The Industry Thought Leaders You HAVE To Follow (Part One)

‘Thought leadership’ might feel like a shiny new affair, but seeking influence from experts in our fields is a tale as old as time (or at least as old as fields). In fact, The OED gives as its first citation for the phrase an 1887 description of Henry Ward Beecher as “one of the great thought-leaders in America.” A good thought leader can inspire and motivate their followers, help them to work better, and offer new perspectives on the world of work.

What’s it all about?

Recruiting and hiring is an ever-changing industry. It avoids traditional routes of teaching and learning, such as The University or The Degree, and embraces non-linear modes of learning. At the end of the day, recruiters are human too, and guidance is still sought. The presence of thought leaders in our industry points to an embrace of the future, as opposed to archaic systems of traditional academia. Why look to the past when we can look to those who are making real changes now?

So, who are these ‘thought leaders’ anyway, and what can they do for you? We’ve outlined some of the most influential people and businesses in the world of recruiting and hiring so that you can dive right in and start working smarter. Ready to be inspired? Of course you are…

HR Open Source

HR Open Source is a not-for-profit community of hiring managers and recruiters driving innovation through collaboration. It provides unlimited access to case studies, templates, and other resources so that recruiters are armed with the basics and beyond. The case studies provided are particularly enlightening, as the group try to move away from theoretical approaches to HR and recruiting, and instead, focus on the practical examples of real companies making real changes. As well as checking out these case-studies, you can follow their blog, attend their events, and download their templates which are contributed and used by others in the industry every day. 

Hunted

We’re big fans of the Hunted blog at SocialTalent. As well as providing reading lists, blogs, tips, and job vacancies, they’re also just…funny. Alter-ego Ed Hunter offers subversive views on the industry at large, in a manner that is both relatable and hilarious. Follow their blog hunted.com here, as well as following their job board and recruiting and hiring industry-specific content. Oh, and their LinkedIn feed is one of the best in the game!

Tim Sackett

Tim Sackett, CEO of HRU Technical Resources has released The Talent Fix: A Leader’s Guide To Recruiting Great Talent. It outlines recruitment practices which are proven and practical and outlines the simple fixes needed to optimise talent. If all of that isn’t enough, his book was also the best-selling book at this year’s SHRM Talent!

It’s available to purchase on Amazon now and is sure to impact the day to day working lives of recruiters.

If you’d like to see exclusive content from some of these industry titans, make sure to check out the SocialTalent platform.