We often hear the terms recruitment and talent acquisition, used together as synonyms. These terms are majorly used in a corporate setting where the conversation is headed towards adding employees to the team. But while giving our opinions in such conversations it is important to address the fact that there is an elaborate distinction between the two.
In this article, we will discuss these differences while gaining an understanding of both the processes and draw a line between the two terms.
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What does the term Recruitment imply?
The term recruitment stands for a series of processes that includes searching for candidates, evaluating them, shortlisting deserving applications and hiring individuals who are experienced and qualified to fill the vacancy at an organisation.
The process of recruitment is aimed towards appointing an individual who can fulfil the standing requirements of the organisation with the help of their skills.
The recruitment process is usually very specific and follows pre-defined company protocols with respect to the standardized ways of accepting, shortlisting, interviewing and appointing an employee.
What is meant by Talent Acquisition?
Just like the process of recruitment, talent acquisition is also about adding new members to the team who can work to push the company towards success. However, unlike recruitment, talent acquisition is not very systematic nor does it follow a course of standard process and protocols.
It involves contemporary methods which aim at discovering talented individuals who can help the company grow and evolve in the long run. The process of talent acquisition involves more creative and vibrant methods of acquiring talent and enhancing the potential of an enterprise.
Now that we have developed a better understanding of both terms, let us explore the distinctions between them.
Recruitment v/s Talent acquisition
There are numerous factors that contribute to differentiating between recruitment and talent acquisition. Some of these factors are –
Recruitment as a subset
You can think of recruitment as a subset of talent acquisition. Even though both the processes are about adding on new talent to the company, talent acquisition acts like an umbrella that encompasses the process of recruitment.
Talent Acquisition is dynamic
The process of recruitment is linear and its purpose is to fulfil the immediate requirements of the company. Talent Acquisition, on the other hand, is a continuous cycle that involves a dynamic approach towards selecting individuals who add value to the venture and enter a long term bond with the enterprise.
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An approach beyond the CV
Recruitment is all about assessing the employee based on the experience and skills they have gathered and presented through their CV. Talent acquisition looks beyond the CV and aims at detecting potential in an individual.
It seeks a long term performance and growth probability rather than limiting itself to observations based on the CV presented by the candidate. It aims at finding subject experts instead of merely looking for employees.
Software Assistance for Recruiting and Acquiring Talent
With the constant upgrade in technology, employers now use hi-tech recruitment and talent acquisition software. These software come with features that automate all the comprehensive steps involved in the process of recruiting. These systems are instrumental in inculcating speed, accuracy and convenience to the overall procedures.
All the way from accepting applications to filtering candidates, assessing them and generating offer letters, managers are easily able to fulfill a major portion of the work with the help of this software.
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Talent acquisition and recruitment process can be distinguished on the basis of a few more elements. Some of those elements are discussed below –
Planning and strategizing
Recruitment is an organisational process that follows a set of rules and protocols issued by the company. Talent Acquisition, on the other hand requires the manager to formulate a plan based on the market, business requirements and the long term goal of the company.
Workforce Division
In the case of talent acquisition, it is critical to understand the company’s functionality and work procedures. This knowledge determines the requisite skill, experience, and expectations of the candidates, as well as a hiring method. In case of recruitment, every candidate is screened in a similar manner and a standard process is followed for all.
Analytics and Metrics
Recruitment is a subset of talent acquisition. Therefore, it requires analytical research and estimation to gather information for competent recruitment. In case of talent acquisition this estimation is necessary and the process can not be complete without implementing metrics to evaluate the candidate.
Talent Management and Sourcing
Recruiting candidates requires the manager to post job vacancies and filter applications of suitable contenders. Talent acquisition, however, requires the manager to invest more thought and efforts in looking for deserving candidates. This includes conducting proper interviews, analyzing them and ensuring that they will be a good addition to the company.
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Differences between Recruitment and Talent acquisition
|
RECRUITMENT |
TALENT ACQUISITION |
| It is an action towards a specific goal | This is a strategy for a broader set of objectives. |
| Recruitment is an assertive technique. | Talent Acquisition thoughtful and reflective approach. |
| This is a tactical procedure to fill an immediate vacancy. | This is a continuous process for long-term resource planning. |
| This looks for employees. | This strives for experts and administrators. |
| This emphasizes the fulfilment of the defined eligibility criteria. | This requires skill set, knowledge, experience and the potential to grow and evolve |
| Takes less time, but is expensive | Takes more time, but is easy |
Conclusion
On the surface level, one can relate both the terms Recruitment and Talent Acquisition to processes involved in selecting and hiring candidates in an organisation. But when we dive deep into their context and connotation, we will notice numerous postulates that highlight the differences between the two.
Awareness of these differences will make you stand out from the crowd and give your opinions a better perspective.
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