candidates (people who are currently employed but looking for other opportunities).
Candidate sourcing & selection
Candidates are sourced from different places such as job boards, employee referrals, social media platforms like LinkedIn, etc. The talent acquisition partner will help with this process by providing insight into which recruiting methods are most effective at attracting candidates with the skills your company needs.
Strategic input
A talent acquisition partner will help you create a strategic plan for hiring that will guide growth over time. This can include developing clear goals for each position and how many people will be needed in total over time. It can also include recommendations for methods that might be useful in finding new hires (such as job boards).
What does a recruiter do?
Advertise job openings
When a company has a new opening, they want to fill it with the best possible candidate as quickly as possible. To do that, they need to reach out to potential candidates, and that’s where recruiters come in. Recruiters advertise job openings on their company’s website, on job boards and sometimes even through social media.
Headhunt
A headhunter, or an executive recruiter, is a recruiter who specialises in recruiting employees for high-level positions. They typically work for executive search firms and are hired by companies to recruit top candidates for their positions.
Headhunters search for candidates by networking with contacts in the industry, attending industry events, and searching databases of resumes. They then match candidates with open positions at companies.
Review applications
Recruiters read through applications and resumes to see if candidates are qualified. Once they’ve found someone who meets all of the requirements, they’ll interview them to ensure they’re a good fit for the company. After that, it’s up Human Resource Managers to decide whether or not to hire them!
Interview and screen potential candidates
This is probably one of the most important things that recruiters do. They’ll meet with applicants either in person or online (depending on where they are located) to judge whether or not that person would be a good fit for your company. They’ll also look into their backgrounds and ensure they have the skills and experience required for the job.
Negotiate salary and benefits package
Once a potential candidate has passed the initial screening process, the recruiter (or HR department) then has to negotiate salary and benefits packages with them. They’ll talk about how much money your company can afford to pay out on salaries, and what perks might be available like vacation time, health insurance, etc.
Talent pipelining
Recruiters also figure out what kind of people would make great hires in the future, even if there isn’t an immediate opening. This way, businesses don’t have to start from scratch when someone leaves or takes time off. They know exactly where to turn when new employees are needed!
When to use a Recruiter or Talent Acquisition Partner
A recruiter is a suitable choice for your business if you want to fill a particular temporary or contract position within a specific timeframe. They’ll typically be more specialised in the field where you need help. The job of a recruiter ends when they’ve found a candidate who seems like a good fit for a position. They won’t necessarily have the full-picture candidate experience and employer branding expertise you’re looking for.
A talent acquisition partner (TAP) works with the company’s leadership to craft and implement the company’s staffing strategy. They’re the best fit for you if you want to build your team with highly qualified candidates that will stay with your company for the long run. TAPs better understand your company’s day-to-day operations and specific challenges. So they can identify candidates that fit seamlessly into your operation.
If you’re a business looking to hire the best talent, or a job seeker looking for guidance and top-notch opportunities, we’re here to help. We love helping businesses worldwide find the perfect match for their senior positions. We won’t just match you with the first person who comes along. We take the time to get to know you, understand your company’s needs, and see how our candidates match up. Please get in touch today and talk about how we can help you!
