Technology has taken the forefront in the Talent Acquisition world. Social networking, building networks, developing tools for deep sourcing, utilizing CRM software and Web 2.0 expressionism are the tools of tomorrow.

Search engines and career sites are no longer the first point of contact between a candidate and Talent Acquisition Specialist. Today we tweet, Facebook is the new image of relationship building, Skype is bringing the global world together and on average 18 new social networks are developed daily. Yet we cannot lose site of the total candidate experience. We need the "Wow" factor. A candidate will not come to us; we must seek them out, dine them, impress them and reel them into a new culture and a new way of thinking about business.

Sometimes, in the age of the IPhone, the traditional methods prevail.

This summer after five years of internal feuding, the Grateful Dead reunited and in late March presented fans in New York City with a sound so familiar to the Deadheads of the last forty plus years. Without Jerry, it was not the same old dead but the long riffs and harmonious tunes have not changed.

The pioneers, the legends and the men that stand above all are joining forces to bring grassroots back to the sounds that defined generations. Bob Dylan, John Mellencamp and Willie Nelson embark on a summer minor league ball park outdoor series and to ensure their sound carries onto the next generation, all children 12 and under are admitted free.

With synthesized sounds, remixes and repetitive choruses, nothing beats a true singer/songwriter that tells a story in every city they step foot in.

I am not leaving you with research or statistics or even a list of things to do or not to do in the Talent Acquisition process but I am hoping to leave you with a thought to carry away from here that the personal touch can leave a much longer lasting impression. We live in a leaner society where the best will only help the corporate entities survive.

We all want to feel like a part of something personal and something great...even the best.

Mark A. Leon

Talent Acquisition Specialist

Hewitt Associates mark.leon@hewitt.com

 http://www.twitter.com/markalex222