What does talent acquisition mean exactly? It's a very general concept that can include many different connotations. Vendors often sell talent acquisition software that is meant to create a simpler user experience; however, talent acquisition technology tends to be bundled up with all-encompassing Human Resources software suites, which can cause for a bulky and confusing program. These HR suites have a great deal of features that recruiters do not need, such as payroll and benefits programs. Daily HR functions are much different than those of a talent acquisition specialist. There are an abundance of additional programs that you won't need and will only hinder your ability to be efficient as a recruiter.

Talent acquisition is no mystery: The function lies in the name. It is merely about finding the top candidates for employment - nothing more. Some have tried to claim that it also means maintaining talent, onboarding, and other general Human Resources tasks. However, recruiters put so much effort into sourcing talent alone that it needs to be its own entity. There are many ways to find the best candidates, such as social recruiting, employee referrals, and Internet searches. When shopping for the right technology for your job, you should evaluate it by how many of the features cater specifically to your role and how each aspect of the software can improve your personal job performance.

If your company has already invested in a giant, bundled software suite that everyone in the HR department uses for various tasks, you should consider other options. You do not want to sift through numerous HR features to get to recruiting tools. You cannot risk losing time trying to figure out how to make the program work for you. The job market today is becoming increasingly more fast-paced and cutthroat. If you don't source top job seekers right away, your company will fall behind the curve. This is why it is important to use a social media sourcing tool, which will expand your talent pool through referrals and straightforward search tools.

To be great at your job, you need to source aggressively and use marketing tactics to showcase your company's culture. The best-of-breed talent acquisition platforms will allow you to top the competition in these areas. Your role involves finding talent; if you have a tool that assists you in gathering and analyzing hiring data, the quality of your candidate pool will increase drastically. An ideal software solution includes social media integration, career site branding, candidate relationship management, and employee referral trackers. Only then will your suite be able to keep up with the competitive market.