Recruiting, searching, attracting talent – what’s the difference?

Everyone interested in recruiting, especially when they are just starting their adventure – asks or asked themselves “what exactly does a recruiter do?” job names in the context of recruitment, and we are not always sure that we know what is associated with them. How is headhunter different from source ? Will I work with the client as a Talent Acquisition Specialist? Very often little is known from the advertisement itself – and it is understandable. Why? Because before applying for a given position, you need to get to know it well! If you still have any doubts – this article is for you!

What exactly is recruitment?

It is the acquisition and selection of candidates who meet the requirements for a given position. In most cases, the recruitment covers everything from acquiring the candidate to introducing him to work (depending on the company where the recruiter works). It is therefore associated with activities such as the verification of application documents and selection. The latter consists in selecting people who have key skills and predispositions to perform specific tasks.

There are two types of recruiters:

• internal recruiters – these are people employed in the structures of a given company. They deal with recruitment projects exclusively for the parent company.
• external recruiters – are representatives of an external company, e.g. a recruitment agency, who are the candidate’s guardians during his participation in the recruitment process. Their task is to conduct recruitment on behalf of specific clients.

Headhunting

Recruitment is a very general concept that includes a number of different tasks and activities. A form of recruiter work that has gained a lot of popularity recently is Headhunting . A headhunter is a recruiter who proactively searches for candidates for specific positions. These are usually hard to find candidates. Those who have specific, high or desired qualifications. The headhunter will be interested in both an active candidate, i.e. one who is currently looking for a job, and a passive one – i.e. one who is not currently looking for this job. It is important that the candidate fits the position. Headhunting specialists may be involved in the entire recruitment process or may be limited only to contacting and verifying candidates.

Sourcing

Another form of work as a Recruiter is Sourcing / Researching. This is often one of the first steps in filling a position. A sourcing specialist is responsible for finding the best candidates for a given job, using various methods of reaching the candidate. He conducts complex industry research and makes a list of the best candidates for this position. The only limitation is his imagination! He can search for candidates through job sites, career offices or through social media. There are many sources of candidate acquisition, and the sourcer’s task is to choose the most effective one in a given recruitment project or industry. Often, finding a candidate is one of the Recruitment Officer’s responsibilities, but it doesn’t have to be.

Talent Acquisition

In addition to those listed above, there is another position that is often seen on job sites – Talent Acquisition . What exactly is talent acquisition? This is almost the same as recruiting. Almost. The main difference is that when recruiting is primarily about filling positions – talent acquisition focuses on matching employers with outstanding candidates , building and nurturing relationships, and promoting a positive image of the hiring company. Simply put, recruiters match candidates with employers, and talent acquisition specialists do a little more. They act as employer brand advocates, looking for qualified specialists. They strive to achieve the company’s employment and career goals. They make sure that both parties are satisfied with the process. Gaining talent is a continuous strategy of finding specialists, leaders or future managers for a given company. It focuses on long-term human resource planning and finding suitable candidates for positions that require a very specific skill set. For example, a technology company looking for developers may need an overall talent strategy based on a strong culture, unique benefits, and enhancing and leveraging its employment brand.

As you can see, recruitment work can have many faces. Depending on what a person feels good in and what features they have, they have a lot to choose from. Each of these types of work presented in the article can be fascinating and can bring great satisfaction. Additionally, most of the tasks that are performed as a headhunter, sourcer, and talent acquisition specialist can be performed remotely from anywhere in the world.