Remember when someone would post their CV to you and ask you to keep their details on file should anything come along? Well, that filing cabinet was the talent pool of days gone by.
Nowadays a talent pool is a database of potential candidates that are interested in working for you. This could also include those that have previously applied but came a close 2nd or 3rd at the final interview stage and any leavers that you’d be keen to get back working with you.
It’s important that if you’ve interviewed the candidate previously that you keep hold of the interview notes and any information as to why the candidate didn’t get the job they applied for.
You can keep this information in a spreadsheet, CRM system or even better an Applicant Tracking System, but remember, you need to make sure that these individuals give you their permission to hold their details. It can also be a good idea to contact them regularly, whether that be to tell them about new vacancies or what your company is up to, making sure you allow them to unsubscribe. If the individual does not want you to keep hold of their details, it’s important to remove them immediately to comply with GDPR.
Things to remember:
- Make sure the talent pool remains small. Quality over quantity, you only want to keep the best of the best on this spreadsheet/CRM or Applicant Tracking System.
- Record important information like skills, previous positions held and areas of business that you think they would be suitable for.
- Keep contact details up to date. The information is only valuable if you can make contact with the candidates.
- A talent pool is a proactive way to recruit but can’t be relied on to produce the results. Candidates that have interviewed previously might have found new roles and no longer be looking for a job.
- Talent pools work well for companies with high volume recruitment needs, especially if the pool is constantly being topped up. You can do this by advertising on the top-performing job boards and running social media campaigns.
If you’d like more information about building a talent pool, having your own system to track applicants or advertising roles on top-performing job boards, contact Spider, the multi-award-winning Online Job Advertiser and Specialist Recruiter on 01473 276146 or visit www.spiderrecruit.co.uk.