Back in 2000 when the suggestion was made that the Talent Shortage was coming many referred to a report that cited 2006 as the inflection point for change. Well, here we are.It's 2006 and no matter what anyone says the numbers are starting to add up.

The population of working age people in 2006 is now officially in decline.Without getting in to the details (enough people have done so ad nauseum in the past few years) it is clear that the talent shortage is now a reality and it's rearing it's ugly head.In the past enough people have come up with a number of ways to help organizations come up with more efficient ways to be reactive when it comes to staffing.The message is clear, get a requisition approved and start the sourcing process and move on from there.

But recently there has been some talk of being procative.

How do you recruit for a position that hasn't been approved?

How do you know what the requirements are?

What person in their right mind would actually recruit people ahead of a stated and confirmed need?

Well it's happening and companies are being successful at it right now, today. As you read this there are companies that actually predict what their recruiting needs will be and don't wait for approvals and the like to actually source for these new positions.

Want proof?Go to the HR.com website and check out the archived webcasts.We recently did a series of webcasts with Dan Hilbert from Valero Energy. Dan has been working on a predictive model for staffing that now impacts every move that his 10 billion dollar a year company makes, every day. He has the proverbial seat at the table. He has the attention not only of the management team but of the board of directors as well.

Hiring managers don't make a move without him. Why? He has information on the future of the organization and he has answers to the most pressing questions. He has his finger on the pulse of the most important asset to this thriving company -- It's workforce.