If you’re looking for a career in the human resources department, you may be wondering how you can become a talent acquisition specialist.
Talent acquisition specialists oversee the recruitment process within their organization and aim to develop strong recruitment strategies and discover industry talent.
But what skills, education, and experience do you need to become a talent acquisition specialist?
What is a talent acquisition specialist?
A talent acquisition specialist is responsible for attracting, discovering, and interviewing potential candidates to fill niche roles that require a specific or specialized skill set.
Working within the human resources team, talent acquisition specialists organize and plan long-term recruitment strategies designed to appeal to and attract talent within the industry.
By creating hiring strategies that focus on and enhance the brand's employee vision and branding, talent acquisition specialists can identify, approach, and recruit top talent.
How to become a talent acquisition specialist
The role of a talent acquisition specialist is an extremely demanding, competitive, and unpredictable career. But a tough job isn’t without its benefits as talent acquisition is also a satisfying, exciting, and rewarding industry.
If you are looking to become a talent acquisition specialist, you’re probably wondering what steps you need to take to get there.
For more information about how to become a talent acquisition specialist, keep reading.
Education
Typically, someone who wishes to become a talent acquisition specialist must complete a college degree with relevance to the human resources field.
Degrees such as business management, business administration, and business studies are desired by recruitment firms.
Some colleges also offer advanced degrees in human resource management which may increase your chances of landing a talent acquisition role.
Skills
To work as a successful talent acquisition specialist, you will require strong skillset.
Talent acquisition specialists should have great communication, active listening, attention to detail, proactive thinking, and relationship-building skills.
These are transferable skills that will be required in most recruitment agencies and in-house recruitment teams.
More niche and professional skills that can accelerate the success of a talent acquisition specialist include industry knowledge, talent expertise, and data analysis skills.
By gaining experience on the job and through educational practice, you can build up niche industry-specific and professional skills. Talent acquisition is about more than filling a vacancy. It is about taking things to the next level to find top talent that perfectly fits your organization.
Experience
You will naturally gain basic talent acquisition experience through completing a relevant college degree.
Once you have graduated your degree should provide enough experience for you to undertake an entry-level role in talent acquisition. Through this job, you will further expand your knowledge and get an understanding of how the industry operates.
If you are looking to gain experience during your studies, you can apply for internship opportunities to build your workplace experience.
Are you interested in becoming a talent acquisition specialist? Apply for a job today!
