What Do Talent Acquisition Managers Do?
Wondering what the job is really like for talent acquisition managers?
You've come to the right place.
Keep reading to find detailed information about what talent acquisition managers do, including the type of work they are tasked with on a daily basis, industries in which they work, and the specific skills needed for a successful career.
Talent Acquisition Managers Overview & Description
Let's get started with the basics about talent acquisition managers by taking a look at a simple description and popular job titles.
Talent Acquisition Managers plan, direct, or coordinate human resources activities and staff of an organization.
Popular Job Titles For Talent Acquisition Managers
Sample of Reported Job Titles
- Human Resources Managers
- Human Resources Business Partners
- Directors of Human Resources
- Directors of Diversity and Inclusion
- Talent Acquisition Managers
- Directors of Talent Acquisition
- Staffing Managers
- Human Resources Partners
- Recruiting Managers
- Workforce Managers
- People Business Partners
- Workforce Management Managers
Read on for insight into the industries where the highest concentration of jobs for talent acquisition managers can be found.
Best Industries for Talent Acquisition Managers
Talent Acquisition Managers Jobs By Industry
- Management of Companies and Enterprises: 12.6%
- Federal Government, Military: 5.7%
- Employment Services: 5.1%
- Computer Systems Design and Related Services: 4.5%
- Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services: 3.9%
- Local Government, Excluding Education and Hospitals: 3.7%
- Other: 64.5%
When it comes to jobs in the United States, the largest single category of talent acquisition managers can be found working in the Management of Companies and Enterprises sector. In 2023, about 12.6% of all jobs for talent acquisition managers were found there.
Other top industries by percentage include Federal Government, Military (5.7%), Employment Services (5.1%), Computer Systems Design and Related Services (4.5%), Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services (3.9%) and Local Government, Excluding Education and Hospitals (3.7%).
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Degree Options for Talent Acquisition Managers
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- Class Type: 100% online
- Months To Complete: 14
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- Placement Tests: GMAT/GRE not required for admission
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- Placement Tests: GMAT/GRE not required for admission
Earn your Master of Public Administration (MPA) degree with a Specialization in Human Resources and build the leadership skills to advance a government or public service agency alongside an emphasis on strategic HR best practices.
- Class Type: 100% online
- Months To Complete: 14
- Placement Tests: GMAT/GRE not required for admission
What Do Talent Acquisition Managers Do on a Daily Basis?
So you have a high-level understanding of what talent acquisition managers do and the types of industries in which they work - but what do they really do each day?
A great way to understand the type of work talent acquisition managers do is to examine actual job postings and focus on the specific skills that employers are seeking. That will help paint a clearer picture of the tasks that talent acquisition managers tackle each day.
Continue reading for a breakdown of specialized skills found in job postings for talent acquisition managers, as well as common skills - interpersonal qualities and attributes - that can help you thrive in the workplace.
In-Demand Skills for Today's Talent Acquisition Managers
Based on 145,869 job postings
Top 5 Specialized Skills for Talent Acquisition Managers
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Employee Relations | 45,271 | 31% |
| Performance Management | 34,611 | 24% |
| Human Resources Information System (HRIS) | 24,061 | 16% |
| Talent Management | 23,960 | 16% |
| Project Management | 22,927 | 16% |
Top 5 Common Skills for Talent Acquisition Managers
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Management | 73,995 | 51% |
| Leadership | 73,308 | 50% |
| Communication | 71,856 | 49% |
| Operations | 35,798 | 25% |
| Problem Solving | 32,457 | 22% |
Based on 145,869 job postings related to talent acquisition managers, employee relations was the top specialized skill sought by employers, with 31% of all postings looking for that skillset. Skills for performance management, human resources information system (hris), talent management, project management and human resource management were also highly sought.
As for common skills, management was the most desired skill found in job postings for talent acquisition managers, followed by leadership, communication, operations, problem solving and coaching.
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Employee Relations | 45,271 | 31% |
| Performance Management | 34,611 | 24% |
| Human Resources Information System (HRIS) | 24,061 | 16% |
| Talent Management | 23,960 | 16% |
| Project Management | 22,927 | 16% |
| Human Resource Management | 22,863 | 16% |
| Employee Engagement | 18,799 | 13% |
| Labor Law | 17,516 | 12% |
| Succession Planning | 16,069 | 11% |
| Talent Acquisition | 15,928 | 11% |
| Change Management | 15,758 | 11% |
| Human Resource Strategy | 13,156 | 9% |
| Business Strategies | 12,914 | 9% |
| Organizational Development | 12,518 | 9% |
| Workforce Planning | 12,178 | 8% |
| Labor Relations | 12,015 | 8% |
| Data Analysis | 11,971 | 8% |
| Auditing | 11,846 | 8% |
| Employee Onboarding | 11,165 | 8% |
| Continuous Improvement Process | 11,058 | 8% |
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Management | 73,995 | 51% |
| Leadership | 73,308 | 50% |
| Communication | 71,856 | 49% |
| Operations | 35,798 | 25% |
| Problem Solving | 32,457 | 22% |
| Coaching | 32,309 | 22% |
| Planning | 31,599 | 22% |
| Writing | 28,811 | 20% |
| Customer Service | 27,588 | 19% |
| Microsoft Office | 27,519 | 19% |
| Influencing Skills | 25,492 | 17% |
| Detail Oriented | 25,452 | 17% |
| Microsoft Excel | 23,419 | 16% |
| Interpersonal Communications | 22,490 | 15% |
| Training And Development | 22,395 | 15% |
| Investigation | 21,911 | 15% |
| Presentations | 20,506 | 14% |
| Organizational Skills | 18,512 | 13% |
| Microsoft PowerPoint | 18,372 | 13% |
| Coordinating | 18,223 | 12% |
Most In-Demand Jobs for Talent Acquisition Managers
Top 5 Posted Job Titles
| Job Title | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Human Resources Managers | 63,254 | 32.3% |
| Human Resources Business Partners | 54,585 | 27.9% |
| Directors of Human Resources | 31,313 | 16% |
| Directors of Diversity and Inclusion | 7,061 | 3.6% |
| Talent Acquisition Managers | 4,721 | 2.4% |
According to job postings that were published between September 2022 and August 2023, the top job sought by employers was human resources managers, with 24,866 unique job postings. Human resources business partners were second, with 13,073 postings, followed by directors of human resources, directors of diversity and inclusion and talent acquisition managers.
Expand the section below to see unique job postings for all occupations related to talent acquisition managers.
| Job Title | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Human Resources Managers | 63,254 | 32.3% |
| Human Resources Business Partners | 54,585 | 27.9% |
| Directors of Human Resources | 31,313 | 16% |
| Directors of Diversity and Inclusion | 7,061 | 3.6% |
| Talent Acquisition Managers | 4,721 | 2.4% |
| Directors of Talent Acquisition | 4,293 | 2.2% |
| Staffing Managers | 2,791 | 1.4% |
| Human Resources Partners | 3,347 | 1.7% |
| Recruiting Managers | 2,481 | 1.3% |
| Workforce Managers | 2,415 | 1.2% |
| People Business Partners | 2,272 | 1.2% |
| Workforce Management Managers | 1,916 | 1% |
| Vice Presidents of Human Resources | 3,009 | 1.5% |
| Human Resources Supervisors | 2,701 | 1.4% |
| Employee Relations Managers | 1,688 | 0.9% |
| Talent Managers | 1,786 | 0.9% |
| Human Resources Operations Managers | 1,521 | 0.8% |
| HRIS Managers | 1,526 | 0.8% |
| Employee Experience Managers | 1,320 | 0.7% |
| Directors of People and Culture | 1,533 | 0.8% |
Additional Links
Ready to dig deeper into career information for talent acquisition managers? Visit our other pages focused on salary and education for talent acquisition managers.
How much do talent acquisition managers make?
Talent Acquisition Managers: How do you become one?
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