Leading a team can be challenging. However, leading Talent Acquisition teams can be especially difficult because it involves such a fast-paced, high pressure environment with lots of “Type A” personalities.   After speaking with top leaders of various talent acquisition functions, I have amassed a list of do’s and don’ts when managing this function:

1. Don’t get in your team’s way.  Good recruiters don’t need to be micro-managed.  Most of them simply want to meet their goal of filling a vacant position.  To achieve this they need obstacles removed and the freedom to be creative.
2. Don’t function as merely a tactical operation.  The value of business that today’s marketplace demands requires that a team delivers on strategy as well as execution.
3. Do ask your direct reports: “How can I best help you?”  This tells your team that you are there to support them.  The team will thrive if they trust that their boss has their backs, and is accessible and supportive.
4. Do help your recruiters understand the business. Have them read the company’s annual report then conduct robust conversations about it in your team meetings.  Also, invite business leaders from other areas of the company to come in to talk to your team about their strategies and functions.  Understanding the business as a whole is one of the most fundamental and overlooked steps to team building.
5. Do consider adopting a dedicated sourcing person for your team.  This will help the recruiters have more time to spend on strategic initiatives and to consult with their business areas.  A sourcer’s role may include:
   • Evaluating and assessing new sourcing tools
   • Hunting for candidates
   • Serving as a subject matter expert in your industry
   • Assessing, evaluating, and utilizing the latest recruiting technology
   • Participating in every kickoff meeting with hiring managers so they can truly understand position requirements
6. Do invest in your recruiters training and development.  There are a host of solid, informative recruiter conferences being offered these days. Our firm offers a series of training workshops on topics such as:

• Candidate Research and Sourcing
• Client Engagement and Consulting
• Creating Staffing Strategies
• Cold Calling
• Interviewing Candidates
• Debriefing Hiring Managers
• Negotiating Candidate Offers
• Closing Candidates

A focus on strategy, bringing in specialty talent, and understanding the big picture are helpful ideas when managing a great TA team. What management tips—both dos and don’ts – would you like to add to the list here based on your experiences?