So, You Wanna Build a (Talent) Pipeline?

Experienced recruiters understand that a company's strength lies not only in its products or services but also in the quality of its employees. In today's highly competitive job market, where skilled professionals are in high demand, recruiters and talent acquisition specialists must proactively attract top-tier candidates and cultivate a robust talent pipeline.

What is a talent pipeline?

A talent pipeline involves proactively building relationships with job seekers who have expressed interest in the company or whose skills and experience align with the company's needs.

It is a strategic approach that enables companies to identify, engage, and hire the best candidates in the market. By establishing a talent pipeline, companies can mitigate the risk of critical talent shortages and create a competitive advantage by having a pool of qualified candidates readily available when needed. Plus, it enables organizations to focus on long-term workforce planning and development strategies, contributing to their overall success and sustainability.

In this blog post, we will discuss how to start building a talent pipeline, providing actionable insights and strategies to help businesses stay ahead of the competition. By the end of this article, you'll be well on your way to creating a robust talent pipeline that can deliver value to your organization for years to come.

Strategies for Building a Talent Pipeline

If you're looking to build a talent pipeline, there are several strategies you can use to attract top talent and create a steady flow of potential hires. Here are four effective tactics to consider:

Employer Branding

Building a strong employer brand is crucial when it comes to recruiting top talent. Candidates want to work for companies whose values align with theirs and who have a reputation for treating their employees well. To start building your employer brand, consider the following:

• Develop a strong online presence: In today's digital age, having a strong online presence is key. Make sure your company website and social media profiles accurately reflect your culture and values.
• Promote your company culture: Use your online presence to showcase your company's unique culture and what it's like to work there. Share photos and videos of team events, or highlight any employee perks, like flexible schedules or professional development opportunities.
• Highlight employee benefits and development opportunities: Be sure to highlight any employee benefits, such as health insurance or retirement plans, as well as any opportunities for growth or development within the company.

Proactive Sourcing

Proactive sourcing involves reaching out to top talent before you have a job opening to build relationships and create a pipeline of potential candidates. To be successful with proactive sourcing, consider the following:

• Build relationships with talented professionals in the industry: Attend industry events or join relevant professional associations to meet and connect with talented individuals in your field.
• Reach out to passive candidates: Passive candidates are those not currently looking for a job but may be interested if the right opportunity comes along. Reach out to these candidates through LinkedIn or other professional networks to start building relationships.

Passive candidates are IQTalent’s bread and butter. Given our extensive tech stack and storied legacy of sourcing incredible candidates, we know the ins and outs of sourcing passive candidates, which are about 73% of the current workforce. Interested in learning more? Check out one of our favorite passive candidate resources.

• Keep detailed records: Keep track of all of your interactions with potential candidates in a spreadsheet or database so you can easily refer back to them when you have a job opening.

Referral Programs

Employee referral programs are incredibly effective when it comes to hiring top talent. Referral hires are actually five times more likely to be hired than non-referral hires. To create an effective referral program, consider the following:

• Encourage employees to refer qualified candidates: Make it clear to your existing employees that you're actively looking to hire top talent, and encourage them to refer anyone they think would be a good fit.
• Offer incentives for successful referrals: Consider offering a cash bonus or other incentive to employees who successfully refer a candidate who is hired.

Internship Programs

Internship programs are a great way to identify potential future hires and allow students and recent graduates to gain practical experience. To create a successful internship program, consider the following:

• Provide practical experience: Make sure your interns are given meaningful work that will help them learn and grow.
• Identify potential future hires: Use your internship program as a way to identify potential future hires. Keep track of your interns' performance and stay in touch with them after their internship ends.

Building a talent pipeline requires a combination of proactive recruitment strategies and a strong employer brand. By focusing on employer branding, proactive sourcing, employee referral programs, and internship programs, you can create a steady flow of potential candidates and ensure that you always have top talent to choose from when it's time to make a hire.

Measuring Success: How to Keep Your Talent Pipeline Effective and Efficient

Building a talent pipeline is crucial to any organization, but it’s just the first step toward acquiring and retaining top talent. In order to ensure that your pipeline is effective and efficient, you need to measure its success consistently and make adjustments accordingly. Here are some key metrics to track, ways to continuously improve, and strategies for celebrating successes within your talent pipeline.

Keep an Eye On Key Metrics

Hiring speed (Time to Hire): Track the amount of time that elapses between the opening of a position and the hiring of a candidate. A well-built talent pipeline can significantly reduce the time to hire or time to fill compared to sourcing candidates on an as-needed basis.

Quality of hire: Measure the performance of hires made through your talent pipeline. Ensure they are the right fit for your organization and that they are contributing to its success. Take note of how long they stay with the company and whether they’re meeting the expected standards.

Cost per hire: Calculate the total amount of money spent on a hire, including fees to outside recruitment firms, job postings, background checks, and staff hours spent interviewing and processing applications. Building a talent pipeline can significantly reduce these expenses.

Employee retention: Measure the length of time that employees stay with the company. It’s essential to keep track of the percentage of early resignations, along with their reasons for leaving. This data can help you identify areas for improvement.

Track Continuous Improvement

The talent market is continuously evolving, and companies need to remain agile to recruit competitively. After tracking the key metrics of your talent pipeline, it’s essential to analyze them and identify areas of potential shortcomings. Here are some key strategies for continuous improvement:

Be willing to adapt: Change your strategies if you discover your talent pipeline isn’t delivering the expected results. Keep abreast of changes in the talent market to keep up with the best acquisition practices.

Benchmark against your competition: Compare your talent pipeline against your competition. Take note of what they’re doing and any new technologies, tools, or strategies they may be utilizing.

Invest in employee experience: Another way to improve your talent pipeline is to improve your employee experience. An excellent employee experience may create higher retention rates and enhanced brand recognition in the talent market.

Building a talent pipeline is crucial to the recruiting success of any company, and measuring its impact is just the beginning. Implement a strategy to ensure that your talent pipeline is effective and efficient by tracking key metrics, making continuous improvements, and celebrating successes along the way. With the right approach, your talent pipeline can be the foundation for long-term business success.

Don't wait until you're struggling to fill critical roles - start building your talent pipeline with IQTalent today. Our proven strategies, combined with the latest recruiting technologies and best-in-class data analysis tools, will ensure that you never miss out on top talent. Reach out today!