What Talent Acquisition Can Reveal

par Victoria Hingre – Founder Nova Talenta

You are an entrepreneur, executive, or investor, and in certain departments—or for sensitive projects—the right capabilities are missing. You notice that hiring takes longer than expected, that discussions around a key role drag on and slow down the selection process. That your managers are competent and committed… but not always aligned in the way they approach recruitment. That a top candidate ultimately does not sign. Or that some employees leave the company earlier than anticipated. But why?

Taken individually, these signals are part of normal business life. But when they accumulate, they may point to the need to strengthen alignment between governance, leadership, and operations. Becoming aware of this is critical, because talent acquisition sits precisely at the intersection where strategic vision meets managerial decisions and operational reality.

A few practical insights, depending on the context:

“We’re hiring… but the processes take too long”

Recruitment is moving forward, but rarely as fast as hoped, despite committed teams and a market that is, today, relatively accessible.

This gap is not always linked to a shortage of talent. It often reflects unclear prioritisation or a strategic vision that struggles to translate into clear operational decisions.

Pragmatic angle:Clarify very early why this role is critical now, what is truly a priority, and what can wait. Clear trade-offs help secure the entire process.

“We keep refining the profile… yet some ambiguity remains”

Discussions are rich, criteria evolve, and everyone brings relevant perspectives. Yet a degree of uncertainty persists. This may indicate that expectations are not yet fully aligned between strategy, the leadership required, and on-the-ground constraints.

Pragmatic angle:Collectively identify what is non-negotiable, what can evolve, and ensure clear alignment on the profile.

“Managers are involved… but unevenly”

Some managers are highly engaged, others less so—often absorbed by operational demands. Recruitment progresses, but at different speeds. This signal rarely reflects a lack of commitment; more often, it reveals tension in the managerial role or a lack of clarity around responsibilities.

Pragmatic angle:Clarify what is expected from managers in the recruitment process and secure their availability for truly strategic roles.

“Candidates ask very sharp—sometimes challenging—questions”

Candidates question governance, decision-making, real priorities, and managerial culture. Certain questions keep coming up. They may perceive areas of ambiguity or misalignment, for instance between HR and operational narratives.

Pragmatic angle:Treat recurring questions as signals: they often highlight what needs to be clarified or better aligned internally.

“Onboarding works… but requires more energy than expected”

The profiles hired are strong and committed, yet their ramp-up is longer or more demanding than anticipated. This may indicate that the framework is not yet fully clear.

Pragmatic angle:Use onboarding as a moment of alignment: quickly clarify expectations, decision-making authority, and room for manoeuvre. And address the emotional, social, and cultural dimensions of integration to ensure mutual adoption between the new hire and the organisation.

Victoria Hingre est fondatrice de Nova Talenta, cabinet spécialisé dans la structuration et l’optimisation de la gestion de l'acquisition des talents. Avec plus de vingt ans d’expérience dans le conseil en leadership, l’executive search et l’interim management, elle accompagne dirigeants, investisseurs et organisations dans leurs transformations humaines et organisationnelles. Sa conviction : dans un monde dominé par la technologie, c’est l’ingéniosité humaine et la qualité du discernement qui créent la vraie performance durable.

Contact Nova Talenta