Do We Really Need a Certification in Talent Acquisition?
Imagine graduating from school with a degree in marketing only to find out that a significant portion of what you know is already outdated or inapplicable due to changes in the market. This is a reality of the working world today due to an increasingly fast-paced business environment, where disruption is the norm rather than the exception.
However, there is good news: certifications offer a mechanism for formalizing knowledge and competencies around a specific topic area without requiring the time and financial investment of a degree. For example, Hubspot has supported the broader marketing profession by offering certifications to help marketers remain relevant and valuable.
That same pace of change applies to recruiting – what worked for recruiting 15 years ago (or to be honest, even five years ago) doesn’t translate well to what works today, especially for enterprise firms. Competition for talent is fiercer than ever, and the tools and technologies that have emerged in the wake of new expectations and strategies are countless.
With all this change, it begs an important question: why has it taken so long for certifications around emerging disciplines, like recruitment marketing, to bubble up in talent acquisition?
Ben Eubanks is the Chief Research Officer at Lighthouse Research & Advisory. He is an author, speaker, and researcher with a passion for telling stories and making complex topics easy to understand.
His latest book Talent Scarcity answers the question every business leader has asked in recent years: “Where are all the people, and how do we get them back to work?” It shares practical and strategic recruiting and retention ideas and case studies for every employer.
His first book, Artificial Intelligence for HR, is the world’s most-cited resource on AI applications for hiring, development, and employee experience.
Ben has more than 10 years of experience both as an HR/recruiting executive as well as a researcher on workplace topics. His work is practical, relevant, and valued by practitioners from F100 firms to SMB organizations across the globe.
He has spoken to tens of thousands of HR professionals across the globe and enjoys sharing about technology, talent practices, and more. His speaking credits include the SHRM Annual Conference, Seminarium International, PeopleMatters Dubai and India, and over 100 other notable events.