Course list

HR professionals need to adapt to changing objectives and market conditions to recruit, select, and retain employees with the necessary skills to further organizational goals—all while steering clear of legal and other risks. Professor John Hausknecht draws on his research, teaching, and consulting experience in staffing to provide a relevant and rigorous overview of the field. He offers numerous practical examples to help build the skills needed to staff modern-day organizations and grounds his recommendations in the latest research findings.
  • Sep 23, 2026
  • Oct 7, 2026
  • Oct 21, 2026
  • Nov 4, 2026
  • Nov 18, 2026
  • Dec 2, 2026
  • Dec 16, 2026

Interviewing is one of the most challenging aspects of management, yet many leaders never receive formal training in this critical skill. Without proper guidance, we make hiring decisions based on gut feelings and casual conversations, lacking clear direction on what to look for, what questions to ask, or how to evaluate responses. The good news? There are proven, evidence-based approaches that can transform your interviewing effectiveness.

In this course, Professor JR Keller draws on extensive research and real-world examples to provide a clear, three-step process for conducting interviews that enable candidates to shine while delivering reliable hiring decisions. Through practical frameworks and tools, you will design structured questions that predict job performance, create consistent evaluation methods, and implement proven interviewing techniques. The course demonstrates how to apply these principles to both in-person and remote hiring scenarios while minimizing the cognitive biases that often interfere with good decision making.

Whether you're an experienced hiring manager or new to interviewing, this course equips you with concrete skills to make better hiring decisions while creating positive experiences for candidates. You will develop efficient systems for managing multiple interviews, setting candidates at ease and evaluating responses objectively. By the end of the course, you'll be prepared to transform your hiring process from conversation based to competency focused, leading to better hires and stronger teams.

  • Oct 7, 2026
  • Oct 21, 2026
  • Nov 4, 2026
  • Nov 18, 2026
  • Dec 2, 2026
  • Dec 16, 2026
  • Dec 30, 2026

The conversation around employee pay has changed over the years from one of base salaries, bonuses, and cash compensation, to a “total rewards” approach that seeks the right blend of monetary and non-monetary elements that will engage each employee while generating valuable business results.

Cornell University ILR School faculty Linda Barrington and Diane Burton are the thought leaders behind Cornell's prestigious Institute for Compensation Studies. This team of authors offers a learning experience that applies evidence-based, social science approaches to the field of compensation. This course will equip you with the tools and insights needed to apply a “total rewards” view to compensation that aligns with your organization's strategic goals and operational realities.

  • Sep 23, 2026
  • Oct 21, 2026
  • Nov 4, 2026
  • Nov 18, 2026
  • Dec 2, 2026
  • Dec 16, 2026
  • Dec 30, 2026

In today's competitive job market, retaining top talent is more challenging than ever. High employee turnover not only disrupts team dynamics but also demands significant time and resources. A well-designed onboarding process, however, can reduce turnover, accelerate time to productivity, and strengthen long-term employee retention.

Onboarding presents a strategic opportunity to align the early experiences of new hires with your organizational goals. A strong onboarding plan does more than teach employees how to perform their roles — it also fosters a sense of belonging, builds connections, and sets clear, measurable objectives that support both individual and organizational success.

Drawing on extensive research, Professor JR Keller provides a science-based, practical approach to designing an effective onboarding experience. You will begin by exploring the four major domains of onboarding and their impact on employee engagement, job satisfaction, and organizational fit. From there, you will discover how to map specific tasks to milestones, build a structured plan that involves both new hires and their colleagues, and identify metrics to evaluate your plan's effectiveness. You will also explore emerging technologies that can support and enhance onboarding delivery.

This course will equip you with the tools to transform onboarding from a routine checklist into a purposeful, results-driven program. By the end of the course, you'll be able to create a measurable onboarding plan that fosters early engagement, supports long-term success, and contributes to a positive and productive workplace culture.

  • Sep 23, 2026
  • Oct 21, 2026
  • Nov 18, 2026
  • Dec 16, 2026
  • Jan 13, 2027
  • Feb 10, 2027
  • Mar 10, 2027

Candidate evaluation is the second stage of the hiring process. The evaluation stage allows your organization to determine which candidates from your diverse talent pool are the most qualified to meet the needs of an open position. During candidate evaluation, every step, from reviewing résumés to conducting interviews and making selection decisions, offers an opportunity for inclusion. Yet each step within this stage of the hiring process also has pitfalls that can result in candidates of marginalized identities being excluded and impacting your organization's long-term inclusion goals.

In this course, you will begin by examining how the candidate evaluation stage fits within an inclusive hiring approach, including the power of decision making in candidate selection. You will explore best practices for early-stage candidate evaluations and for interviewing candidates, and you'll evaluate the potential challenges of common approaches like pre-interview assessments and interviewing for “fit.” You can use these best practices to make inclusive selection decisions that reduce bias and emphasize equity in candidate selection.

You are required to have completed the following courses or have equivalent experience before taking this course:

  • Building Diverse Talent Pools
  • Nov 4, 2026
  • Jan 27, 2027
  • Apr 21, 2027
  • Jul 14, 2027
  • Oct 6, 2027
  • Dec 29, 2027

Artificial intelligence is rapidly transforming talent acquisition, reshaping how organizations attract, evaluate, and engage candidates. From automating job description creation to enabling large-scale candidate assessment, AI introduces new efficiencies while also raising important questions about bias, transparency, and the role of human judgment. As adoption grows, organizations must balance innovation with ethical considerations and a strong focus on candidate experience.

In this course, you will explore how AI is applied across the talent acquisition life cycle, including job design, candidate evaluation, and hiring at scale. You'll examine practical use cases ranging from basic tools to more advanced AI-driven approaches, and you'll identify the data, skills, and context needed to use them effectively. You'll also assess your organization's current talent acquisition challenges, evaluate where AI can add value, and analyze risks such as bias, privacy, and overreliance on automation. You'll consider stakeholder perspectives, human-in-the-loop decision making, and the impact of AI on the candidate experience and organizational outcomes.

Upon completion of this course, you will be able to identify where AI can improve talent acquisition processes while recognizing its limitations and risks. You'll be prepared to evaluate AI tools for job design and candidate assessment, ensure appropriate human oversight, and make informed decisions about implementation. You'll also be equipped to assess vendor solutions, measure potential ROI, and shape a talent acquisition strategy that balances efficiency, fairness, and a positive candidate experience.

You are required to have completed the following course or have equivalent experience before taking this course:

  • Understanding AI Technologies in Human Resources
  • Oct 7, 2026
  • Dec 2, 2026
  • Jan 27, 2027
  • Mar 24, 2027
  • May 19, 2027
  • Jul 14, 2027
  • Sep 8, 2027

Symposium sessions feature two days of live, highly interactive virtual Zoom sessions to explore today's most pressing topics. The Workplace Belonging Symposium offers you a unique opportunity to engage in real-time conversations with peers and experts from the Cornell community and beyond. Using the context of your own experiences, you will take part in reflections and small-group discussions to build on the skills and knowledge you have gained from your courses.

Belonging isn't just a feel-good concept—it's a cornerstone of the human experience that shapes our health, relationships, professional success, and creative potential. By participating in dynamic and relevant dialogues, you will discover a variety of perspectives and create genuine connections with participants from diverse industries and backgrounds.

All sessions are held on Zoom.

You may participate in as many sessions as you wish. Attending Symposium sessions is not required to successfully complete the certificate program. Once enrolled in your courses, you will receive information about upcoming events. Accessibility accommodations will be available upon request.

Symposium sessions feature two days of live, highly interactive virtual Zoom sessions that will explore today's most pressing topics. The AI Symposium offers you a unique opportunity to engage in real-time conversations with peers and experts from the Cornell community and beyond. Using the context of your own experiences, you will take part in reflections and small-group discussions to build on the skills and knowledge you have gained from your courses.

Join us for the next Symposium, in which we'll share experiences from across the industry, inspiring real-time conversations about best practices, innovation, and the future of AI. You will support your coursework by applying your knowledge and experiences to some of the most pressing topics and trends in the field. By participating in relevant and engaging discussions, you will discover a variety of perspectives and build connections with your fellow participants from across a variety of industries.

All sessions are held on Zoom.

Future dates are subject to change. You may participate in as many sessions as you wish. Attending Symposium sessions is not required to successfully complete any certificate program. Once enrolled in your courses, you will receive information about upcoming events. Accessibility accommodations will be available upon request.

Symposium sessions feature two days of live, highly interactive virtual Zoom sessions that will explore today's most pressing topics. The HR Symposium offers you a unique opportunity to engage in real-time conversations with peers and experts from the Cornell community and beyond. Using the context of your own experiences, you will take part in reflections and small-group discussions to build on the skills and knowledge you have gained from your courses.

Join us for the next Symposium, in which we'll share experiences from across the industry, inspiring real-time conversations about best practices, innovation, and the future of human resources work. You will support your coursework by applying your knowledge and experiences to some of the most pressing topics and trends in the HR field. By participating in relevant and engaging discussions, you will discover a variety of perspectives and build connections with your fellow participants from across the industry.

All sessions are held on Zoom.

Future dates are subject to change. You may participate in as many sessions as you wish. Attending Symposium sessions is not required to successfully complete any certificate program. Once enrolled in your courses, you will receive information about upcoming events. Accessibility accommodations will be available upon request.

eCornell online Workshops are live, interactive learning experiences lasting 1 to 4 hours and led by Cornell faculty experts. These premium, short-format sessions focus on AI topics and are designed for busy professionals who want to gain immediately applicable skills and strategic perspectives. Workshops may include faculty presentations, breakout discussions, and guided hands-on practice.

The AI Workshops All-Access Pass provides you with unlimited participation for 6 months from your date of purchase. Whether you choose to attend one Workshop per month or several per week, the All-Access Pass allows you to customize your AI journey and stay on top of the latest AI trends.

Hosted by Cornell faculty at the forefront of their fields, Workshops cover a range of cutting-edge AI topics applicable across industries. Workshops are offered at three levels to allow you to choose topics that match your experience.

  • AI Foundations
    • These Workshops introduce core AI concepts, terminology, capabilities, limitations, and practical applications. No prior AI experience is required.
    • Best for: Beginners, AI-curious professionals, and teams starting their AI journey.
  • AI in Practice
    • ​​​​​​​These Workshops focus on practical skills, workflows, and strategies that help participants use AI more effectively in their day-to-day work. Some familiarity with AI tools is recommended.
    • Best for: Professionals who have experimented with AI and want to build confidence and capability.
  • AI Leadership and Transformation
    • ​​​​​​​These advanced Workshops explore emerging technologies, strategic implementation, governance, organizational impact, and specialized applications. AI fluency is expected, and some Workshops may have prerequisites.
    • Best for: AI leaders, transformation teams, executives, and advanced practitioners.

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How It Works

“
I decided to invest in my future and work toward a career in HR. As a dad of two with a full time job, this online program gave me the chance to work when I could. It was a fantastic way for me to develop my skills and advance my career.
‐ John F.
John F.
  • 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

Frequently Asked Questions

Hiring has become both more competitive and more complex, with higher expectations for speed, fairness, and business alignment in every talent decision. Cornell’s Recruiting and Talent Acquisition Certificate helps you bring more rigor to how you plan for talent needs, attract candidates, run interviews, onboard new hires, and design reward approaches that support retention.

In this certificate program, authored by faculty from Cornell’s School of Industrial and Labor Relations and the SC Johnson College of Business, you will build evidence-based capabilities across the full talent life cycle. You will learn how to forecast workforce needs, choose and evaluate recruiting sources, design structured interviews that reduce bias, create 30-60-90 day onboarding plans with measurable goals, and apply a total rewards perspective that connects pay and non-pay elements to motivation and organizational performance.

You will also practice turning concepts into work you can use immediately, such as hiring tools, interview guides and rubrics, onboarding milestones, staffing metrics, and compensation recommendations. With expert facilitator feedback and peer discussion, Cornell’s Recruiting and Talent Acquisition Certificate is designed to help you make stronger decisions and communicate them with confidence.

If you want a more structured hiring process, more consistent and fair evaluations, and practical tools you can apply immediately at work, you should choose Cornell's Recruiting and Talent Acquisition Certificate.

Many online programs focus on content delivery and leave you to translate ideas into your day-to-day hiring work on your own. Cornell’s Recruiting and Talent Acquisition Certificate is designed around application, feedback, and a small-cohort learning experience that helps you build repeatable hiring and talent systems you can defend and improve over time.

Instead of relying on generic quizzes alone, you will practice with job-relevant tools and frameworks, such as workforce forecasting, recruiting source effectiveness analysis, structured interview question design, candidate scoring rubrics, turnover cost analysis, onboarding milestones, and compensation philosophy and pay structure decisions. Your work is reviewed by an expert facilitator who provides guidance and feedback, and you learn alongside a cohort of up to 35 global professionals through discussions and live interaction.

This certificate also stands out for its end-to-end view of talent. You will connect acquisition decisions to onboarding, retention, motivation, pay equity, and pay transparency considerations, helping you communicate more effectively with hiring managers, finance, legal, and leadership stakeholders.

Plus, by enrolling in the Recruiting and Talent Acquisition Certificate, you get two years of access to HR Symposium, featuring two days of live, highly interactive virtual Zoom sessions that will explore today’s most pressing topics, giving you a unique opportunity to engage in real-time conversations with peers and experts from the Cornell community and beyond.

Enrolling in this certificate also provides you with a 6-month All-Access Pass to eCornell's live online AI Workshops, interactive sessions led by world-class Cornell faculty that combine Ivy League insight with practical applications for busy professionals. Each 3-hour Workshop features structured instruction, guided practice, and real tools to build competitive AI capabilities, plus the opportunity to connect with a global cohort of growth-oriented peers. While AI Workshops are not required, they enhance certificate programs through:

  • Integrating AI perspectives across most curricula
  • Responding to emerging AI developments and trends
  • Offering direct engagement with Cornell faculty at the forefront of AI research

Cornell’s Recruiting and Talent Acquisition Certificate is designed for professionals who influence hiring decisions and want a more evidence-based, consistent approach to attracting and selecting talent. The program is a strong fit if you are building or improving hiring practices for your team, your organization, or clients.

You are likely to benefit if you are:

  • A hiring manager who wants structured interviews, clearer evaluation criteria, and a better candidate experience
  • A recruiter or talent acquisition professional who wants to improve sourcing effectiveness and quality of hire
  • An HR professional who supports selection decisions, onboarding, retention, and compensation conversations
  • A professional transitioning into HR or talent acquisition who wants practical, job-ready frameworks

The learning experience is built for working professionals. Most assignments can be completed on your schedule, with structured milestones and facilitator guidance to help you stay on track.

Project work in Cornell’s Recruiting and Talent Acquisition Certificate is designed to help you build practical hiring and talent acquisition outputs you can adapt to your organization. You will apply course frameworks to realistic scenarios and, in many cases, to a role, process, or talent challenge you choose.

Examples of projects completed by past learners include:

  • Building a staffing dashboard that tracks time-to-fill, time-to-proficiency, and first-year turnover to spot hiring bottlenecks and improve retention
  • Optimizing recruiting channel mix by comparing percent qualified, offer acceptance rate, and cost per hire to shift spend toward higher-yield sources and reduce low-ROI job board volume
  • Quantifying annual supervisor turnover cost and identifying the biggest cost drivers (recruiting fixed costs, training time, training materials, and lost productivity) to justify targeted retention investments
  • Designing structured, task-based interview questions for frontline supervisors and pairing them with a standardized rating rubric to reduce bias and improve selection consistency
  • Creating a workforce plan that addresses entry-level shortages, closes small managerial gaps through internal mobility, and manages executive surplus through hiring controls and retirement incentives

Across the certificate, these projects reinforce the same goal: Provide you with a repeatable process for making talent decisions with clearer criteria, stronger analytics, and better alignment to business needs.

Cornell’s Recruiting and Talent Acquisition Certificate helps you strengthen your credibility and effectiveness in making talent decisions by giving you structured, evidence-based approaches you can apply immediately.

After completing the Recruiting and Talent Acquisition Certificate, you will have the skills to:

  • Plan for current and future talent needs
  • Plan, conduct, and evaluate interviews effectively to identify strong candidates and clearly communicate expectations
  • Attract and recruit quality talent
  • Determine a value proposition for an employer brand
  • Structure the operational steps and schedule of the onboarding process, including linking key responsibilities and objectives to specific stages and defining metrics for success
  • Conduct interviews that yield good decision-making data while energizing applicants
  • Devise strategies for developing, engaging, and retaining key talent
  • Choose pay-for-performance elements to attract and retain superstars
  • Align your approach to talent management with your organization’s overall business strategy

Over the longer term, students commonly report that the program boosts confidence and provides a repeatable approach they continue using on the job. They describe a practical, work-ready experience that translates quickly into more structured interviews, more consistent candidate evaluations, and stronger talent decisions. Learners also highlight ready-to-use templates and tools, realistic scenarios that mirror day-to-day recruiting work, and facilitator feedback that makes the experience feel interactive and supportive. The flexible format and manageable weekly workload are frequently cited as reasons the program fits alongside full-time work while still delivering rigorous, relevant skill-building.

What truly sets eCornell apart is how our programs unlock genuine career transformation. Learners earn promotions to senior positions, enjoy meaningful salary growth, build valuable professional networks, and navigate successful career transitions.

Cornell’s Recruiting and Talent Acquisition Certificate, which consists of 6 short courses, is designed to be completed in 3 months. Each course in this certificate runs for 2 weeks, with a typical weekly time commitment of 5 to 10 hours depending on the course.

The schedule is designed for working professionals. Coursework is primarily asynchronous, so you can watch short videos, complete readings, and work on assignments when it fits your week. You also get structure through weekly expectations, due dates, and facilitated discussions, so you keep moving without needing to be online at set times.

Some elements of the learning experience may include optional live sessions that deepen discussion and application, but completion does not require travel or in-person participation.

Students in Cornell’s Recruiting and Talent Acquisition Certificate commonly describe a practical, work-ready learning experience that strengthens how they source, assess, and select talent, while fitting smoothly into a busy professional schedule. They often highlight how quickly they can translate frameworks, tools, and practice exercises into better interviews, more consistent evaluations, and stronger talent decisions.

Students frequently point to outcomes and experiences such as:

  • Stronger, more structured interview and candidate evaluation processes
  • Practical guidance for improving hiring decisions and interviewer consistency
  • Ready-to-use templates, checklists, and tools for recruiting and talent workflows
  • Realistic scenarios and applied exercises that mirror day-to-day talent acquisition work
  • Sharper talent management thinking, including how to align hiring with business needs
  • Insight into working effectively with hiring managers and cross-functional partners
  • Content that is directly relevant for recruiters, HR professionals, and emerging people leaders
  • A flexible, self-paced format that supports work-life balance
  • Clear course organization and an easy-to-navigate online platform
  • Engaging, varied learning formats, including short videos, quizzes, and projects
  • Helpful, timely facilitator feedback that makes the learning feel interactive and supportive
  • A manageable workload designed for working professionals, with structure to stay on track

Many students also say the certificate boosts their confidence, gives them a repeatable approach they can use immediately on the job, and provides a credible Cornell learning experience they would recommend to colleagues.

A core focus of Cornell’s Recruiting and Talent Acquisition Certificate is helping you run interviews that produce better decision-making data, not just better conversations. You will learn how to start with a job analysis, translate role requirements into competency-based questions, and use a structured interview format so candidates are evaluated consistently.

You will also explore common cognitive biases that can distort interview decisions and practice evidence-based ways to reduce their impact. That includes using shared scoring rubrics, setting decision rules in advance, and running candidate selection discussions in ways that improve fairness and consistency.

By the end of the program, you should be able to build an interview guide you can use across interviewers, whether you are hiring in person or remotely.

Effective talent acquisition depends on measurement, not guesswork. In Cornell’s Recruiting and Talent Acquisition Certificate, you will work with practical staffing metrics that balance efficiency and quality, such as time to fill, cost per hire, and indicators tied to new-hire performance and retention.

You will also learn how workforce planning and workforce flow measurement fit into staffing decisions. That includes forecasting future talent demand, estimating internal supply using transition analysis, identifying gaps, and selecting actions to address shortages or surpluses. You’ll practice analyzing recruiting sources for yield, cost, and quality so you can justify where to invest your recruiting effort.

These skills support stronger reporting to stakeholders and continuous improvement of your staffing system over time.

Competitive hiring and strong retention often depend on whether your rewards approach is both motivating and perceived as fair. Cornell’s Recruiting and Talent Acquisition Certificate introduces a total rewards perspective, helping you think beyond base pay to the broader set of financial and non-financial rewards that influence attraction, engagement, and retention.

You will also examine how organizations build and manage pay structures to support internal fairness and external competitiveness. That includes clarifying pay philosophy, using job evaluation and market data to build salary ranges, and applying tools such as compa-ratio to guide pay decisions within grades.

Because pay transparency expectations and regulations are evolving, the program also explores transparency options on a spectrum and the trade-offs involved, so you can support clearer communication and stronger perceptions of organizational justice.

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