Podcasts to listen to: The most helpful 6 for recruiters

Bianca Compagnoni

14 Jun

Reading time: 9 minutes

Podcasts to listen to: The most helpful 6 for recruiters

June 14, 2019, Recruitment

The podcast was invented and brought to our attention in 2004, thanks to software developer David Winer and former MTV video jockey Adam Curry. The podcast revolution attracted thousands of listeners once it reached the surface, and since then has grown immensely.

In March 2018, Apple podcasts passed 50 billion all-time episode downloads and streams, in comparison to 7 billion downloads and streams only five years ago! As of June 2019, there are 750,000 podcasts with over 30 million episodes. It all sounds pretty insane once you think about it, especially when it comes to knowing which one to pick.

According to Statista, the average number of monthly podcast listeners amounted to about 73 million in 2018 and is expected to increase to 132 million by 2022. With podcasts streaming in more than 100 languages, and 70% of the US population being familiar with the term ‘podcasting,’ it’s clear to see just how quickly the podcast has evolved into a more modernised form of communication, education and entertainment.

If you’re new to podcasts, or you’ve had your fair share of working your way through them but can’t seem to find ‘the one,’ then from the research carried out by Recruiting Brainfood, we’ve compiled a list for recruiters to subscribe to. We selected the following six podcasts by popularity amongst listeners, their star rating, number of supporters and podcast ranking.

1.Recruiting Future

Since 2014, the Recruiting Future Podcast has covered innovation in the HR and Recruitment industry with host, talent consultant and digital strategist Matt Alder.

New episodes are released every week, where Matt interviews thought leaders and industry superstars who are influencing and changing the recruitment industry. With in-depth topics, from in-house recruiting to employee experience, and talent acquisition, Recruiting Future has named itself to be ‘the world’s most popular podcast on the future of recruiting.’

190 episodes
20-30 minutes average length
16.9K Twitter followers
83 SoundCloud followers
4.7 on Apple Podcasts
725 ranking according to Chartable
Guests include:
Bryan Chaney, Global Director of Employer Branding at Indeed,
Bruce Daisley, VP EMEA at Twitter and
Mark Lobosco, VP Talent Solutions at LinkedIn

“If you want the knowledge and mindset to find and hire the right people, and reach your overall business goals as a result, then I highly recommend listening and subscribing to Recruiting Future Podcast.”

With short episodes, it’s perfect for a quick overview of upcoming trends and staying ahead of the recruitment curve.

You can subscribe to Recruiting Future via their website, Apple Podcasts, SoundCloud, PlayerFM and Stitcher.

Recommended episodes:

2. HR Happy Hour

HR Happy Hour, the longest-running and top downloaded HR podcast, covers a wide range of topics which focuses on HR, management, leadership, and workforce technology.

The show is hosted by Steve Boese, the Co-Chair of the HR Technology Conference and Trish McFarlane, CEO of H3 HR Advisors. Since 2009, HR Happy Hour has welcomed a wide array of guest with HR leaders, consultants, authors and practitioners to talk about the most timely, relevant, and challenging issues impacting work and workplaces today. The podcast is lively, conversational and engaging – it is happy hour after all.

454 episodes
25-45 minutes average length
24.9K Twitter followers
488 PlayFM subscribers
4.5 on Apple Podcasts
519 ranking according to Chartable
Guests include:
Paul Wolfe, SVP of Human Resources at Indeed,
Jason Averbook, CEO and Founder of consulting and education firm LeapGen and
Dr Laura Hamill, Chief People Officer and Chief Science Officer of employee experience platform Limeade

“The HR Happy Hour podcast shares actionable and inspiring lessons on how to succeed as a leader in business, HR, and life. Highly recommend listening if you want the knowledge AND mindset to build your best team and grow your business!"

HR Happy Hour is considered one of the top HR podcasts every HR professional and recruiter should listen to. HR Happy Hour can be streamed via Apple Podcasts, Sticher, BlogTalkRadio, PlayerFM, and PodBean.

Recommended episodes:

3. The Chad and Cheese Podcast

You have to have a little bit of fun when it comes to the world of HR and Recruitment. With presenters Chad Sowash and Joel Cheesman, you’ll be kept on your toes as they’re not afraid ‘to punch the recruiting industry right where it hurts,’ in a good way of course.

Based in Indiana, Unites States, the hosts of ‘HR’s Most Dangerous Podcast,’ are the snarkiest recruitment industry analysts bringing over 40 years of combined experience and industry insights to their listeners.

175 episodes
20-30 minutes average length - some are as short as 2 minutes!
248 SoundCloud followers
4.6 on Apple Podcasts
Peak rank of 451 according to Chartable
Featured guests:
Fred Goff, CEO of Jobcase,
Josh Wright, Chief Economist at iCIMS and
Maurice Fuller, Founder and Conference Producer of StaffingTech

“As a HR manager in my corporate job, this podcast helps me on a daily basis. Not only does it give me fantastic insight, but it helps me change the already preassumed judgements in my head. Keep up the great work!”

Chad and Cheese are not your typical recruitment podcast. They ask difficult questions and make controversial statements – hence their parental advisory warning label. In short, they say exactly what’s on their mind.

Chad and Cheese bring a unique perspective and bold flavour to the recruitment industry, complete with breaking news and extremely honest opinions.

This podcast discusses a wide variety of topics and current news stories around HR, recruitment and employment. Tune in weekly for insights from practitioners, vendors and startups via Apple Podcasts, Sticher, Spotify, PlayerFM, SoundCloud, TuneIn, RSS and more.

Recommended episodes:

4. Eat Sleep Work Repeat

With a 5-star rating, you can see why Eat Sleep Work Repeat is one of the top recruitment podcasts to pay attention to. Voted Apple’s #1 Business Podcast on happiness and work culture, Bruce Daisley, creator, host and author of “The Joy of Work,” interviews psychologists, neuroscientists and workplace experts to understand how we can improve our jobs.

73 episodes
30-50 minutes average length
3.5K Twitter followers
160 PlayFM subscribers
5 stars from 869 reviews
Ranking 40 for Business and Technology on Spotify Podcast Charts on Chartable
Featured guests:
Josh Krichefski, CEO of Mediacom UK,
Liz Fosslien, co-author of No Hard Feelings: Emotions at Work and How They Help Us Succeed and
Sue Siddall, MD of the innovations company IDEO

“This is probably the most thought-provoking and work/life changing podcasts I have found. Every episode inspires me to make important tweaks to my work unit. Bruce chooses the most cutting edge issues and uses his masterful interview skills to get to the heart of the matter.”

You can listen to Eat Sleep Work Repeat via its website, Apple Podcasts, aCast, PlayerFM, Spotify or Sticher.

Recommended episodes:

5. The Employer Branding Podcast

Hosted out of London by Jörgen Sundberg, CEO of Link Humans, The Employer Branding Podcast demonstrates practical talent attraction and employer branding strategies from the best in the business.

The podcast features international employer brand leaders from leading companies such as Walmart, GE, and Salesforce, as well as startup challengers using unique strategies to stand out – giving listeners useful advice regardless of their industry or organisation size.

202 episodes
20 minutes average length
729 SoundCloud followers
5 on Apple Podcasts
127 ranking on Apple Podcasts according to Chartable
Featured guests:
Amy Sawbridge, Former Brand Director & Head of Employee Experience at Virgin Group,
Robyn Lange, Curator at Shutterstock and
Hannah Fleishman Senior Manager of Employer Brand at HubSpot

“Employer branding like no other, it's one of the best places to get industry insights on the trends shaping the world of recruitment and employer branding. Always worth a listen.”

You can find The Employer Branding Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Sticher or SoundCloud.

Recommended episodes:

6. Freakonomics Radio

Inspired by the book of the same name, Freakonomics Radio is hosted by Stephen Dubner, with co-author Steve Levitt. This award-winning podcast explores “the hidden side of everything,” with a vast variety of topics from gender pay gap to how to fail like a pro and the secret to being more productive.

Spanning over 9 years, this weekly podcast discusses the things you thought you knew but didn’t.

308 episodes
40-70 minutes average length
648K Twitter followers
379K Facebook likes
47.1K PodBean followers
4.6 out of 16.3K ratings on Apple Podcasts
Ranked 13 out of the top 20 podcasts in the US for April 2019, according to Podtrac Analytics
Featured guests:
Shark Tank star, entrepreneur, and Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban,
Jim Hackett, CEO of Ford Motor Company and
Olympic gold medalist Shawn Johnson

"Freakonomics Radios is one of my favourites – I have been listening since the first episode. It has been a great educational experience of looking at how we make choices as humans and how incentives can help shape people’s behaviours.”

Freakonomics Radio focuses on behavioural economics, and with recruitment, it’s important to understand how people make decisions and what drives their desires and motives. It’s about behavioural change, and if recruiters wish to change someone’s behaviour (a candidate’s), they can then do so with the right incentives and methods.

Freakonomics Radio is continually producing quality content, from ‘the economics of sleep’, to ‘how to become great at just about anything.’

You can subscribe to Freakonomics Radio via Stitcher, Apple Podcasts, PodBean and Spotify.

Recommended episodes:

Tuning in

If you’re looking into podcasts and trying to keep up with recruitment, HR and new technology trends, then this platform could become your new tool in gaining new information and industry insights.

Recruiters can tend to feel there aren’t enough hours in the day to read articles and keep up to date with all things recruitment, but with podcasts, they’re not only free but quick, convenient, informative, entertaining and easily accessible when you’re on your commute home or walking the dog.

With dozens of recruitment podcasts to choose from, it can feel overwhelming finding one that works for you. Have any of the podcasts mentioned above caught your curiosity? Have a listen for yourself and mention which podcast works for you via our social media channels. Happy podcasting!