Upskilling in the internet age does not necessarily translate to reading books and taking courses. 

With an abundance of information on social media platforms, the kind and quality of content you consume can also lead to exponential learning and growth over time.

If you want to learn from recruitment influencers and thought leaders who share valuable insights for free, this list is perfect for you. 

1. Josh Bersin

When it comes to advices, everyone’s a thought leader on the internet. But not everything they speak of is trustworthy.

That’s exactly why you should follow Bersin— one of the top 10 influencers in the hiring market. He doesn’t simply ‘advise’ you to do something. 

Instead, he comes up with researched-backed ‘facts’ that you need to know and implement for better results. 

It not only makes Josh reliable but also leads to actual industry learning, because what better way to learn than learning with data?

For a little background, Josh Bersin is a globally recognized industry analyst and dean of the Josh Bersin Academy, with over 25 years of experience in recruitment. 

He has established himself as a talent acquisition thought leader, providing actionable insights and research-based advice to recruiters. 

Josh's content focuses on HR technology, talent management, and organizational design, making him a must-follow if keeping up with the latest HR trends is your focus. 

His USP is his ability to provide in-depth analysis to help you make informed decisions. 

He’s also well known for his work in developing the Bersin by Deloitte research firm, which provides research-based insights on HR and recruitment trends. 

Josh’s expertise makes him a sought-after speaker and consultant, working with prominent organizations worldwide— another reason why he’s absolutely worth a follow. 

2. Lou Adler

40 years of experience! The numbers are talking and we must listen.

Lou Adler is a prominent voice in the recruiting space for insights that are simply excellent, with over 40 years of experience working in this field. 

He is the founder of the Adler Group and a strong advocate for performance-based hiring, also the author of several books, including ‘Hire With Your Head’ and ‘The Essential Guide for Hiring & Getting Hired.’

Needless to say, his experience makes him a real stand-out for all the hands-on expertise he must have earned.

Adler’s unique approach to recruitment, i.e. focusing on performance-based hiring, has revolutionized the way companies approach talent acquisition. It’s all about defining clear performance objectives for each role and using these objectives to guide the hiring process.

If you scroll down to the recommendations section of his LinkedIn profile, you’ll get to see a list of people who conquered recruitment and reduced turnover, thanks to his guidance. 

Certainly, the only kind of social proof you need.

Lou's content type includes blog posts, videos, and webinars, providing valuable insights for recruiters and talent acquisition professionals. 

When talking about USP, it has to be his emphasis on science-backed recruitment methods that just make sense if you are into evidence-based recruitment strategies.

His ‘Win-Win Hiring’ methods have been adopted by prominent organizations worldwide, including Google, Microsoft, and Amazon, and also featured in prominent publications such as Inc. Magazine, Forbes, and Bloomberg Businessweek.

3. Bill Boorman

In 2010, Boorman launched #tru— a series of unconference events. Hundreds of these are organized around the world every year, providing him with the information and database he builds his research on. 

His research is meant to make recruitment easier for everyone as a recruitment technology consultant.

When it comes to Bill’s USP, recognizable by his signature black hat and beard, it's his ability to connect with recruitment professionals worldwide through his premier conferences and online forums, providing a platform for professionals to share best practices and insights. 

His conferences feature prominent speakers and thought leaders from the recruitment industry, providing valuable insights and networking opportunities for attendees. 

Boorman's expertise has always been heavily applauded for all that he brings to the table, making his follower count quite justifiable.

4. Meghan M. Biro

For recruiters who are always on the go and prefer to listen to podcasts instead of reading or watching content, Meghan is the recruitment powerhouse you need to follow right away!

Meghan M. Biro is the founder of TalentCulture and host of the #WorkTrends podcast, exploring HR technology, talent management, and workplace culture as her areas of interest. 

She is known for her highly actionable podcast discussions with industry experts. You’ll barely ever come across anyone who regrets subscribing to #WorkTrends. 

To add on, Biro has also been consistently appearing on best influencer lists by several big houses, the most recent one being ‘Top 50 Most Valuable Social Media Influencers’ by General Sentiment.

5. Kevin Wheeler

With all the rapid changes happening in the hiring sphere, do you ever wish there was a recruitment fortune teller to help you prepare for what’s coming next?

Well, it’s none other than Kevin Wheeler.

Wheeler is the founder of Future of Talent Institute and a prominent recruitment thought leader, with a focus on talent management, recruitment strategy, and innovation. 

His next-to-accurate predictions of future trends in recruitment and talent management is what makes him so well-known. 

He is your ultimate kit to prepare for the future of work. Not only does he predict trends, but he also comes up with a detailed roadmap for you to follow in case that trend makes sense for the business you are hiring for.

All that makes him a must-follow if you are a forward-thinking recruiter who wants to ace the game.

6. Jason Averbook

Recruitment is not just a plain job, it includes a bunch of underlying factors that largely influence how well you manage to plan and place candidates in their suitable roles, along with the criteria of managing them throughout.

The primary step to cracking these factors is understanding the value your workforce holds. They need to be perceived to the depth of building a meaningful employer-employee relationship.

So, if you’re willing to learn the art of understanding the power and potential your workforce holds, Averbook is just the right man for it.

His main goal behind the services he provides and the content he creates is to turn recruitment into a value-driven profession.

Jason Averbook is the co-founder and CEO of Leapgen and a well-known HR thought leader, with a strong emphasis on workplace culture. 

His USP is his expertise in HR technology and innovation, and its utility in workforce management. 

Jason's work at Leapgen has helped numerous organizations implement technology in the best way possible, improving their hiring practices to an unbelievable extent.

7. Mervyn Dinnen

Top 100 HR Tech Influencers by HRE, Top 100 HR Influencers by Engagedly, Sage UK Top 10 Global Business Influencer, Top 50 HR & Recruiting Thought Leaders by Glassdoor, Top 50 Social HR Experts by Huffington Post, and Recruitment Blog of the Year Winner by UK Recruiter.

Dinnen managed to have his name up on all these lists. Yes, you read that right. All of them.

Mervyn Dinnen is a recruitment thought leader, blogger, and one of the top influencers on LinkedIn. 

If you ask about his USP, it has be his practical tips and advice for recruiters. 

They are simply spot on. So much so that you can test them out right away!

Additionally, if you are into recruitment conferences, events, and panel discussions, there’s a high chance you’ve already come across one of his lectures. 

Thanks to his acceptance in the TA community for his practical advices, Dinnen’s quite sought after as a public speaker people love listening to.

Enough reasons to follow? 100%.

8. Heather Bussing

Knowing recruitment is key, but so is understanding employee rights. Heather Bussing, a leading employment attorney, is a must-follow.

Heather is an HR thought leader and blogger with commendable expertise in laws around human resources. Her content type spans across diverse formats including blog posts, articles, and podcasts. 

Heather's main selling proposition is undoubtedly her approach of helping recruiters stay more informed regarding employment laws and other compliances which form a huge part of seamless recruitment with a great candidate experience.

Several big names have sought professional guidance from Heather to deal with complex regulations. She has always had a great track record of being skillful in what she does.

So, if you are willing to always be on the safer side, Bussing is a must-follow without a second thought.

9. Hung Lee

With so many newsletters filling your inbox every day, you need one that offers recruitment tips that actually make sense. 

And when talking about the top recruitment newsletters available out there, Recruiting Brainfood deserves that title.

Hung Lee is the founder of WorkShape.io, a talent-matching service for tech recruitment, and the curator of Recruiting Brainfood, a popular weekly newsletter that covers a broad spectrum of topics in the recruitment industry, from emerging talent acquisition trends to HR technology advancements. 

With a background in recruitment and a passion for technology, Lee has positioned himself as a thought leader who provides value-packed insights to recruiters worldwide. 

His USP? 

Definitely his newsletter that’s widely regarded as a must-read, offering curated content that helps professionals stay ahead of the curve. 

Lee's ability to identify and discuss critical issues in the industry, such as the impact of AI on hiring processes and the importance of diversity and inclusion, makes him a key influencer. 

10. Katrina Collier

The ‘candidate’ is the king of present recruitment. Hence, engaging them throughout the hiring process is a crucial factor to ensure that you’re landing the best fit for the role.

Katrina Collier, author of ‘The Robot-Proof Recruiter,’ is renowned for her expertise in candidate engagement. 

Her book and training sessions emphasize the importance of maintaining the human touch in recruitment amidst increasing automation. 

Collier is also a renowned speaker and trainer, known for her dynamic and interactive workshops that teach recruiters how to effectively connect with candidates. 

Her USP has to be her focus on building genuine relationships and improving candidate experience, setting her apart in an industry where people just can’t stop talking about automation (it’s important, but it’s not everything you need to recruit well!). 

If you’re up to fostering a more candidate-centric approach in your organization, following her up should be an absolute no-brainer for you.

11. Greg Savage

Recruitment isn’t always just another part of an organization, sometimes, it’s what the whole organization is about. 

When talking about recruitment companies, it’s pivotal to understand that how a hiring firm works majorly differs from how hiring works in other organizations.

Hence, decoding recruitment as an entrepreneurial move needs special and niche guidance too. Much like the kind Greg can help you with.

Greg Savage, a leadership influencer and top recruiter himself, is also the founder of several successful recruitment firms. 

He’s also the author of ‘The Savage Truth,’ a book that offers insights into leadership, business growth, and life from his extensive career of more than 40 long years!

Savage is quite popular for his engaging presentations and practical advice on building highly profitable recruitment companies. 

His blog and training programs are all about leadership, business development, and mitigating the challenges of the recruitment industry. 

By following Savage, you can tap into his wealth of knowledge and learn how to implement effective strategies for success in your own practices. 

His emphasis on ethical recruiting and building long-term relationships with clients and candidates makes his advice particularly valuable.

12. Glen Cathey

Candidate sourcing continues to be one of the toughest parts of recruitment, no matter how many avenues continue to open up in this regard. The hunt for qualified sourcing is truly a never-ending one.

Hence, buying some expert guidance on sourcing, especially powered by AI, might help you crack the code for a refined reach.

To help you out, we have Glen Cathey, most commonly known as the ‘Boolean Black Belt.’ 

He is a master of advanced sourcing techniques— plain and simple. That’s what he managed to ace, hands down. 

Starting out in executive search and corporate recruiting, Cathey has developed a reputation for his deep knowledge of Boolean search and other sourcing strategies. 

Cathey's USP is simple: his skills in finding and engaging top talent using innovative techniques. 

If you need to take your sourcing game to the next level, hit the follow button before you forget.

13. William Tincup

The audience has great expectations from recruiting influencers, in terms of learning and improving through their experience.

Yet, not many are quite ready to take on unfiltered advice, own things up, put their heads down, and do the needful it takes to smoothen out things.

But Tincup doesn’t seem to be quite interested in that genre of audience. 

He is here to spit the facts, and he’ll do it anyway, whether you like it or not. 

Precisely, he’s not afraid of being canceled at all. Rather, he probably believes that keeping up with his reality checks can do recruiters more good than harm. It’s for their best after all!

William Tincup, President of RecruitingDaily, is known for his straightforward and no-nonsense approach to HR and recruiting. 

As a writer, speaker, consultant, and advisor, Tincup has a broad influence in the recruitment technology space. 

He serves on the advisory boards of multiple HR tech startups, providing strategic guidance on product development and market positioning. 

Tincup's candid opinions on recruiting, leadership, and talent management are highly regarded in the industry, proving how his words always hit the right spot for every recruiter out there. 

Besides all that, William puts massive emphasis on data-driven decision-making and the importance of aligning hiring strategies with business objectives.

14. Johnny Campbell

Johnny Campbell is the CEO of Social Talent, a training and development platform for recruiters. 

His platform is famous for its comprehensive video training on sourcing, hiring, and onboarding. 

Campbell's focus on providing practical, actionable training has helped thousands of recruiters worldwide improve their skills and achieve better results. 

The reviews on his platform are also quite inspiring, showcasing what wealth he’s offering his learners.

Johnny’s emphasis on continuous learning and professional development makes him no less than a mentor for anyone looking to stay ahead in the recruitment industry.

15. Laurie Ruettimann

If you already love the unfazed opinionated approach of Tincup, how about some more hard facts dose on your feed? 

But this time, it’s mostly about employment culture. Definitely a topic we need to build more hype around, it’s time.

Laurie Ruettimann is a former recruitment leader turned writer, speaker, and consultant. 

She created her brand around candid insights on work culture and employee engagement, which she shares through her podcast ‘Punk Rock HR.’

What makes Laurie stand out (her USP) is the topic she chose to raise her voice for. 

Because let’s face it, everyone’s talking about recruitment but rarely do people understand that a good place to work is determined through the culture it promotes.

Her advice goes way beyond the idea of placing the right fit for the role. 

Her attention is more around the issue of whether the employees feel like they are the right fit for the role. Makes a world of difference!

If you stand for the same idea, following Ruettimann can help solidify your vision and concept over time, polishing up how you recruit and sustain your hires.

16. Joel Cheesman

Do you mind recruitment with a pinch of humor? Bet you don’t. 

Rather, you’ll have a good time learning recruitment and laughing with Cheesman.

Joel Cheesman is a prominent voice in the recruitment industry, best known as the co-host of ‘The Chad & Cheese Podcast’ alongside Chad Sowash. 

The podcast offers a humorous and critical look at the hiring industry, providing listeners with engaging and often irreverent takes on current recruitment topics​. 

Cheesman’s ability to blend humor with insightful commentary has made the podcast a popular resource for recruiters seeking both entertainment and valuable industry insights.

Evidently, Joel has a rich background in recruitment, keeping him extensively informed about what he’s dealing with. 

He aims to acutely scrutinize industry practices and trends, encouraging recruiters to mindfully think about their own strategies and processes. 

Joel holds up a mirror for recruiters through his wit, almost compelling them to reflect on the impact of their outlook on talent acquisition.

If you start following at least 5 of these recruitment influencers diligently, keeping track of their content, taking notes, and putting them into action, one thing’s for sure – there’s no stopping you.

Start the drill already.