Published by Brett Clemenson
Welcome to the Lone Recruiter Podcast! Each week, we bring you short, fast and high energy podcasts designed to give you the motivation, mindset & resilience you need to be your best recruitment self. So grab a coffee, get comfortable, join us and let’s take your recruitment career to the next level.
Listen on Apple PodcastsRetained recruitment is something many recruiters talk about, but few fully commit to. In this ep, I chat with Jack Creith from Yakka Solutions about the unconventional retained model that transformed his recruitment business: 10% upfront and 90% on delivery. Rather than following the traditional retained search structure, Jack created a model that is simple, low friction for clients and still creates the commitment needed to deliver exceptional results. We unpack how he developed the model, why the 10% upfront payment acts as a filter for serious clients, and the mindset shift recruiters need to make when moving away from contingency recruitment. This episode is a must-listen for recruiters looking to improve client relationships, increase commitment and build a more valuable recruitment business. Tune in for: 👉 How Jack transitioned to 100% retained recruitment 👉 Why he chose a 10% upfront fee 👉 The psychology behind getting clients to commit 👉 Why confidence is the biggest hurdle for recruiters selling retained 👉 How small wins create belief in your model A practical conversation about building a recruitment business around trust, value and commitment.
If I had to build a recruitment desk from scratch today, this is exactly how I'd do it. One of the biggest mistakes recruiters make when starting a new market is casting the net too wide. They pick an industry, start calling people and hope the opportunities reveal themselves. That approach wastes time and confidence. In this ep, I walk you through the exact framework I use to identify profitable recruitment markets before making a single business development call. It's a simple process that helps you find high-demand niches with lower recruiter competition, so you can build momentum faster. I'll show you how to narrow your market, validate demand using SEEK and LinkedIn Jobs, identify where the work is piling up, and test opportunities before committing your time. Tune in for: 👉 Why most recruiters choose markets the wrong way 👉 How to niche down to the most profitable opportunities 👉 The four filters I use before making any calls 👉 How to analyse SEEK and LinkedIn Jobs strategically 👉 Why recruiter competition matters just as much as client demand 👉 The fastest way to validate a new market before investing months into it If you're launching a new desk, changing specialisations or simply wondering where the next opportunity is, this episode will save you months of trial and error.
What separates top recruiters from everyone else isn't always a better process, it's confidence. I share the one trait I try to build in every recruiter I coach. Whether you're doubting your process, overthinking your decisions, or second-guessing every call, this episode explains why confidence is often the missing ingredient between knowing what to do and consistently doing it. You'll also learn why validating your process with a trusted mentor, manager or colleague can eliminate doubt, improve your decision-making and help you recruit with greater conviction. If you've ever wondered whether you're doing recruitment "the right way", this episode is for you.
What if improving your recruitment performance wasn't about working harder, but simply paying closer attention. By simply tracking a single activity you could change your results, without complex dashboards or endless KPI meetings. I have Type 1 diabetes and by changing one simple habit I had the best blood glucose result in years. That experience sparked an important question: Rather than obsessing over outcomes you can't fully control, recruiters should focus on measuring the activities that lead to success. My suggestion is that you start tracking one metric: first interviews. By simply recording every first interview you secure, you'll naturally become more aware of your activity, identify slow days faster, and unconsciously shift your behaviour towards creating more opportunities. Tune in for: 👉 Why measuring behaviour changes behaviour 👉 The surprising lesson recruitment can learn from diabetes management. 👉 Why first interviews are one of the most valuable KPIs on a recruitment desk. 👉 Focusing on controllable activities instead of uncontrollable outcomes. Don't forget to subscribe, share the podcast with another recruiter, and leave a review if you enjoyed the episode.
Recruitment has traditionally revolved around three models: executive search, contingent recruitment and contract staffing. But I believe the market is changing. I'm seeing more and more clients asking for retained recruitment partnerships because they want greater commitment, better outcomes and a higher standard of service. In this ep, I share why I think this shift is happening and introduce a concept I've been developing: Specialist Executive Search. Tune in for: 👉 The three traditional recruitment models and where they fit 👉 Why I'm seeing clients move away from contingent recruitment 👉 The benefits of retained recruitment for both recruiters and clients 👉 What I mean by "Specialist Executive Search" 👉 Why I believe this approach could shape the future of the recruitment industry
Most recruiters will do everything they can to avoid refunding a client. After all, we've invested time, expertise and effort into making the placement. But what happens when continuing to honour a replacement guarantee starts costing your business more than it's worth? I recently had my first recruitment fee refund of my 20-year career. Giving money back wasn't a sign of failure, but a strategic business decision that freed up valuable time, strengthened the client relationship and ultimately generated more revenue. If you've ever struggled with replacement guarantees, difficult briefs or knowing when to move on, this episode offers a different perspective. Tune in for: 👉 Why protecting every fee isn't always the best business decision 👉 How to evaluate the true cost of replacement work 👉 When refunding a client can actually strengthen the relationship 👉 Why opportunity cost matters in recruitment 👉 How freeing up your desk can increase revenue If you enjoyed this episode, don't forget to follow The Lone Recruiter Podcast and leave a review.
Easy. Lucrative. Fun. I'd never heard of ELF Mode until a casual conversation at the gym with a mate who has successfully built and sold multiple businesses. The more he explained it, the more I realised it's one of the simplest and most powerful ways to think about building a successful recruitment desk. In this ep, I unpack the idea behind ELF Mode—doing work that's Easy, Lucrative and Fun—and compare it to the opposite: HALF (Hard, Annoying, Lame and Frustrating). As recruiters, it's easy to get caught up doing work that drains our energy without moving the needle. I'll walk you through a simple framework to help you identify what's worth doubling down on, what needs to go, and where AI, automation and delegation can help. Tune in for: 👉 What ELF Mode is and why it resonated with me 👉 Why so many recruiters unknowingly spend their time in HALF Mode 👉 How to identify the work that creates the biggest impact on your desk 👉 Which clients, projects and tasks might be costing you more than they're worth 👉 How AI, automation and delegation can help you spend more time in your ELF zone 👉 A practical way to work smarter, earn more and enjoy recruitment again If you're looking for a simple mindset shift that can make your recruitment desk more profitable AND more enjoyable, this ep is for you!
Most recruiters never check one of the most valuable reports inside LinkedIn Recruiter. Should you? Absolutely. In this episode, I break down LinkedIn's average InMail response rate (27.5%) and show you exactly how to improve yours. Better response rates don't just mean more conversations with candidates. They also help you retain InMail credits, improve your reach and ultimately make more placements. I'll walk you through three practical changes you can make immediately to start lifting your response rate without relying on gimmicks or spammy messaging. Tune in for: 👉 Where to find your InMail response rate 👉 Why the 27.5% benchmark matters 👉 How to write endings that encourage more replies 👉 Why naming your client can dramatically improve engagement 👉 The hidden mistakes that are hurting your response rate 👉 How follow-up messages and calendar links can work against you If your response rate is below the benchmark, this episode gives you a simple plan to improve it. 👍 If you enjoyed the episode, like, subscribe and share it with another recruiter.
How do you know if you're actually on track... or if you're quietly falling behind without realising it? In this ep, I share one of the simplest but most effective tools every recruiter should be using: a visible pipeline tracker. No fancy tech. No AI. No complicated dashboards. Just a straightforward way to keep your deals moving and ensure you're always focused on the right activity. If your pipeline is hidden away inside your CRM, chances are you're not looking at it often enough. The recruiters who stay on top of their numbers are the ones who can see exactly where every deal sits, identify bottlenecks quickly and take action before opportunities go stale. 🎯 Tune in for: 👉 Why every recruiter should have their pipeline visible at all times 👉 The four simple stages you need to track 👉 How to spot stalled deals before they become lost deals 👉 Why "false hope" is one of the biggest dangers in recruitment 👉 The power of making your pipeline impossible to ignore 👉 How visibility creates urgency, focus and momentum Follow The Lone Recruiter for practical recruitment tips, business lessons and no-nonsense advice to help you bill more, stress less and build a recruitment career you love.
Ever sit down to write a LinkedIn post and have absolutely no idea what to say? In this episode, I share why most recruiters are making LinkedIn far harder than it needs to be. The days of posting generic insights, AI-generated content, and recycled advice are quickly disappearing. If your content sounds like everyone else's, you're going to struggle to stand out. The good news? You're already creating valuable content every single day. Every conversation you have with candidates and clients contains real-world advice, market intelligence, hiring trends, salary insights, and practical solutions that people genuinely want to hear about. The trick is learning how to capture those moments and turn them into content. Tune in for: 👉 Why AI-generated LinkedIn posts are becoming less effective 👉 What social media algorithms are rewarding in 2026 👉 The easiest way to generate endless content ideas 👉 How recruiter conversations can become powerful LinkedIn posts 👉 The simple habit that will transform your content strategy 👉 Why authentic market insights outperform generic advice If you're a recruiter looking to build your brand, attract better candidates, win more clients, and become known as a genuine voice in your market, this episode is for you.
Can recruiters still build a million-dollar desk without the endless grind, cold calls and hustle culture? In this ep I sat down with Christine Foggiato from Riverside Recruitment, who is challenging many of the traditional recruitment beliefs we've all grown up with. Christine is closing in on a seven-figure billing desk while generating almost all of her business through inbound marketing. No LinkedIn Recruiter licence. No cold calling. No endless BD sessions. Instead, she's built a powerful personal brand, content strategy and marketing engine that keeps both clients and candidates coming to her. We explore how AI, automation and modern marketing are changing what's possible for recruiters, why industry expertise matters more than ever, and whether recruiters can genuinely create better work-life balance without sacrificing performance. Tune in for: 👉 How Christine generates inbound candidates and clients 👉 Why she stopped cold calling years ago 👉 Building authority through LinkedIn content and video 👉 Marketing strategies recruiters can apply immediately 👉 The role AI is playing in modern recruitment 👉 Why recruiters should become industry educators 👉 The realities of running a recruitment business 👉 Whether work-life balance and high performance can coexist If you've ever wondered whether there's a smarter way to build a successful recruitment desk, this conversation will challenge some long-held assumptions. Follow The Lone Recruiter for more conversations with recruiters, founders and industry leaders sharing what really works in today's market.
How do I actually scale a recruitment desk or business without becoming the bottleneck? In this ep, I break down a simple but powerful operating philosophy: I do, we do, you do - a progression that shows how to move from doing everything yourself, to building with others, to ultimately stepping back so the business can run without you. When I started out, I was doing everything: clients, candidates, deals, management, all of it. Then I moved into the “we do” phase, building a team around me and delivering together. But the real shift (and the hardest one) is getting to “you do”, where others fully own the work. Most people get stuck in “we do”. They stay too involved, hold onto control, and unintentionally cap their own growth. In this episode, I talk through why that happens and what it takes to move past it. I also share a real example from a client situation where applying this framework helped reframe a hiring decision, unlock value, and shift the way they saw a role entirely. If you’re building a desk, leading a team, or trying to scale anything, this is a mindset I’d encourage you to apply immediately.
The best recruiters I have ever worked with, interviewed or talked to - the real multi-million dollar billers - all share one habit. It's something I do compulsively as well. They know what worked today, what didn't, and what they're doing differently tomorrow. In this episode I break down the simple but honestly powerful practice of diarising your recruitment desk. No complicated system needed and we're not talking "dear diary" okay - just 15 minutes at the end of your day to review: What you got done, What moved the needle and what needs to happen tomorrow. I also share how I've applied the same principle to managing a tricky health challenge and why the lesson applies directly to your desk and your KPIs. If you're tired of being a passenger to your day, going through the motions and wondering why your desk isn't growing? This episode will change how you finish every single day and how you show up to the next. Let's go.
Why do we always seem to get sick the moment we finally slow down? Today I dive into the science behind stress, burnout, cortisol, and why so many high performers crash physically after big work pushes. My grandfather worked as a GP with only one day off every fortnight, and he would consistently get migraines the moment he finally stopped working. I unpack what’s actually happening inside the body during prolonged periods of stress and why the “post-stress crash” is so common. I also break down: How cortisol affects your immune system Why your body stays in “fight or flight” during stressful periods What happens when the pressure finally lifts Why high performers often ignore the warning signs Simple daily habits that help flush stress out of the body before it builds up This ep is all about managing stress proactively so you can perform at a high level without completely falling into a heap afterwards. Follow The Lone Recruiter for more episodes on mindset, performance, business growth, and sustainable success.
What state are you showing up in every day? In this ep, I dive into the idea of “showing up in state", a concept popularised by Tony Robbins that’s all about deliberately shifting your mindset, energy, and focus before stepping into important moments. I actually recorded this episode after having a pretty rough day myself. I got plenty done, but mentally it felt like I was pushing uphill all day. Reflecting on it later, I realised I’d preloaded negativity before the day even started. So here are 3 practical steps to change your state quickly: Change your physiology Prime your focus intentionally Use rituals and triggers to access peak performance If you’ve been feeling flat, overwhelmed, negative, or mentally stuck before work or important conversations, this episode is packed with practical tools you can apply immediately.
I’m walking you through something I use every single day on my desk… my closing playbook. Closing isn’t one-size-fits-all. Every candidate, every deal and every situation is different, and the mistake I see recruiters make is trying to use the same close every time. So I break it down into three distinct closing plays that I rely on depending on the scenario. You’ll hear how I think about timing, psychology, pressure points and decision-making when it comes to getting candidates over the line. Tune in for: 👉 My standard close and how I structure acceptance conversations 👉 The exact question I use before an offer is made 👉 Why pre-closing is everything in recruitment 👉 The “this or that” strategy for competing offers 👉 How to handle candidates torn between two roles 👉 When to apply time pressure in decision making 👉 The “let it burn in their pocket” approach and when to use it 👉 Why closing is a playbook, not a one-off tactic If you’re losing candidates at offer stage or struggling to convert deals, this ep will give you a clearer framework to work from. At the end of the day, if you can’t close it, you don’t have a deal.
The 2026 Australian Budget has triggered a lot of emotion, uncertainty and fear across the market and recruiters are hearing it directly from clients. Here's what I'm seeing, hearing and doing right now as businesses react to major legislative and economic changes. This isn’t so much about politics. It’s about mindset, market psychology and how recruiters can avoid getting dragged into fear-based thinking when clients start talking hiring freezes, market contractions and uncertainty. I share why moments like this create hesitation across the economy, why recruiters need to stay close to their clients, and how the best operators position themselves early when the market shifts. 👉 Why recruiters absorb client fear without realising it 👉 The danger of letting negativity infiltrate your desk 👉 Why market “pauses” often create opportunity 👉 What Brett is hearing directly from clients right now 👉 How to position yourself ahead of the next market movement 👉 “Where’s the cheese?” and finding opportunity during uncertainty If you’re a recruiter navigating nervous clients, shifting markets or economic uncertainty, this episode is for you.
At some point, almost every recruiter thinks about going out on their own. More freedom. More money. No boss. But what I’ve seen over the years is that a lot of recruiters underestimate the financial pressure that comes with actually running a business. In this ep, I break down the biggest pitfalls I see with solo recruiters and agency founders: cashflow, tax, and the hidden stress that catches people out after the early wins start rolling in. I talk about: 👉 Why so many recruiters left agencies after COVID 👉 Why many are now returning to agency life 👉 The difference between running a desk and running a business 👉 Why cashflow matters more than revenue 👉 How tax obligations can quietly destroy momentum 👉 The biggest financial lessons I learned building an agency If you’re thinking about launching your own recruitment business (or already have) this ep is worth a listen. Follow The Lone Recruiter for more conversations around recruitment, business, mindset, and building long-term success.
Most people stop at level two. They make good money… Then coast. But what if wealth was actually a 4-level game? In today's ep I break down the “Game of Millions”, a framework that completely changed how I think about success, leadership and purpose. Level 1: Make $1M in revenue. Level 2: Make $1M in your pocket. Level 3: Help the people around you make $1M too. Level 4: Give $1M away. The real trap? Stopping once you win. Tune in for: 👉 Why level 2 is where most people get stuck 👉 The difference between revenue and actual wealth 👉 How elite leaders create wealth for others 👉 Why generosity is the final level of success 👉 The mindset shift that creates long-term purpose Follow The Lone Recruiter for more episodes on recruitment, business, money and performance.
Most recruiters completely change their success rate with passive candidates once they understand one thing: A headhunted candidate is psychologically very different to an applicant. Applicants are already in the market. Passive candidates are not. That means the language you use throughout a process matters more than most recruiters realise. Tune in for: 👉 Why passive candidates trigger “fight or flight” 👉 The biggest language mistakes recruiters make 👉 Why terms like “interview”, “offer” and “business case” can spook candidates 👉 How to guide headhunted talent through a process without pushing too hard, too fast 👉 Real examples from live recruitment processes 👉 The subtle wording shifts that improve candidate engagement and conversion Because sometimes the difference between a placement and a ghosted candidate… is just the wording.