Editor’s Note: Letter from the Editor, For Whom the Novelty Has Not Yet Worn Off

Hi. I'm Matt Charney, and I'm the new Talent Acquisition Community Leader here at HR.com. I know that probably sounds a bit ironic, more than a little contradictory and even more confusing. 

But what that means, basically, is that it's my job to help the literally hundreds of thousands of talent acquisition practitioners and hiring leaders all over the world who trust HR.com with their professional development and personal brands each and every month. 

While I'm only a few weeks in, I've had the opportunity to talk shop with dozens of you, over the phone, Zoom, email and/or social; if we haven't connected yet, well, let's change that soon. This is the coolest part of my new gig, by the way - I get to geek out about recruiting with some of the most innovative, and inspirational, people in the people business. 
 

But more importantly, it's imperative that we know what's actually going on out there in the front lines in talent acquisition today; that's why these conversations continue to be so meaningful for me. Not only do we get to hear what's really working in the talent trenches from real recruiters filling real reqs for real (and really impressive) companies, but we're also getting a better understanding about the kinds of content and conversations that matter the most to the members of our community too. 

With that, the one topic that's probably the most omnipresent - and omnipotent - talking point and trending topic in TA today is inclusion, equity and belonging (or DEI, if you're an OG like that). Which is why it's so apropos that my first "official" issue as editor of Talent Acquisition Excellence is dedicated to exploring this hottest of hot button issues.

It might not look, at first glance, like some of the articles listed in this month's table of contents seem a bit tangential (or even completely disconnected) with the core concept of inclusion, equity and belonging. Take "How to Delight Candidates by Applying Inbound Marketing," by Hannah Shane - which is all about creating personalized, relevant and meaningful experiences for all segments of your talent pool at scale. Which, uh, you know, is pretty much the same strategy as inclusion, equity and belonging. 

Or "How Are Job Seekers Discovering Opportunities," in which Emmitt McGrath, President of Yoh - one of the biggest players in the RPO & specialized staffing spaces - breaks down the importance of culture, shared values and vision, and flexibility as among the primary drivers of the historically high resignation rate employers are facing in today's tight talent market. With more employers looking for more diverse talent than ever before, knowing how candidates look at the market is not just a critical TA competency, but a fundamental component of any foundational DEI strategy, too. 

As it turns out, DEI isn't a specialization or subset of talent acquisition - it's a mindset, and a model, that's inextricably intertwined with the business and best practices of recruiting and hiring top talent today - and retaining and developing that talent for tomorrow, too. 

After all, that's what Talent Acquisition Excellence is all about. This month, and every month. I look forward to listening to, and learning from, all of you. And if this month's content and contributors are any indication, there's a whole lot to be excited about in the world of TA today.
 

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