Need some inspiration? These Talent Acquisition resources are chock-full of knowledge and personality!

In the last five years, the recruitment industry found itself undergoing an exciting renaissance. A profession no one ever wrote books about is now smack dab in the zeitgeist, directly affected by both cultural movements (like #metoo) and technological advancements (such as AI and social media trends).

The human capital management (HCM) market is projected to grow to $22.2 billion by 2023, up from $13 billion in 2016. All this growth means the tools and practice of recruitment and HR will evolve at a rapid pace, and practitioners can’t rely on the grapevine to keep abreast of the latest news.

Fortunately, there are a plethora of recruiting podcasts, blogs, newsletters, online communities that keep pace with the industry goings-on. The following list is just a few of our favorites – seriously, there’s so many out there! We chose these because they are engaging and keep us coming back every day!

Feel free to tag us @smartrecruiters with ideas for our next edition.

1. Recruiting Brainfood

Longtime recruiter and industry influencer Hung Lee created the weekly TA newsletter, Recruiting Brainfood, back in October of 2016. Over 127 editions later (and 10,000+ subscribers), Recruiting Brainfood is now a community for hiring practitioners worldwide, with the largest concentration in the UK, but quickly spreading. (US folks can gain workplace street-cred by introducing this resource to colleagues.)

Subscribe to the newsletter for a manually curated collection of articles, interactive polls, and jobs relevant to the talent industry; or, join the Facebook group for community chats, live stream Q&As, and video interviews.

What makes this community special is how active the audience is in polls and conversations. This may have something to do with the host, Hung Lee, who has made a concerted effort to break the fourth wall, acknowledging new members and never letting a comment disappear into the internet void. A personal example, when I joined the Facebook group I was prompted to fill out a survey about the newsletter. I jotted down some thoughts (largely positive), and a couple of days later Hung followed up on my minor layout suggestion. Now, that’s engagement!

2. Recruiting Subreddit

Reddit is mainly known for memes and casual trolling, but it’s so much more than that! The annals of Reddit unpack practically every subject known to humanity. Whatever interests you, there’s likely a subreddit of people who care about it just as much (or more), and recruiting is no exception.

The Recruiting subreddit is a great forum to get feedback or ask questions. One newbie crowdsourced goals for their first quarter on the job, another for tips on no-show candidates. These – and generally all inquiries – were met with many specific and encouraging answers – proving that the internet can be a nice place sometimes!

3. HR Open Source

HR Open Source is kinda what it sounds like. In its own words, they are “a global community of practitioners who believe collaboration is the key to preparing their organizations for the future of work. Simply put, [they] make it easier to access peers and resources needed to thrive. at zero cost.” Practically, this means you join the community via their website or Facebook, and then you can share/read case studies or ‘Sparks’ (the site’s adorable name for abridged case studies), participate in surveys, talk to your peers, and even buy some cool merch.

Founded in 2015, the people behind #HROS (that’s how you should search their posts on Twitter) are two impressive recruiters you may have seen on the conference circuit: Lars Schmidt, founder of Amplify Talent, and Ambrosia Vertesi, VP of people at Duo Security. One great asset from this resource is their latest Future of Work Report. The data they collected from actual practitioners about how their teams are interacting with tech and allocating budget was extremely enlightening, and unique in that it wasn’t just spectator commentary.

4. HR Girlfriend

HR Girlfriend is a professional network for women working in HR, where members can find professional development and certifications, events, and industry job postings. Anyone can peruse the website and learn from their Real Talk Blog. For those folks in the US, HR Girlfriend regularly hosts and attends events, so you can catch up with the Girlfriends in person.

The Q&A section of their blog is a personal favorite. The questions are real and relatable, and the answers are super detailed without being long-winded. I should also mention that the advice comes from real HR practitioners. Last week’s question tackled how to handle a scenario where an employee complains about a coworker showing them an inappropriate photo. The reply included a step-by-step procedure as well as additional resources.

Sana’ Rasul, Chief Girlfriend, HR consultant, and cybersecurity expert, says of the group, “If I could sum up why I’m committed to the HR Girlfriends community it would come down to because we are ‘….in this together.’”

5. Evil HR Lady

The title in and of itself makes this blog worth reading. The eponymous ‘Evil HR Lady’, Suzanne Lucas picked the name to challenge the prevailing stereotype that HR folks are rigid and spitefull corporate goons. Her blog seeks to “demystify” HR, revealing there’s usually a lot more going on behind the scenes than the employee general population, or even management, know.

Susanne posts a mixture of relevant articles from around the web, original content, and other resources, like webinars. Visit her blog or subscribe for the latest in your inbox.

6. Ask a Manager

You will get sucked into this Q&A blog! The questions range from ‘what should I do when I hit a coworker’s car in the staff parking lot?’ to ‘how do I handle misuse of sick leave?’, and much more. Every time I visit Aks a Manager, we can’t stop scrolling.

Alison Green started this website in 2007, and since then has written a book and launched a podcast covering all things management. The blog isn’t specific to HR and Recruiting, yet many of the questions cover relevant material. And, with three or more posts a day, there’s always something new to read.

7. The Lorne Epstein Show

Lorne Epstein is a recruiter and author in Washington DC, where he’s hosted his weekly radio show/podcast since 2016. The Lorne Epstein Show covers a diverse array of HR and Recruitment topics, from in-depth interviews with industry thought leaders like Lou Adler, to nuts and bolts how-tos of salary laws, to expounding the world’s most adventurous jobs – don’t you want to know what it’s like to be an FBI bomb investigator?

This podcast definitely has an ‘inside baseball’ feel, which is great for those of us who care about the proverbial baseball (in this case, HR and recruitment). So, if you get excited about the latest developments in the industry but are sick of the glazed-over look in your friends/partner’s eyes when you start on a future of work rant, this is the place for you!

8. Constangy, Brooks, Smith Prophete LLP Blog

Learn from experts with real employment litigation experience. Everyone has an opinion, but these are the opinions that really matter when it comes to legal issues at work. Of course, reading a blog does not count as actual legal counsel, it’s a place to stay abreast of the latest legislation and best practice.

The Constangy Blog focuses on US workplace law, though some subjects will be internationally relevant. That’s not to say that it’s all dry legalese – that couldn’t be further from the truth. Their contributors also offer editorials on topical issues like the movement for a $15 minimum wage and think pieces on historical work practice, like Radio Corporation of America’s HR guidelines for supervising female employees written during WWII.

9. The Chad & Cheese Podcast

To quote the hosts, Chad & Cheese is “HR’s most dangerous podcast. Lock your doors and hide your kids. Chad Sowash and Joel Cheesman are here to punch the recruiting industry right in the face!”

The latest industry news with a healthy dose of snark – what’s not to love? The show listens like classic morning radio with irreverent attitudes and frequent sound effects, which is a nice change of pace for an industry known for buttoning up. Enjoy, but headphones a must if you are at work or around kids.

10. Hiring Success Journal

Forgive the shameless self-promotion, but we couldn’t resist. You already know about the Hiring Success Journal if you are reading this, but did you know that we have a weekly curated newsletter that delivers our latest articles straight to your inbox. Signup here for the latest recruiting stories, industry deep dives, and how-tos that will level up your TA practice.

Company blogs are not new, but according to a recent survey by the National Association of Colleges and Employers, only 19% of employers reported using them in the past year. These organizations found only “somewhat effective” results with blogs, favoring Internet job postings and social networking sites as technologies for recruiting.

A blog is inarguably more time-intensive than other forms of social media and web-based communication. But, as so elegantly described by Blogger.com “your blog is whatever you want it to be. There are millions of them, in all shapes and sizes, and there are no real rules.”  So why not take advantage of this kind of flexibility and ownership to attract potential candidates?

Whether your company already has a blog or is thinking about starting one, here are a few tips to consider as you prepare to connect with future applicants:

1. Communicate your culture: Your blog can serve as an extension of the company’s brand, sharing not only vision and mission but also your organizational culture. How would you describe working there? Does it come across online? While your website may be more formal, the blog format permits a conversational approach that allows readers, and prospective employees, to get to know your company a little better.
 
2. Link to job details: Add ways for readers to quickly access your current job listings, application instructions, and human resources contacts. Your blog posts can help educate people on your preferred processes and serve as a central hub for all of the company’s employment-related information. Think of ways to include interviews with your staff and application system tutorials into your content in ways that encourage stellar candidates to see the fit and take the next step toward applying. [Editor’s Note: Check out the SmartRecruiters WordPress Plugin to easily list your jobs on any WordPress blog.] 

3. Start a conversation: Move beyond merely providing static information by inviting readers to share their perspectives, opinions, and suggestions about a range of topics relevant to your organization’s work. What are the common concerns and latest issues in your industry? Blogs can be quickly updated with brief posts that allow you to react to new events, and a forum for presenting crowdsourced comments gathered through other communication tools like Twitter and Facebook.

4. Look for blogging partners: Keeping a blog current in terms of topics and frequency of posts can be challenging, but you aren’t alone. Reach out to college career centers, many of which have their own blogs, to discuss a possible guest post exchange. Connect with student organizations, such as honor societies and clubs in academic disciplines focused on topics and activities relevant to your current needs. These groups may also be interested in contributing to or in being interviewed for posts on your blog.

5. Promote on-ground activities: You’re likely involved in more than just online recruiting. Use your blog to announce upcoming job fairs, campus visits, meetups, and conference expos. Provide information about your hiring needs in advance and encourage those who are planning to attend to introduce themselves while they are there. You can also report on these events after the fact, highlighting your in-person interactions and providing general tips for job seekers.

 

It may be time to rethink your organization’s approach to blogging and renew the initiative to reach a wider audience. This versatile platform can become an effective recruiting tool with a few new strategies focused on outreach and two-way communication.

Melissa A. Venable, PhD, (@Melissa_Venable) is a contributor to OnlineCollege.org where she writes from her experience as a course designer, instructor, and career advisor in higher education.

The SmartRecruiters Blog is the leading source for how to hire. To share your hiring expertise email David@SmartRecruiters.com.