Talent advisors and recruiters may be used interchangeably but have clear differences. They significantly differ in their approaches to specialization, hiring, and long-term relationships.

You may consider contacting a recruiter if you are a hiring manager who needs to fill a role or a candidate looking for a job change. However, a talent advisor might better serve your needs.

Discover the key differences between talent advisors and general recruiters to determine which can deliver more value.

Different Approaches to the Hiring Process

A talent advisor:

• Typically specializes in a certain industry or type of company
• Tends to have extensive knowledge about trends in a specific industry
• Focuses on company challenges when looking for talent or developing hiring strategies
• Meets with the hiring manager and leadership when beginning a search
• Clarifies the compensation, goals, job expectations, and company structure
• Considers the company’s future and how to maximize the benefits provided by the role
• May suggest finding candidates with more or less experience to manage expectations
• Might suggest bringing aboard a contract worker to improve work quality and bridge a shorter term gap
• Connects with talent who are industry innovators
• Understands candidates interests, skills and goals
• Finds well-equipped candidates who blend with the company culture
• Continuously evaluates the quality of hires and retention data to ensure they place the best talent
• Maintains continuous improvements in the hiring funnel
• Saves the hiring team and candidates time and money

A recruiter:

• Receives preliminary information from the hiring manager to begin a candidate search
• Often uses basic information to find talent
• May restrict their candidate search to the same strategies
• Often limit their ability to find diverse and qualified candidates

Different Time-to-Fill Rates

A talent advisor:

• Presents a few vetted candidates who blend with the company’s culture
• Often decreases the hiring team’s number of interviews needed to fill a role
• Typically fills a position in less time than a recruiter
• Usually has greater employee retention rates than a recruiter

A recruiter:

• Typically begins a search in a short amount of time with little information
• Often presents candidates not suitable for the position

Different Talent Maps

A talent advisor:

• Serves as a strategic partner to the hiring team
• Serves as a strategic partner to their candidate pool
• Develops long term relationships with both hiring managers and job seekers that last the span of their careers
• Stays updated on the latest talent in the industry
• Knows when employees are ready to change jobs
• Places companies with innovative talent to impact the organization’s future

A recruiter:

• Typically uses LinkedIn only to find candidates
• May present candidates who do not fill all of the job qualifications or fit culturally
• May present jobs that do not meet the criteria of a candidate

Are You Looking for a Talent Advisor or Recruiter?

Mercer Bradley prides themselves on being trusted talent advisors to fill your accounting and finance hiring or job search needs in Winnipeg. Contact us or visit our job board today!