Who the recruiting department should report to is one thing. Then there’s the whole issue of what this department should be called.
In the State of Recruiting Survey, we asked, “What’s your preferred ‘label’ for the corporate (in-house) department that handles recruiting?
You said:
Headhunting: 1 percent
I don’t care: 11 percent
Other: 3 percent
Recruiting: 24 percent
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Search: 1 percent
Talent acquisition: 60 percent
Now for those folks who said “other” and suggested another angle, some of the suggestions:
- Talent Solutions
- Candidate Engagement
- Talent Search
- Talent Resourcing
- I don’t care, but Recruiting best describes what we do. Talent acquisition is just dressing it up.
- Staffing
- People Acquisition
- External Talent Management
- Talent
- Human Capital Management
- Talent and Selection
- Talent Builders
- People Team
- Employment Team
I’ve always had an issue with Employment Agency staff referring to themselves as ‘recruiters’ since traditionally, they were/are not trained to ‘direct recruit’ as I believe you new wavers are calling it. (The calling on of employed professionals while they are on the job. Please note I did not say ’email’ or using the LI message system.)
Employment Agency staff who work with walk-in’s, call-in’s and those who apply online/respond to advertising are not ‘recruiters’ so much as they are processors. This would apply to corporate in-house ‘recruiters’ who do not reach out but instead work with what they are given, via their ATS.
Having gotten that off my chest, I’ll answer the question.
As an Executive Search consultant, the most relevant reason I avoid the ‘recruiter’ word is because the word is one dimensional.
A competent ‘recruiter’ must know more than the process of Recruiting- Compensation Strategies, Psychology, Ascension/Retention, Management and Executive Strategy, Operations, etc., etc. are all, often, necessary points to consider when ‘recruiting’.
My concern is that since there are so many paper-thin ‘recruiters’ out there, I avoid the word since I do not want to be broad-brushed with their characteristically shallow knowledge and practice of our industry.
Have a Nice Weekend, Todd.
LOL!
Oops, I see I did not answer the question, after all.
Well, I’m not in-house so I guess I am not included in this question but I’ll volunteer that I like the term “Talent Acquisition”.
I also believe that TA and the distinction HCM ought to be combined in a comprehensive conversation since the former refers to recruitment and the latter refers to the subsequent management of the company’s employee/managerial/executive pool.
CYA, Todd.
Thanks, TODD. I’m guess I’m in the “Don’t Care” column, because you can call me anything you like, except “late” to pick up my check.
-kh
I personally like “Purple Squirrel Hunter” or “Unicorn Chaser” LOL…Happy Tuesday my fellow Mythical Creature Hunters and Chasers!