6 Courses Required

Additional Details

Target Audience

  • Recruiters and talent acquisition professionals looking to deepen their expertise across the full hiring life cycle, from sourcing and structured interviewing to compensation strategy and candidate evaluation
  • HR professionals specializing in staffing and selection who want evidence-based frameworks to improve hiring decisions, reduce bias, and design more equitable, inclusive recruitment processes
  • Talent management practitioners seeking to stay ahead of industry trends, including the growing role of AI in recruitment, while balancing innovation with fairness and candidate experience
  • Mid-career recruiting and HR professionals ready to move beyond tactical hiring tasks and build strategic capabilities spanning total rewards, inclusive hiring, onboarding, and data-informed decision making

Accreditation

  • Recruiting and Talent Acquisition Certificate from Cornell University's ILR School
  • 70 Professional Development Hours (7 CEUs)
  • 10 Professional Development Units (PDUs) toward PMI recertification
  • 60 Professional Development Credits (PDCs) toward SHRM-CP and SHRM-SCP recertification
  • 60 Credit hours towards HRCI recertification

Certificate Description

The talent acquisition landscape is evolving faster than ever, shaped by shifting labor markets, rising candidate expectations, and the rapid emergence of AI-powered tools. Success in this environment requires more than instinct or experience; it demands a strong foundation in evidence-based practices, structured decision making, and strategic thinking that extends beyond the hire date.

Cornell’s Recruiting and Talent Acquisition Certificate equips you with the knowledge and practical skills needed to attract, evaluate, select, and retain top talent while minimizing legal and organizational risk. Grounded in the latest research and developed by leading Cornell ILR faculty, this program covers the full talent acquisition life cycle, from designing effective staffing strategies and conducting structured interviews to building competitive total rewards packages, strengthening candidate evaluation practices, and creating onboarding experiences that drive long-term retention. You will also explore how artificial intelligence is transforming recruitment, gaining the tools to evaluate and implement AI responsibly and effectively.

Through real-world examples, practical frameworks, and research-backed strategies, this certificate prepares you to make smarter, fairer, and more strategic decisions across the entire talent journey.

This program includes two full years of free access to Symposium!

These highly interactive virtual events span multiple days and explore today’s most pressing topics. Symposium offers exclusive opportunities to engage in real-time discussions with your eCornell community, applying insights from your courses to real-world scenarios. Through reflections and small-group discussions, you’ll deepen your learning, broaden your perspective, and expand your professional network.

Symposium events are held throughout the year, providing ongoing opportunities to stay engaged, gain fresh perspectives, and strengthen your skills. Once enrolled, you’ll receive access to the Symposium networking sites and details about upcoming sessions. You can participate in as many as you’d like to make the most of your experience, though attendance is not required to complete your program.

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