Talent Acquisition Strategy & Plan Templates: Mastering Audits & Documents
The following is an excerpt from our Talent Acquisition Transformation Guide, a comprehensive playbook to help you audit and improve your recruitment strategy.
Winning more talent means refining your talent acquisition strategy template and getting your team in ship shape. In many organizations, the Talent Acquisition business operates in an isolated camp – no one sees or hears from you unless there’s news about a talent audit or updates on a particular candidate or role vacancy.
Efficiency in recruitment requires absolute alignment. Your people leaders and your executive team must be in alignment with your talent acquisition plan template and new strategy, because they are equally responsible for executing it. Gone are the days when, for example, marketing managers could pass a job description for a copywriter to a Talent Acquisition specialist and wash their hands of the prospecting dirty work. Now, more than ever, the hiring manager and the specialist must form a partnership, sharing the duties of advertising, promoting, vetting, interviewing, and assessing. After all, candidates for said copywriter role will expect it, as shown in many talent acquisition strategy examples.
To get cooperation and buy-in from your people leaders, you need to form a visible, purposeful A-team in line with a solid talent acquisition strategy document.
Step 1: Create your recruitment A-team
Your crack recruitment task force should comprise:
- Your chiefest people leader (be it a CPO, CHRO, or Head of Talent Acquisition)
- Talent Acquisition specialists and representatives (obviously)
- Representatives from each department in the organization
- Importantly, a representative from the marketing team
Once your team is formed, you need to complete a talent acquisition audit to see where your recruitment pipeline is at. Using a comprehensive talent acquisition audit checklist, identify the roadblocks stopping you from securing the talent you need. It’s essential to audit talent and processes regularly to ensure the best outcomes.
Step 2: Fill out this Talent Requirements Matrix
This step sounds obvious on the face of it, but it actually requires some speculation and problem-solving. Consider this simple matrix, filled in with examples – it’s a good starting point on getting alignment with the A-team on your hiring needs.
| Role | Critical skills | Priority | Existing org. strength | Applicants/candidate declined | Advertised salary | Market salary | Notes/suggestions |
| Head of marketing |
| Very high | Low (no marketing leadership) | 40/38 | $150k p/a | $190k p/a |
|
| Software engineer |
| Low | High (replacing a team of 20) | 10/10 | $120k p/a | $130k p/a |
|
| Office manager |
| High | Low (no office manager for ~3 months) | 0/0 | $100k p/a | $100k p/a |
|
Once you’ve filled out your Talent Requirements Matrix, the next step is effective triage. Almost everyone in the A-team will already be aware of your highest hiring priorities, but by filling out this matrix, you can focus talent acquisition efforts on coming up with weird and wonderful ideas for attracting the right candidates. Times like these require outside-the-box thinking!
The New Approach to Talent Acquisition: Incorporating a Talent Acquisition Strategy Template
In many companies, the Talent Acquisition division remains an isolated entity, often compared to an isolated camp in the talent acquisition strategy document. They emerge primarily to deliver news of hires, misses, or results from a talent acquisition audit. But for organizations to truly thrive and have an effective talent acquisition plan template, recruitment shouldn’t be a secluded process. It demands the collective effort of the entire organization, much like a collaborative talent acquisition strategy example suggests.
The contemporary approach to talent, reinforced by a robust talent acquisition audit checklist, acknowledges that not only Talent Acquisition specialists are accountable for recruiting. For instance, when hiring a copywriter, it’s not just the Talent Acquisition specialist who carries the weight. The hiring manager, too, has a significant role – from advertising and promoting to vetting, interviewing, and even conducting a thorough talent audit.
This modern method ensures that every step, from the initial audit talent phase to the final decision, is a shared responsibility, ensuring a holistic and efficient recruitment process.
Collaboration: The Key to a Modern Talent Acquisition Strategy
Today’s organizations recognize the importance of a cohesive talent acquisition strategy template that encourages collaboration across departments. This shift, documented in many a talent acquisition strategy document, is no longer just a trend but a necessity. The emphasis is on building teams that are cross-functional, where everyone plays a part in the talent hunt.
One such initiative is the talent acquisition audit. Periodic audits offer a clear perspective on what’s working and what’s not in the recruitment process. It’s a proactive approach, ensuring that the company doesn’t fall behind in the competitive talent market. Through a detailed talent acquisition audit checklist, organizations can pinpoint areas of improvement, be it in outreach, interview processes, or onboarding.
Moreover, the role of a hiring manager has expanded. Beyond just defining the job requirements, they now actively participate in the talent audit process, ensuring that the candidates not only fit the job description but also align with the company’s culture and values. This comprehensive approach to auditing talent guarantees a more holistic view of potential employees, reducing the chances of a mismatch.
Furthermore, the notion that talent acquisition is solely the responsibility of HR is outdated. Every department, from marketing to finance, has a stake in bringing in the right people. As showcased in various talent acquisition strategy examples, when each department takes ownership of the recruitment process, the results are transformative. It fosters a sense of community, where everyone is invested in the company’s growth and success.
In conclusion, the modern approach to talent acquisition is all about synergy. It’s about breaking down silos and understanding that the quest for top talent is a collective endeavor. As the landscape of work continues to evolve, organizations that embrace this collaborative spirit will undoubtedly lead the way.
About Author
