Finding case studies in HR and recruiting is one of the hardest things about returning to the practitioner world. Detailed evaluation of the evolution of a specific individual, organization, or circumstance across time is offered in a case study, which is described as a process or record of inquiry. Case studies offer a practitioner a point of reference, best practices, and the chance to observe and hear from a peer about the process and what they learnt from start to end, regardless of whether they work in HR or recruiting.

Case studies remind me of that girlfriend that is always right and has the best advice for a meal, cosmetics, or simple fix. Jen, one of my friends, is that person for me. She’s like the Cliff Clavin of the universe; she always knows the answer, whether it’s where to get the greatest margaritas, where to find the neighborhood swap meet, or how to make homemade laundry detergent. Jen appears to have the solutions at all times. I wish accessing insider information and best practices in human resources, recruiting, and talent acquisition was so simple.

The Problem with Vendor Case Studies

Case studies have the drawback of being overused. From Facebook to Amazon to LinkedIn, they follow me online. They are available through social ads, and they are advertised everywhere online and at conferences. They regularly spam my email with messages. The issue with most case studies is not that they are terrible in any way; rather, it is that they were created with the intention of generating leads for marketing and sales rather than giving me, an HR and recruiting practitioner, a useful resource. The allure of a free resource in exchange for persistent cold calling and emailing is frequently not worth the cost of entry. It can be difficult to choose which HR and recruitment case studies are valuable enough to exchange your contact information for. To address this issue, someone needs to create a Yelp or Glassdoor-like review website.

I’m not saying that all vendor reports, research and case studies don’t provide value. Typically, HR and recruiting case studies are hidden behind a landing page where I can’t determine the quality of the content, research and case studies shared. So I make the assumption that they (meaning technologies and service providers) are there sharing simply to entice me to sell a little piece of my soul because I am so desperate for hearing from someone who has insights that might help me.

7 Resources for Accessing HR and Recruiting Case Studies

Desperation no more. There are a number of great case studies and resources that human resources and recruiting practitioners in different ways and at varying cost levels.

Harvard Business Review.

• HBR’s blog is the gold standard in resources and information for business professionals. They also have a great case study library. Be prepared to bring your corporate card to access. Click here to access. Other publications have like Fast Company and The Economist also have case study resources available for purchase too.

HROS. 

• You might know them as HR Open Source. It’s a movement designed to publish practitioner case studies and build a free library of case study resources for the HR and recruiting industry. Click here to access.

SHRM Research & Surveys.

•  If you are a SHRM member, you can access their robust and growing white papers, reports and research. Look for more information as they are currently expanding this area for members. Click here to access.

Analyst Reports.

•  Companies like Bersin by Deloitte, Constellation Research and Brandon Hall are available to paid members. These firms can provide amazing resources, but it’s important to remember you, as a practitioner are not their only source of revenue. They work with technology and service providers to conduct, publish and promote research to their paid members as well as the larger community. Quick note, Aberdeen Group offers free access to a number of reports and case studies. You just need to set up an account. Click here to access.

Industry Journals. 

• There are a number of professional and academic journals that exist in the HR and talent acquisition industry that you can access with publish case studies and resources. One of my favorites is Wiley’s HR Journal which you can access by clicking here. HRPS, which is a now owned by SHRM also offers a robust journal resource. Click here to access.

Member Communities, Round Tables and Colloquiums. 

• These provide you, as the member practitioner access to peers and provide a platform online and in person that helps you sort out the changing business world we live in. Communities like Career Xroads and Direct Employers. are paid member communities that provide research, reports, case studies and a safe place to share resources and ask questions among community members.

HR and Recruiting Practitioner Blogs.

•  Approximately, 150 or so bloggers exist and operate in the HR and recruiting community with the goal of providing resources, sharing information and best practices with the practitioner in mind. Finding case studies and best practices along with these bloggers is a lot like walking around your neighborhood without your GPS. HR Blogger serves as a blog listing and dashboard for our industry.

Fortunately, for me Jen happens to work in HR so her solutions and suggestions extend into my professional working world. Unfortunately, Jen doesn’t always have the answers. Jen and I generally commiserate over margaritas or pedicures on Wednesdays a couple times a month when we can grab a quick couple hours to ourselves. Our professional world is a wide and complicated place which is why case studies are so valuable. Unfortunately, genuine and legit case studies outside of tapping into your professional network and expanding those circles is so hard to find.

Introducing Workology

Starting in December, I’m excited to announce that the blog will change providing more resources, case studies, learning and information focused on you. Over the last 9 years, Blogging4Jobs has served myself and the readership well, but it’s time for growth, evolution and change. In just a few short weeks, Blogging4Jobs will be rebranded and visitors will be redirected to a new site called Workology. Workology might seem familiar to you as the last 2 years I have been running the Workology Podcast, or maybe you visited the Workology site over the last 4 years since I purchased the domain. Later this month, I’m merging 5 different blogs I’ve managed, acquired and developed content over the years on into a single location called Workology with nearly 8,000 blog posts, resources and information available to HR and recruiting practitioners. My goal is to provide readers access to our vast library of information and resources more easily and securely instead of being spread out all over the web.

I’ve often said Blogging4Jobs is my oldest child. I’ve watched her grow, learn, change and evolve, and like a proud momma that can’t be more happy about the resource Blogging4Jobs has become. She’s a labor of love. I hope you feel that way too because as the founder of this blog, you’ve helped me grow in ways I can’t even imagine, and the journey continues. Workology launches in just a few weeks and I’m excited for the journey and evolution to continue.