Last June, we reported on our Coopers Talent Acquisition Circle – an internal platform for our Talent Acquisition Specialists and Consultants, our TAs. They are an integral part of our specialized recruiting teams as they research and actively source suitable candidates.
The TA Circle brings together TAs from all recruiting sectors and all Coopers offices. They exchange ideas on current topics and challenges, share tips and report on best practices. We wondered what they are up to, these days. So we asked Elena Jansky in an interview; she is working as a Talent Acquisition Consultant in the Coopers IT team in Bern since the end of 2020.
Elena, it's been almost a year since we last sat down for an interview. Back then, the TA Circle was still quite new. How has it established itself?
The TA Circle has become a valuable institution for us in talent acquisition. There is so much going on, right now. And the candidate market is becoming more and more demanding, especially in the current situation.
What do you mean exactly?
Well, we're dealing with a candidate market anyway – the scepter of power is on the candidate side; they think carefully about where and with whom they want to work. In addition, the pandemic has left its mark: Flexibility and work from home are no longer nice-to-haves but must-haves. Candidates have very clear requirements. In addition, political and economic developments have led to a growing need for security and stability. We sense this in our conversations.
Remote work is here to stay, for sure. How do you handle this internally at TA Circle?
The same way we generally handle it at Coopers – we are flexible and pursue a hybrid strategy. This means that some TAs gather in the office, while the rest join in virtually. This works well. It just takes a little getting used to, like whom to look at – but even with everyone present, your eyes wander from person to person.
For the sake of community, however, it's nicer if we can all see each other in person. It also makes it easier to break the silence and there are more contributions to our topics. We see it as a learning process and watch it evolve.
What are some of the topics you are currently addressing?
On the one hand, we address topics requested by the TAs. On the other hand, I contribute topics that I learned about at the Talentor Recruiting Campus. Most recently, for example, it was about the "perfect job ad" as well as an exchange on "recruiting game changers".
Exciting. So, what are some recruiting game changers in talent acquisition?
This was about more experienced TAs sharing their tips. They have so many years of recruiting experience and have found one or two keys to success – their game changers. These include anything that makes recruiting easier, more efficient, faster, more fun, and just overall better. Of course, our younger colleagues can benefit from this and include these tips and tricks in their recruiting toolbox.
Can you give us some specific examples?
Sure. We used the miro program to put all our game changers in writing. That way, our TAs always have access to it as well.
For me personally, new technologies are a game changer. They make some processes easier and support our daily work. In addition, I always find it advisable to take the candidate's perspective and consciously put myself in their shoes. Other TA colleagues mentioned, for example, second opinions as a game changer or the organization of work with fixed time blocks (timeboxing was also the topic of the penultimate blog post).
Interesting. Does that still leave time to speak and exchange spontaneously?
Yes, of course. After the round of topics, there is always enough time for spontaneous exchanges. After all, that's the heart of the TA Circle. Some topics affect us all, such as the changing requirements of applicants. Other topics are very specific. In Life Sciences recruiting, for example, the candidate market is somewhat larger, but the necessary skills are often more difficult to find. Everyone brings in their concerns and then we discuss them in the group. This brings up different perspectives and new approaches.
That is certainly very valuable for our TAs, isn't it?
Definitely! It's a breath of fresh air to be able to talk to different team members than usual. Of course, we can always exchange ideas at other times, but in the TA Circle we can really take the time to do so.
We also conducted an anonymous survey among the TAs to find out what they thought of the TA Circle – the results were overwhelmingly positive. That's also motivating for me to keep pushing it forward.
Elena, thank you for your commitment to the TA Circle and for taking the time to report on it. We look forward to getting another glimpse into Talent Acquisition life at Coopers. When will the next TA Circle take place?
We'd love to! We meet about once a quarter. The next TA Circle is planned for Q3. We'll be tackling various topics, such as interview and IT training with external partners, as well as video recruiting. That going to be very exciting.
I'm sure it will be. Have fun and thanks again!
#wearehiring
If you would also like to work for us, you can find an overview of our open internal positions here - we are looking for new employees in the areas of marketing, talent acquisition and account management. We look forward to receiving your application.
Follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Xing, Instagram and Twitter to see what's happening in the Coopers world. There's never a dull moment with us!
_1.svg)