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What Is Talent Acquisition?

Talent acquisition is a strategic approach to hiring that focuses on long-term workforce planning and organizational growth. Unlike traditional recruitment, which often aims to fill immediate vacancies, talent acquisition is about building a reliable pipeline of top talent to meet future business needs.

This strategy covers the entire talent acquisition process — from identifying hiring requirements and sourcing candidates to strengthening employer branding and streamlining your hiring process. It’s a proactive method designed to align staffing efforts with your business objectives over time.

Talent Acquisition vs. Recruitment: What’s the Difference?

Although the terms are often used interchangeably, talent acquisition and recruitment serve different purposes:

As Henry Goldbeck, President of Goldbeck Recruiting, explains:

“Recruiting is the action. Talent acquisition is the task at hand and the strategy behind it. . It’s what companies are trying to achieve — and we support them in getting there.”

Elements of a Strong Talent Acquisition Strategy

A strong talent acquisition strategy includes:

• Workforce planning – Understanding what roles and skills your company will need in 6 months, 2 years, or beyond
• Sourcing – Identifying talent proactively, not reactively
• Employer branding – Showcasing your workplace culture to attract qualified applicants
• Hiring technology – Using tools like talent acquisition software to streamline decision-making
• Candidate relationship management – Nurturing long-term connections with potential new hires including liaison and pr within educational pipelines
• Performance metrics – Tracking and refining your hiring process over time

“The best HR professionals are proactive,” Henry says. “They’re thinking two, five, ten years ahead — not just putting out fires.”

Who Manages Talent Acquisition?

Responsibility for talent acquisition often falls to a talent acquisition team within the HR department. Depending on company size and structure, this may include:

• Talent acquisition specialists
• In-house recruiters
• HR Managers, Generalists and  business partners
• Employer branding professionals

Many companies also partner with external recruiters to support their strategy. These external partners can help fill niche roles or handle spikes in hiring volume that internal teams can’t manage alone.

“We don’t claim to own a company’s talent acquisition,” says Henry. “We support it. We partner with their HR teams to fill positions that their internal recruiting team are not best suited to fill at the time.  This could be due to the experience level of the inhouse team, their current workload or the confidentiality of the search.   f

Why Talent Acquisition Matters

In today’s hiring landscape — especially across high-demand sectors in Canada — skilled candidates are not always actively looking for roles. That’s where a strong talent acquisition process makes a difference. It allows companies to:

• Build a steady pipeline of new hires
• Improve alignment between business growth and team development
• Reduce hiring risks and long-term turnover
• Access both active and passive candidates
• Stay ahead of competitors in attracting top talent

FAQs About Talent Acquisition

What is the talent acquisition process?
It includes workforce planning, sourcing, screening, employer branding, and onboarding. The process is ongoing and strategic, not just reactive.

Do I need talent acquisition software?
For companies with regular or complex hiring needs, software can help manage candidate pipelines, track metrics, and reduce administrative tasks.

How is a talent acquisition team different from HR?
While HR covers all employee relations, a talent acquisition team focuses solely on hiring the right people to drive future growth.

Looking to strengthen your talent acquisition strategy? Let’s connect and explore how we can help.