The 3 things to look for when considering a talent partner

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‘It’s not the destination, it’s the journey.’ - Ralph Waldo Emerson (among others).

For employers and leaders, hiring talent is as much about the journey as the destination. Gone are the ‘post and pray’ days of sticking an ad on every job board. Instead, forward-thinking organisations are taking a marketing-led approach to engaging and attracting the right people to their teams.

Growing and maintaining a healthy workforce is not just about finding talent. It’s about finding the right talent partner. Talent partnerships should not be transactional, they are long-term relationships that can significantly impact the success of your overall hiring strategy.

A good talent partner will work with you to establish a sustainable strategy to engage, attract and retain talent now and into the future. They will help you improve the employee experience and shape a positive employer brand that makes a real impact. A long-term talent partner is an extension of your organisation, built from an authentic relationship.

Benefits of a long-term talent partnership

Understanding your needs

One of the most significant advantages of forming a long-term relationship with a talent partner is their understanding of your organisation’s unique needs and culture. This understanding allows them to find talent who are not only qualified on paper but also add value to your organisation’s culture. They can identify people who not only have the right skills but also share your vision and values. 

Saving time and resources

Hiring can be a time-consuming and resource-intensive process. It involves writing creative job ads, reviewing CVs, responding to applications and enquiries, conducting interviews, negotiating offers and onboarding. You can streamline this process significantly by partnering with a talent partner for the long term.

Because your talent partner already knows your organisation inside and out, they can quickly identify and present suitable people, saving you valuable time. Also, they often have access to a vast network of talent that you might not have access to, widening your pool of potential talent. 

Reducing hiring risks

Hiring decisions are not without risks. A bad hire can have a detrimental impact on your team's morale, productivity, and ultimately your bottom line. Long-term talent partners work to minimise these risks.

By building a relationship with your team, talent partners are better equipped to assess people thoroughly. They can provide you with in-depth insights into someone’s background and experience and help you make better-informed decisions, this will reduce the likelihood of hiring mistakes. 

Adapting to evolving needs

Organisations are constantly changing and adapting to new challenges and opportunities. Your talent needs may evolve over time as your organisation grows or pivots in response to market conditions. A long-term talent partner is more likely to evolve with you.

Talent partners can adjust their strategies and talent sourcing techniques to align with your shifting needs, easily done if they are in regular communication with you. Whether you require highly specialised skills or a sudden surge in hiring due to an expansion, your talent partner can flexibly adapt to meet your requirements. 

Building a strong employer brand

A consistent and positive candidate and employee experience is important for building a strong employer brand. When people are seen to enjoy engaging with your organisation, it improves your reputation as an employer that people want to work for and a workplace where people want to stay.

Long-term talent partners can help you achieve this by ensuring people are treated professionally and respectfully at every stage of the hiring process. This positive interaction can have a ripple effect, leading to those people who are not selected still having a great impression of your organisation, potentially becoming future advocates or even customers or clients. Word of mouth is so important; you never know who is listening. 

What to look for in a great talent partner

Anyone can hire people, but to hire the best talent possible for your organisation you need to do more than recruitment. A great talent partner will undergo employee experience research, employee value proposition (EVP) development, talent attraction campaigns and recruitment content. They will review and improve your onboarding process, documentation, feedback and performance frameworks.

A great talent partner will uncover what’s compelling about the employer, and each and every opportunity. Then they will effectively tell that story. This is where recruitment, talent engagement and employer brand collide.

Here are 3 key things every good talent partner should have. 

A marketing-led approach

In a culture of attraction, you’re always recruiting, even when you’re not hiring. So being reactive to talent demands is not an effective way of managing your hiring needs. Modern-day hiring partners use a marketing-led proactive approach to engage talent because recruitment is marketing. This means understanding your brand, defining your EVP and leveraging it. 

At Heart Talent, we invest in compelling, authentic recruitment marketing and strategic sourcing. Our recruitment content performs 89% better than the competition. We identify potential talent and conduct targeted, carefully scripted outreach. It works.

Employer brand advocacy

A talent partner who is in for the long haul will be a big believer in your employer brand. Their job is to help employers be a brand that connects with people, inside and out, using your employer brand as your competitive advantage. They will help overhaul your talent content at every touchpoint to shape the best possible employer brand. With a great reputation, you will attract new talent. It will also validate your workplace as a great place to work which will help retention.

An understanding of your employee value proposition

A modern-day talent partner understands that people have unique needs. Offering personalisation at work is the only way to address those needs by engaging and attracting top talent. Offering work with meaning is an effective way of finding the right people. If you give people a job with purpose, they will more likely engage with your organisation in the long term. Your talent partner will understand what your people want and define your EVP. 

Final thoughts 

Establishing a long-term relationship with a talent partner is a strategic move that can bring significant benefits to your organisation. Invest in a talent partner that aligns with your long-term goals, and watch your workplace thrive with the support of exceptional talent.

At Heart Talent, we don’t tick boxes or put ‘bums on seats’. If you’re looking for a transactional approach and black-and-white criteria matching, we’re probably not the right partner for you. Our conversations start with a needs analysis and stakeholder engagement, understanding purpose, motivations, expectations and challenges.

For help with your hiring challenges, feel free to contact the team at Heart Talent.