Talent Acquisition vs Recruitment Careers: Which is Better?

There are many differences between talent acquisition vs. recruitment roles that most people don’t know unless they’re in the Human Resources field.

Although sometimes, people use these terms interchangeably, the duties of each differ based on their functions and experience needed to do the job well.

If you are wondering about talent acquisition vs. recruitment differences, read on. We’re covering the subtle factors between them that significantly affect a company’s future.

What is Recruitment?

Recruitment is when companies hire people who actively search for candidates that fit a job description. Some have in-house recruiters to manage the role, especially if the company has a high employee turnover. Recruiters are essential for companies because they find qualified candidates when something goes awry. They can fill the position relatively quickly by actively sourcing the available candidate pool for a vacancy.

Recruiters can be in-house employees, work for clients through an agency, or work solo. Through their network of fellow recruiters, job sites, and unique strategies, they can fill a role as long as they have a job description. Of course, not all recruiters fill out vacancies appropriately, especially for senior positions requiring extensive screening. Depending on their level, they need the opinions of other executives before finalizing a hiring decision.

What is Talent Acquisition?

Talent Acquisition differs from recruitment because it is more of a strategy than a role. Where recruiters fill positions quickly, Talent Acquisition specialists curate relationships with qualified people to build a high-value workforce over time. Their job isn’t just to find a suitable candidate – it’s a long-term role that forecasts future job openings and mitigates risk when something unexpected happens.

Talent Acquisition means staying current with the latest market trends that have to do with the modern workforce. They browse statistics and articles, take certification courses, and implement more flexible – and creative – approaches to sourcing for new openings. You must generate and attract leads, speak to them to gauge if they are a good fit, establish interviews and make hiring decisions.

What Are the Main Differences Between Talent Acquisition vs Recruitment?

Recruiters fill roles quickly and efficiently; talent acquisition specialists create a strategy to find the best people for a job and convince them to join the company. Moreover, recruiting is a short-term strategy that ends after a position is no longer vacant. Talent Acquisition maintains relationships and fosters them after a candidate joins. Finally, talent acquisition is necessary for niche, hard-to-find, and executive roles in larger companies, while recruitment alone is not enough.

All companies want employees who share their vision and do their job well. How they plan to build that workforce differentiates between talent acquisition and recruitment. It boils down to the company’s ability to invest in higher-quality talent by hiring specialists who fill essential roles with qualified people.

Some industries have a high turnover due to multiple factors beyond a company’s, such as the trucking industry. As a result, the companies that hire them may spend less time investing in the right employees and more time recruiting to fill emergency roles. Although this creates a toxic cycle of quitting and re-hiring, it is also hard to come out of without a talent acquisition strategy.

Are There Drawbacks to Talent Acquisition vs Recruitment?

Recruitment and talent acquisition have their negatives. These stem from issues like budget, company size, role, and unexpected emergencies. In terms of recruitment, one of the downsides is that it is difficult to find good talent when an emergency arises. If you are recruiting for a company that doesn’t value relationships with employees, you will have to fill positions frequently. Over time, this causes a loss of morale and a drop in workforce quality.

Talent acquisition has drawbacks when the investment in cultivating a relationship doesn’t lead to a fruitful result. If you create an employee development program, it needs milestones. Without them, they are a costly and time-consuming mistake. Finally, although companies expect results from their recruiters and talent acquisition specialists, the latter gets more flack for mishaps as they involve more time and money.

Do Recruitment and Talent Acquisition Have Similar Salaries?

Both recruitment and talent acquisition careers have the potential to yield high earnings, especially when you get to seniority positions. Fortunately, you can progress quickly and climb up the hierarchy if you are proficient at your role and bring high-value employees to the company. Here are a few examples of how much you can make depending on your position:

Recruitment

• Recruiting Coordinators make between $45,939 - $59,027 annually, with a $51,000 average
• Recruiters make an average of $58,145 a year, varying between $51,666 - $64,291
• Recruiting Directors average $154,899 a year and can make up to $173,268

Talent Acquisition

• Talent Acquisition Coordinators make an average of $53,174 per year in the United States
• Talent Acquisition Specialists make around $61,036 a year and up to $69,284
• Directors of Talent Acquisition and Recruiting average $181,000 a year, and up to $200,000

While both careers have excellent earning potential and benefits, talent acquisition has a higher salary range than recruitment.

Which Career Has Higher Demand?

The roles that experience demand depend on the industry, company size, budget, and company vision. For example, small and medium-sized businesses in the tech industry may require more talent acquisition roles to help them build a strong and niche workforce. Additionally, talent acquisition limits expensive mistakes that don’t factor into their budget. Companies in the catering or mechanical industry need employees with skills quickly and only invest in recruitment.

On the other hand, a large investment bank with sensitive roles and executive positions needs talent acquisition specialists to ensure they have a plan if something happens. They also actively source new employees with specialized skills and hard-to-find talent. In the manufacturing industry, for example, despite having large companies, they only need a hardworking employee force without significant skills. They only need recruiters to fill those repetitive roles.

Making an Impression With Your Resume

Whether you want to apply to a talent acquisition or recruitment role, you need a solid resume that highlights your skills and accomplishments. Without the correct layout, text size, and format, you risk rejection from recruiters despite an easily-adjustable mistake. But resumes are not everyone’s forte, and some disregard their impact on hiring decisions.

Rocket Resume is different because it considers each factor before you get the final product. The intuitive tools on the website make it easy to use, limiting the noise and confusion you may get on other platforms.

You can choose the format that you like among thousands of templates. Once you enter your information and finalize your resume, you’ll have a ready CV in minutes.

Rocket Resume templates pass through Applicant Tracking Systems without glitches or errors. And with all the tools and prompts on the site, you’ll spend more time applying for jobs and less time trying to get the perfect format.

Now that you know the difference between talent acquisition vs. recruitment roles, it’s time to start applying through online job portals. With a resume from Rocket Resume and the information in this article, you can make informed decisions about your chosen path and how you want to get there.

Are you ready to start on your resume and look for jobs that align with your goals?

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