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What is a director of talent acquisition and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
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The Director Of Talent Acquisition is tasked with deciding and directing the flow of monitoring procedures, including sourcing, interviewing, and hiring. The individual parts of the hiring process are done by members of a team, a group of recruiters and specialists, who are all managed and in charge of the Director.

The Director does not just oversee this work but is also in charge of planning and understanding what the company needs at that time. They are also tasked with building talent pipelines, a system in which qualified candidates already exist and applicants with the best qualities for the current needs and wants of the employer can be chosen. They do this by creating and maintaining relations with groups and institutions from which these candidates may be sourced, such as universities and job boards. Such an important and large role is hard to fill properly.

Candidates for this position must have a Bachelor's in Human Resources Management or a similar subject, years of experience in a similar or related role, as well as visible results of recruiting and managing employees, and excellent communication, negotiation, and management skills.

ScoreDirector Of Talent AcquisitionUS Average
Salary
8.5

Avg. Salary $133,745

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
8.6

Growth rate 7%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
2.8
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.40%

Asian 5.71%

Black or African American 7.65%

Hispanic or Latino 11.14%

Unknown 5.09%

White 70.01%

Gender

female 37.05%

male 62.95%

Age - 47
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 47
Stress level
8.6

Stress level is very high

7.1 - high

Complexity level
8.4

Complexity level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work life balance
5.3

Work life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

Director of talent acquisition career paths

Key steps to become a director of talent acquisition

  1. Explore director of talent acquisition education requirements

    Most common director of talent acquisition degrees

    Bachelor's

    75.7 %

    Master's

    15.0 %

    Associate

    5.5 %
  2. Start to develop specific director of talent acquisition skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Human Resources10.02%
    TA8.52%
    Applicant Tracking Systems6.21%
    Healthcare6.19%
    Continuous Improvement4.10%
  3. Research director of talent acquisition duties and responsibilities

    • Manage all IFC marketing campaigns and promotions on campus.
    • Perform needs assessment, manage extensive RFP process, purchase new applicant tracking system.
    • Manage RPO of non-exempt positions including VMS implementation and vendor relations.
    • Establish and manage strategic relationship with RPO partner to supplement recruiting function.
  4. Get director of talent acquisition experience

    Generally, it takes 4-6 years to become a director of talent acquisition. The most common roles before becoming a director of talent acquisition include recruiter, human resources manager team lead and recruitment manager.
  5. Prepare your director of talent acquisition resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your director of talent acquisition resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a director of talent acquisition resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose from 10+ customizable director of talent acquisition resume templates

    Build a professional director of talent acquisition resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your director of talent acquisition resume.
    Director Of Talent Acquisition Resume
    Director Of Talent Acquisition Resume
    Director Of Talent Acquisition Resume
    Director Of Talent Acquisition Resume
    Director Of Talent Acquisition Resume
    Director Of Talent Acquisition Resume
    Director Of Talent Acquisition Resume
    Director Of Talent Acquisition Resume
    Director Of Talent Acquisition Resume
  6. Apply for director of talent acquisition jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a director of talent acquisition job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How did you land your first director of talent acquisition job

Tiffany TanoriTiffany Tanori LinkedIn profile

Director Of Talent Acquisition, Bird

My career trajectory in talent acquisition is marked by strategic moves and key mentoring that paved the way to becoming a leader in talent acquisition. I started my career by honing my expertise in recruitment process outsourcing (RPO) and project management, where I successfully implemented strategic recruiting and sourcing techniques. Those foundational roles set the stage for subsequent promotions and increased responsibilities, where I led initiatives in change management and HR system implementations and later at Cielo as Client Service Manager. Here, I crafted recruiting strategies for new clients and led international teams, culminating in promotion due to exceptional performance and stakeholder management.

Ascending further, my role as recruiting manager at Doordash was crucial. I took on a more strategic role by leading, mentoring, and coaching a high-performing team recognized by leadership. My tenure at Bird as Head of Talent Acquisition showcases my advanced strategic planning abilities, particularly in improving recruitment efficiencies, managing vendor partnerships, and leading recruitment efforts in North America and EMEA. Overall, my career is a testament to the power of strategic focus and the influence of mentorship in achieving significant leadership roles in the competitive field of Talent Acquisition. To achieve any role, particularly in leadership, you have to be willing to take risks, be open to feedback, and welcome mentorship.

Average director of talent acquisition salary

The average director of talent acquisition salary in the United States is $133,745 per year or $64 per hour. Director of talent acquisition salaries range between $87,000 and $204,000 per year.

Average director of talent acquisition salary
$133,745 Yearly
$64.30 hourly

What am I worth?

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How do directors of talent acquisition rate their job?

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Director of talent acquisition reviews

profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Nov 2021
Pros

Making a difference in the lives of the people and the community where I am employed.

Cons

Decline in business levels and employee layoffs.


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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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