What is a Talent Community? And What Are Its Benefits?

Good news! You probably already have a talent community.

Anyone who has applied to a role at your company or has shown some level of interest in your organization are all members of your talent community. This group of talent includes both “active” and “passive” candidates. 

The term “talent community” is relatively new and recruiters are still defining it in practice. What we do know for sure is that this type of community is fast becoming the new normal in recruiting and will help you better utilize the resources and talent you’ve already invested in. Plus, there is no one way to go about it.

What’s a talent community?

A talent community is a group of candidates who aren’t or weren’t able to join your team due to circumstances. But, they could be exceptional applicants for future roles at your organization. Therefore, a talent community is a forum to give talent and recruiters the time and place to engage, evaluate, and assess each other on an ongoing basis. That way, the next time a role opens up, you’ll have a warm pipeline to search and source from. 

These communities could take many forms. And the most common format is digital networks that allow talent to maintain a relationship with your company from anywhere, and at any time—even if they aren’t actively considering a role. The goal of a talent community is to build and maintain relationships with top candidates in your prospective circle by authentically and consistently engaging with them. 

What candidates want to get out of your community is to see a comprehensive view of your organization. This view should include the company’s mission, its culture, and its values. Here are some content ideas to keep your community engaged: 

• Company news and updates 
• Industry news and updates 
• Interview tips 
• Career advice
• Networking events 
• Virtual events 
• Employee highlights and testimonials
• Job openings 
• Company culture, perks, and benefits 
• Blog posts

What are the benefits of a talent community?

Simply put, a talent community helps you save time, money, and resources to hire top talent. These communities enable talent acquisition teams to: 

• Save time sourcing talent with mass outreach and content distribution
• Build your company brand to stand out and pique candidates’ interest
• Reduce cost-per-hire while increasing candidate quality 
• Increase your bandwidth to spend more time engaging with your top candidates
• Keep your company top-of-mind for all candidates, all year round 

Talent communities are fast becoming a new normal in the recruiting space. Start engaging with and utilizing your community now. 

At our company, we have virtual communities for recruiters to connect with both candidates and other recruiters in the industry. You’ll be able to engage, grow, and progress your relationship with top talent—no matter where you’re located. Other tools that you could also use for your community include Facebook groups, Slack channels, LinkedIn feeds, or even emails.

No matter what tools you have in your toolbox, just make sure to think through the concept of your own talent community as you move into the recruiting season this fall.