The tables are turning. Just for now, though. The interviewer gets interviewed. Companies worldwide are increasingly hiring talent acquisition specialists to meet organisational goals. These goals include discovering and retaining top-tier talent, building and implementing long and short-term strategies, and being a catalyst for the organisation’s overall success.
What is the difference between a talent acquisition specialist and a recruiter?
- A talent acquisition specialist hires a candidate as part of a broader strategy to build a subsequent talent pipeline, while a recruiter hires for immediate vacancies.
- Talent acquisition is a long-term hiring process while recruitment takes lesser time.
- Recruitment is less strategic than talent acquisition.
- Recruiters typically hire for operational roles whereas talent acquisition specialists hire for leadership roles.
Now, on to the burning questions.
Question 1: Which resources do you depend on to find top-tier talent?
How to answer: One of the primary tasks of a talent acquisition specialist is to find the crème de la crème of candidates to fill vacant top-level roles. It is crucial to demonstrate that you keep yourself abreast with the latest methods, platforms, and tools by upskilling.
Talk about your method of outreach and networking along with the different approaches you exercise to find the right fit. If you’ve extensively leveraged sourcing and recruitment tools and platforms, illustrate how you used them to your advantage.
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Question 2: How would you go about supporting new hires?
How to answer: Think about your own onboarding process, the things you appreciated, and the things you would have done differently. Bring both views to the table and convey a deep desire to make new hires feel welcome. Your interpersonal skills play as much a role as your organisational skills.
Question 3: How can you help our business scale to greater heights?
How to answer: By asking you this question, the interviewer wants to understand your knowledge of the company and your long-term vision of how you plan to chart your growth within the organisation. Research the company before the interview and state solid examples of how you aided your previous/current organisation in hiring the best talent.
Question 4: Why did you choose this role?
How to answer: Ask yourself the same question but think of it as a subjective question rather than an objective one. What is it about the role that excites or motivates you? Do you feel your productive best in this specific role? Does it give you a purpose? If helping others achieve their career goals is what gets you out of bed every morning, it expresses how sincere you are in navigating this career path.
When you find honest answers to these questions, narrow down the primary reasons and polish your words.
Question 5: How do you identify a well-rounded candidate?
How to answer: A good talent acquisition specialist knows that exceptional talent isn’t just exceptional on paper. They have charisma, self-confidence, are empathetic, and most importantly, aren’t afraid to be fair yet inspiring leaders.
While their skills are intrinsic in making the cut, how well they would fit with the organisation’s culture is equally important. Have a set of questions ready to ask the candidate to gauge how well they would fit into the puzzle.
Question 6: What has been your biggest achievement as a talent acquisition specialist?
How to answer: Achievements are best illustrated in numbers or tangible results. Was there a particular quarter or year in which you hired several exceptional candidates for various roles? Did their contributions to the workplace help achieve the organisation’s business goals and aid in all-rounded growth? Were you recognised through awards or additional remuneration for your efforts?
Keep a personal success story that may have very little to do with data and numbers handy, as it will shed light on who you are.
Question 7: How do you prepare for an interview with a candidate?
How to answer: Walk the interviewer over the steps you take after confirming whether they want a brief or detailed version. If you have a personal go-to strategy that is unique only to you, explain to them why you follow that process and cite examples of how it has been helpful.
Question 8: How has the talent acquisition landscape changed in the past five years?
How to answer: With or without the pandemic, the workspace dynamic has changed drastically over the past few years. It’s important to keep yourself updated with emerging and future trends, even if they may not necessarily affect your area of work. Research industry trends and how employee-employer relationships are now shifting in these testing times.
Are there any changes you’ve noticed in yourself too? Was it by choice or did circumstances make it that way? Keep examples handy to show how you’ve adapted to rapidly changing trends.
Question 9: Have you hired someone who didn’t turn out to be a good fit? What did you learn from that experience?
How to answer: Hiring and letting go of a candidate is time-consuming and costly for the organisation. Yet, sometimes, it’s unavoidable. When an interviewer asks such questions, it’s best to be honest and upfront about your experience. Talk about what you learned from the experience and how you applied it in the following interviews to avoid repeating the same mistakes.
It may look like talent acquisition specialists preparing for an interview have nothing to fret about. But, it’s far from the truth. A lot rests on the specialists as they are responsible for identifying exceptional talent that can change the game for any organisation, and stay ahead of the curve. With this set of interview questions, talent acquisition specialists can get a head-start and keep an eye out for what to expect.
References:
- 26 Talent Acquisition Specialist Interview Questions | Academy to Innovate HR
- 34 Talent Acquisition Interview Questions and Sample Answers | Indeed | July 26, 2022
- Talent acquisition specialist interview questions and answers | Robert Half Talent Solutions | 11 April, 2022
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