Workplace Thought Leaders HR Professionals You Should Follow Today
September 5, 2023
As HR professionals, we understand the importance of staying up-to-date with the latest trends and best practices in our field. One of the most effective ways to do this is by following thought leaders in the HR industry. Thought leaders are individuals who have established themselves as experts in their respective areas and have a deep understanding of the challenges and opportunities in HR.
By following thought leaders, we gain access to their insights, experiences, and knowledge, which can help us navigate the ever-changing landscape of human resources. These thought leaders often share valuable information through their blogs, articles, podcasts, and social media platforms. By regularly consuming their content, we can stay informed about the latest trends, best practices, and innovative strategies in HR.
Benefits of following thought leaders in HR
Following thought leaders in the HR field offers numerous benefits for HR professionals. Firstly, it allows us to broaden our knowledge and perspective. Thought leaders often share their unique insights and experiences, which can challenge our existing beliefs and help us see things from a different angle. This can be particularly valuable when we encounter complex and challenging situations in our roles.
Secondly, following thought leaders can help us enhance our problem-solving skills. By learning from the experiences and expertise of thought leaders, we can gather new ideas and strategies to overcome the obstacles we face in our day-to-day work. This can lead to improved decision-making and more effective solutions to HR challenges.
Lastly, following thought leaders in HR can help us build our professional network. Many thought leaders are active on social media platforms and engage with their followers. By actively participating in their discussions and sharing our thoughts and ideas, we can connect with other professionals in the field and expand our network. These connections can provide opportunities for collaboration, mentorship, and career growth.
Nurturing a positive workplace culture: Insights from thought leaders
One key aspect emphasized by thought leaders is the importance of leadership in shaping workplace culture. They stress the need for leaders to lead by example, create an inclusive environment, and promote open communication. Thought leaders also highlight the role of employee engagement in fostering a positive culture. They provide insights on how to create a sense of belonging, recognize and reward employees' contributions, and foster a supportive and collaborative work environment.
In addition, thought leaders advocate for the value of diversity and inclusion in building a positive workplace culture. They provide guidance on how to create an inclusive culture that values and celebrates differences, encourages diverse perspectives, and ensures equal opportunities for all employees.
By following thought leaders in HR, we can gain valuable insights and practical strategies to nurture a positive workplace culture in our organizations. Their expertise can inspire us to take proactive steps towards creating an environment where employees thrive and organizations succeed.
The role of thought leaders in candidate sourcing and hiring
Thought leaders in the HR field play a crucial role in candidate sourcing and hiring. They provide valuable insights and strategies to help HR professionals attract top talent and make informed hiring decisions.
One area where thought leaders offer valuable guidance is in employer branding. They emphasize the importance of building a strong employer brand to attract top candidates. Thought leaders provide insights on how to showcase the organization's values, culture, and opportunities to create a compelling employer brand. They also offer tips on leveraging social media and other platforms to effectively communicate the employer brand to potential candidates.
Thought leaders also share best practices in candidate sourcing and recruitment. They provide insights on how to leverage technology, data, and analytics to streamline the hiring process and identify the most suitable candidates. Additionally, they offer guidance on conducting effective interviews, assessing cultural fit, and making data-driven hiring decisions.
By following thought leaders in the HR field, we can gain valuable knowledge and strategies to enhance our candidate sourcing and hiring practices. Their expertise can help us attract and select the best talent for our organizations, contributing to the overall success of our HR initiatives.
Learning and development: How thought leaders shape the future of HR
Learning and development is a critical aspect of HR, and thought leaders play a significant role in shaping its future. They provide insights, trends, and innovative strategies that help HR professionals stay ahead of the curve and ensure the continuous growth and development of their workforce.
Thought leaders emphasize the importance of creating a culture of learning within organizations. They provide insights on how to design and implement effective learning programs, foster a growth mindset, and encourage continuous learning and development. They also share trends and best practices in e-learning, micro-learning, and other emerging approaches to learning.
Furthermore, thought leaders advocate for the use of technology and digital platforms in learning and development. They provide insights on how to leverage AI, virtual reality, gamification, and other innovative tools to enhance the learning experience and make it more engaging and effective.
By following thought leaders in the HR field, we can gain valuable knowledge and strategies to shape the future of learning and development in our organizations. Their expertise can guide us in creating a culture of continuous learning, equipping our workforce with the skills they need to thrive in a rapidly changing world.
Top thought leaders in the HR field and their contributions
In the vast landscape of HR thought leadership, there are several influential individuals who have made significant contributions to the field. Here are some of the top thought leaders in the HR field and their notable contributions:
Meghan M. Biro
Meghan M. Biro is the CEO of Talent Culture and is a globally recognized talent management leader, career strategist, and digital media catalyst. She is an inspiring writer and speaker who has worked with top global companies in recruiting the best talent.
She is an avid blogger who regularly shares her ideas and opinions on Forbes and Huffington Post. She is a true example of HR leadership and you should follow her right away if you are looking for fresh perspectives on recruitment. Follow Meghan M. Biro onLinkedIn.
Raghu Krishnamoorthy
Dr. Raghu Krishnamoorthy is a Senior Fellow and Director of the Chief Learning Officer doctoral program at the University of Pennsylvania. Before entering the world of academia, he imparted his expertise in human resources and learning for 38 years. He is the author of the Linkedin Newsletter and you can subscribe to get daily updates on the future of recruitment. While much HR content out there repeats the same old ideas, Krishnamoorthy offers a nuanced perspective on topical issues such as employee retention and burnout.
Josh Bersin is the founder and CEO of Bersin by Deloitte. He is an industry analyst, educator, researcher, and technology analyst who talks about corporate HR, training, talent management, recruiting leadership, and workplace technology. He is one of the most influential HR leaders as he also founded the Josh Bersin Academy, a digital library of tools and resources for HR professionals.
Bersin is frequently featured in talent and business publications such as Forbes, Harvard Business Review, HR Executive, FastCompany, The Wall Street Journal, and CLO Magazine. Follow on Twitter | LinkedIn
Claude Silver
Claude Silver is the first-ever Chief Heart Officer (CHRO) at VaynerMedia and also a member of the Talent Champion Council. She is a famous HR leader who is an eloquent speaker both outside and inside her organization and presses about the need to treat employees like humans and not numbers.
The HR thought leader always emphasizes the importance of kindness, empathy, and true heart leadership in every workplace.
Joey V. Price is the CEO of Jumpstart: HR and has been recognized in the "Top 30 HR Professionals Under 30" by SHRM's HR Magazine.
His HR consultancy firm offers services to startups and small businesses. Having spent 12 years in the HR industry, he loves helping people grow and develop with a particular focus on supporting underperforming businesses.
Follow him on Linkedin and Twitter to gain the most of his HR thought leadership.
Resources for staying updated on the latest trends in HR
Staying updated on the latest trends and best practices in HR is crucial for HR professionals to excel in their roles. Fortunately, there are several resources available that can help us stay informed and continuously expand our knowledge.
Blogs: Many thought leaders in the HR field maintain their own blogs where they share insights, experiences, and practical strategies. Subscribing to these blogs can provide a regular dose of valuable content. Some popular HR blogs include HR Insider, HR Leaders, and HR Buzz.
Podcasts: Podcasts have become a popular medium for thought leaders to share their knowledge and engage with their audience. There are various HR-focused podcasts that feature interviews with industry experts and discussions on current HR trends. Some recommended podcasts include HR Unplugged, HR Talk, and HR Insights.
Online Communities: Engaging in online communities and forums can provide valuable opportunities to connect, learn, and share knowledge with other HR professionals. Platforms like LinkedIn, HR.com, and SHRM have active communities where professionals can participate in discussions, ask questions, and access valuable resources.
Industry Conferences and Events: Attending HR conferences and events is an excellent way to stay updated on the latest trends and network with other professionals. These events often feature keynote speeches, panel discussions, and workshops led by thought leaders in the field.
By exploring these resources and actively engaging with them, HR professionals can ensure they stay informed about the latest trends, best practices, and innovative strategies in the HR field.
How thought leaders can enhance your professional growth in HR
Thought leaders in the HR field can play a significant role in enhancing our professional growth. By actively following and learning from these thought leaders, we can acquire valuable knowledge, skills, and perspectives that contribute to our personal and professional development.
Firstly, thought leaders can serve as mentors and role models. Their expertise, experiences, and success stories can inspire us to set higher goals and strive for excellence in our HR careers. By learning from their journeys and strategies, we can gain insights into what it takes to succeed in the HR field.
Secondly, thought leaders can provide valuable guidance and practical tips on specific HR topics. Whether it's leadership development, employee engagement, or talent management, thought leaders often share their expertise through books, articles, webinars, and workshops. By actively engaging with their content, we can gain practical knowledge and skills that can be applied in our day-to-day work.
Lastly, thought leaders can expand our professional network. By actively engaging with their content, participating in discussions, and attending their events, we can connect with other HR professionals who share similar interests and goals. These connections can provide opportunities for collaboration, mentorship, and career growth.
By embracing thought leadership and actively following thought leaders in the HR field, we can enhance our professional growth and stay at the forefront of our industry.
Thought leadership in human resources consulting and services
Thought leadership in the context of human resources consulting and services is particularly valuable for organizations seeking external expertise and guidance. Thought leaders in the HR consulting and services space can provide valuable insights, innovative strategies, and practical solutions to address the unique challenges organizations face in managing their workforce.
Thought leaders in HR consulting often have deep industry knowledge and experience working with a diverse range of organizations. They understand the complexities of HR and can provide tailored solutions to meet specific organizational needs. Their expertise spans various HR areas, including talent acquisition, performance management, employee engagement, and organizational development.
In addition to their expertise, thought leaders in HR consulting also possess strong analytical and problem-solving skills. They can analyze complex organizational challenges, identify underlying issues, and develop effective strategies to address them. Their insights and recommendations are often backed by data and research, providing organizations with evidence-based solutions.
By seeking thought leadership in HR consulting and services, organizations can benefit from the expertise, insights, and innovative strategies offered by these thought leaders. Engaging with thought leaders can provide organizations with a competitive edge in managing their workforce and achieving their HR goals.
Conclusion: Embracing thought leadership for success in the HR field
In today's rapidly evolving HR landscape, embracing thought leadership is crucial for HR professionals seeking success and growth in their careers. By actively following and learning from thought leaders in the HR field, we can gain valuable insights, innovative strategies, and practical solutions to navigate the challenges and opportunities in HR.
Thought leaders provide a wealth of knowledge and expertise through their blogs, articles, podcasts, and social media platforms. By regularly consuming their content, we can stay informed about the latest trends, best practices, and emerging strategies in HR. This knowledge can help us make informed decisions, enhance our problem-solving skills, and drive positive change in our organizations.
Moreover, following thought leaders in HR allows us to broaden our perspective and expand our professional network. By engaging with their content and participating in discussions, we can connect with other HR professionals, collaborate on projects, and seek mentorship opportunities. These connections can contribute to our professional growth and open doors to new career opportunities.
In conclusion, embracing thought leadership is essential for success in the HR field. By actively following and learning from thought leaders, we can stay ahead of the curve, continuously develop our skills and knowledge, and make a positive impact in our organizations. So, let's unlock our potential by discovering the top thought leaders to follow in the HR field and embark on a journey of continuous growth and success.
Amidst today’s noisy digital world, brands find it challenging to create meaningful connections with their customer base and target audience. Getting the target consumer’s attention and persuading them to buy from you gets even trickier. Hence, content marketing has become more crucial than ever for brands to attract, educate, and retain customers.
Content creation is a top priority for 80% of marketers, and there is no reason it shouldn’t be. Consistent, high-quality, and engaging content impacts your audience’s decisions through education and persuasion.
Depending on your business goals and requirements, the role of Content Marketers you hire will vary. The primary responsibilities revolve around forming consistent brand messaging and deciding upon a unique and identifiable voice, style, and pitch across various distribution channels.
From raising brand awareness to attracting a relevant audience to your website, boosting social media presence and engagement, generating leads, and building brand loyalty – content marketing drives all the growth efforts for your brand. When done effectively, it can help you:
Build positive brand awareness
Make your audience stick around for longer
Get better traction on social media
Gain more trust of your audience than ever
Generate qualified leads
Improve conversion rates
Boost business visibility with SEO
Position your brand as an authority
Cultivate loyal brand fans
While content marketing is a broad role with numerous areas of expertise involved, it’s vital to thoroughly understand your company’s current marketing goals and the related requirements. In this blog, we will dive deep into the step-by-step approach to hiring a Content Marketer.
What is The Role of a Content Marketer?
A Content Marketer must be deeply passionate about telling your brand’s story to the world. The objective is to educate and nurture the target audience to establish brand authority using thought-leadership and drive more people to buy from you.
As a candidate is expected to be a mediator between the brand and the target audience, they are primarily responsible for planning, creating, and sharing valuable content to grow their company’s awareness and engagement to bring more business.
To be more specific, the role of a Content Marketer requires a perfect blend of creativity and attention to detail in an individual. It’s a balancing role, as they need to ensure creating content that resonates and strengthens business relationships, using strategies that position your business as authentic and problem-solving.
Take a look at the core responsibilities of a Content Marketer that most businesses expect them to take over:
Research and Competitor Analysis: The first and foremost step to creating a content marketing strategy is effective initial research. It not only helps a Content Marketer understand the nuances of the industry through competitor analysis but also study and understand the target audience thoroughly.
Building Content Marketing Plans: Once the competitor research and target audience analysis is done, a Content Marketer needs to work on the different plans for all the business objectives, targeted channels, segments of the audience, and the bigger marketing strategy. A content marketing plan typically consists of:
Specific goals along with a pre-decided timeline
Various channels to be targeted for content distribution
Types of content to be created
Budget for the entire staff, outsourced services, and paid promotion (Collabs and Ads)
Creating Editorial Calendar: Creating, managing, and maintaining a content calendar is one of the most crucial responsibilities of a Content Marketer. It is a centralized visual document that enables effective collaboration among the marketing team and helps Content Marketers ensure on-time production and delivery.
Content Creation: Once the strategy and calendar have been approved by relevant stakeholders, Content Marketers need to do the on-ground work. This task usually depends on the scale of your company and content marketing strategy. Suppose an organization already has a set of writers, then the Content Marketer doesn’t need to create content by themselves.
Search Engine Optimization (SEO): Producing quality content that educates your target audience and resonates with them, isn’t enough. You need to optimize your content creation to make it search engine-friendly. While most companies need a dedicated SEO specialist for keyword research and planning, Content Marketers need to closely collaborate with them and should be well-versed in the basics of SEO.
While the practices discussed above are primary responsibilities of a Content Marketer, they also need to be proactive with
Content editing and ensuring adherence to a certain style guide
Continous publishing and distributing content
Measuring and analyzing performance
How to Hire a Content Marketer: Step-By-Step?
Content marketing has become the key to driving growth for businesses. Unlike a few years ago, it’s not possible now to get away with a one-person team for content marketing. You need deeply trained individuals for specialist roles.
Let’s now dive into the step-by-step approach of hiring a Content Marketer. But before you even source your first candidate, you should have a clear expectation of the skillset and experience to look out for top content marketing candidates.
Top Must-Have Skills in a Content Marketer
Apart from having relevant industry experience, a good Content Marketer must possess the following skills.
Excellent Writing Skills
A Content Marketer’s prior skillset should be writing excellent attention-grabbing content. From long-form blog posts to website copy, ad copies, social media content, video scripts, emails, newsletters, e-books, whitepapers, and more – a Content Marketer should be able to adapt to the business’s specific requirements and create quality content.
Audience Research
Identifying user behavior is vital for framing the story in the right direction. So a Content Marketer must know how to identify and analyze the needs and pain points to develop a buyer persona. User research can be performed through social listening, relevant communities, in-person calls with customers, analyzing sales call recordings, and more.
Keyword Research
Creating valuable thought-leadership content isn’t enough. Researching the right set of keywords is an essential skill to further educate your target audience on the Whys, Hows and Whats of your business, and have your website rank on Google.
Data-oriented Content
Content that’s not backed by relevant data points does not build enough trust. Experienced content marketing professionals would always prefer data over hollow claims. No doubt that only data doesn’t help a content piece succeed, but it’s essential..
Project Management, Planning, and Publishing –
A Content Marketer is also expected to break down and analyze the pain points to turn keyword research into content ideas. So a professional must be able to identify and solve content gaps.
Further, they must know how to create a content calendar, decide the different types of content, and choose relevant platforms to publish and schedule marketing campaigns.
Content Promotion
Creating a valuable content piece, for example - an ebook, isn’t enough. Your content marketing team needs to promote it proactively for bringing enough attention and engagement.
Performance Analysis
Setting up goals and plans is one thing, but continuously executing, measuring, and analyzing content performance is another. A Content Marketer should always be monitoring key performance parameters to figure out the upcoming plans with the necessary updates required.
Not to forget - stakeholders and marketing heads need the performance reports regularly. So Content Marketers must be able to collect and comprehend all the data to make it worth presenting.
Step 1: Create a Candidate Persona
Let’s sort out the priorities first, and decide the type of content marketing candidates you want to recruit. From exceptional research skills to storytelling, communication skills, relationship building, audience engagement, and more capabilities must be comprehensively considered. Identify and break down the skill requirements for Content Marketers:
What are the educational qualification criteria for the role?
How many years and what type of work experience do you want in candidates?
What are the specific skill sets you’re looking for?
Which industry experience would you primarily prefer?
Are there any tools your candidates should be hands-on with?
What are some personality traits that will fit your company?
Where do they look for a new job?
What are their career and life goals?
Forming a candidate persona by answering all these questions would ensure you are not shooting in the dark while sourcing candidates. Further, it helps you determine the traits of the ideal candidate, and plan your sourcing and recruitment strategy further.
Step 2: Document the Role Requirements and Decide on Your Recruiting Process
Next step is determining your role requirements suiting primarily to organizational needs and business goals. A content marketing professional is expected to own the entire content strategy, creation, and distribution. But what about your business’s unique requirements?
You might need someone comfortable with frequently creating long-form content pieces like blogs, ebooks, or whitepapers, or creating engaging video content based on your industry trends.
Talk to various relevant stakeholders for seeking the complete detailed company requirements for the role.
Before you enter the recruitment funnel, outline your talent acquisition process. Identify various strategies, channels, and other informational insights you would need – and maintain a collaborative document.
As you update the tactics and tweak your recruitment process for meeting hiring requirements optimally – keep your document up to date.
Step 3: Prepare a Content Marketing Job Description
Once you have finalized the role requirements with respect to your current content marketing goals and team, you can start sourcing candidates. Preparing the job description is the first task you’ll need to do.
Here are the necessary components you must have in your job description:
Job Title: The position you’re looking to fill. For example - Content Marketing Specialist or Content Marketing Manager.
Roles & Responsibilities: An outline of the candidate’s day-to-day activities. From ideation to implementation and the impact on the organization, everything should be covered.
Skill Requirements: Skills and abilities a candidate must have to perform the job successfully.
Perks and Benefits: The compensation details, perks of the job, and any other benefits.
About the Company: Why should a candidate consider working with your company?
Content Marketer Job Description Template
Role
The job of a Content Marketer is to perform competitor research, create user persona, and write plagiarism-free content for blog articles, social media, and the company website. They need to stay updated on the latest SEO techniques.
Responsibilities
Develop, write and deliver persuasive copy for the website, email marketing campaigns, sales collateral, videos, and blogs
Build and manage an editorial calendar; coordinate with other content crafters to ensure standards
Measure impact and perform analysis to improve KPIs
Include and optimize all content for SEO
Contribute to the localization of processes and content to ensure consistency across regions
Review and implement process changes to drive operational excellence
Requirements
Proven content marketing, copywriting, or SEO experience
Working knowledge of content management systems like WordPress
A well-maintained portfolio of published articles, blogs, copy, etc
Proven experience of working under pressure to deliver high quality output in a short span of time
Proficiency in all Microsoft Office applications, Google Suite
Fluency in English or any other required language
Soft Skills
Excellent verbal and written communication skills
Excellent writing and editing skills
The ability to work in a fast-paced environment
The ability to handle multiple projects concurrently
Strong attention to detail and the ability to multi-task projects and deliverables
Step 4: Source Candidates
Once you have the tailored job description in hand, it’s now time to do the groundwork and source candidates. Create an attractive job post to promote your job across job boards and social channels.
Begin with what to expect from the role at your company?
Prepare an impactful job post and also execute paid job ad campaigns if required. The next step would be promoting your jobs on various job boards and hiring platforms. You can leverage the following platforms for hiring Content Marketers:
LinkedIn
Indeed
Instahyre
ZipRecruiter
Monster
GlassDoor
CareerBuilder
Not to forget - almost 3/4th of the workforce includes passive candidates, so you cannot miss out on passive talent sourcing as well. Reach out to qualified candidates on communities, LinkedIn, Twitter, and even Facebook to offer them suitable opportunities.
Step 5: Evaluate Candidates and Interview Shortlisted Ones
Once you have filtered candidates based on their experience and skills listed on their profile, it’s time to evaluate them deeply. Ask them to create a content strategy for your website, along with a value-adding content piece like a small blog. The topic of the article must fall within the scope of the strategy.
Interview the candidates whose profiles got shortlisted. Keep in mind the parameters covering skills, relevant experience, and personality traits of candidates.
Step 5: Make the Hire
Reach out to selected Content Marketers and communicate about the compensation.
Further, extend your offer letter to all the candidates who have been selected. In the case of passive sourcing, extend to only those who were aligned with you on the compensation and are willing to move forward.
Ensure having a deadline for the joining date and mention the necessary documents required by your recruiting team.
Get the required documents and set up the offer agreements with candidates
Organize an orientation session for the onboarded candidates
Introduce them to the entire team and the marketing teams they will be working with
Guide the new candidates about your company management tools and communication channels
Provide candidates with forms for benefits and perks like Health Insurance.
Supercharge Your Hiring for Content Marketer with Nurturebox
Inbound candidate sourcing doesn’t work effectively anymore. Do you also find challenges in closing quality candidates through job posts even after spending on ads?
Don’t worry, passive candidate sourcing can be an optimal solution for hiring top content marketing candidates.
Nurturebox is a one-stop talent sourcing and engagement platform which is powered by automation. Here’s how you can source product managers from LinkedIn using Nurturebox:
On your LinkedIn profile, start sourcing Content Marketers with boolean searches stating the required experience from targeted locations and including other criteria
Add the qualified candidates to your sourcing campaign pipeline with just a click
Automate the candidate engagement through email, Whatsapp and LinkedIn direct messages for reaching out and nurturing candidates at scale.
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