1% Better Recruitment Podcast

Why does recruitment have a reputation problem, and what can we do to fix it? In this episode of The 1% Better Recruitment Podcast, I'm joined by Kadeem Housen, CEO of Kea Consultants, an executive search business specialising in the investment market. Kadeem has spent over a decade growing with the business, which now operates across Europe, the US and the Middle East. He's also the author of Demystifying Talent: The 5A Recruitment Framework . We have an honest conversation about the reputation of the recruitment industry, why so many recruiters fall into transactional behaviours, and what it takes to build a more trusted and respected profession. We explore the importance of understanding people's motivations, asking better questions, building genuine partnerships, and balancing commercial success with ethical recruitment practices. Topics Discussed: ✅ Why recruitment has a reputation problem and what needs to change ✅ Why chasing money and material success doesn't necessarily lead to long-term success in recruitment ✅ How understanding personal motivations can help leaders get more out of their consultants ✅ Why recruitment leaders need to understand the person behind the performance ✅ Why unethical recruitment practices will eventually catch up with you ✅ Why recruiters need to master their questions rather than jumping straight into pitching solutions ✅ The difference between transactional recruitment and building genuine partnerships ✅ Why building trust comes down to character and competence ✅ How to become a trusted advisor by genuinely adding value to clients and candidates ✅ The story behind Demystifying Talent and the 5A Recruitment Framework ⏱️ Timestamps: 00:00 – Introduction & Kadeem Housen's Background in Executive Search 02:02 – Kadeem's Journey in Recruitment 05:17 – Why Money and Material Success Aren't Enough 07:40 – Why Building Trust and Relationships Creates Long-Term Success 09:22 – Understanding What Really Motivates Recruitment Consultants 11:25 – Finding Your Bigger Purpose and What Drives You 14:24 – Why Leaders Need to Understand Their Consultants 18:33 – Understanding the Person Behind the Performance 22:43 – Why Unethical Recruitment Practices Eventually Catch Up With You 35:06 – Why Recruiters Need to Master Their Questions 36:53 – Transactional Recruitment vs Building Long-Term Partnerships 51:35 – The Two Components of Trust: Character & Competence 59:05 – The Story Behind Demystifying Talent 01:01:16 – Breaking Down the 5A Recruitment Framework 01:03:35 – Why Kadeem Decided to Write His Book 01:05:44 – Kadeem's Advice for Getting 1% Better in Recruitment 🐋 Podcast Sponsor – SourceWhale This episode is sponsored by SourceWhale, the recruitment productivity platform I personally use and recommend to recruiters and founders. SourceWhale helps recruiters save time across outreach, sourcing, data enrichment, multi-step email and LinkedIn sequences, inbox management and call notes, giving recruiters more time to focus on the human side of recruitment. 👉 Book a SourceWhale demo here: https://sourcewhale.com/book-demo/ Mention The 1% Better Recruitment Podcast or my name, Charles Kyriakou, when you book. Connect with Kadeem: 💻 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kadeem-houson-a5624646/ 🌐 Website: https://www.5arf.com/ 📖 Book: Demystifying Talent: The 5A Recruitment Framework https://www.amazon.co.uk/Demystifying-Talent-Five-Recruitment-Framework/dp/1806343665 Connect with Me: 💻 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charleskyriakou1/ 📲 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@charles.kyriakou 🌐 Podcast Website: https://www.the1percentbetterecruitmentpodcast.com/ 🌐 Coaching & Training: https://www.inf1nitelearning.com/ 👨🏽‍💻 Book 30mins with me: https://calendar.app.google/Xv3UaCGZ66Luu5f5A

How do you win more retained recruitment business, overcome objections to upfront fees, and build a more profitable recruitment model? In this episode of The 1% Better Recruitment Podcast, I'm joined by Louise Archer, CEO and founder of Retrained Search. Louise helps recruitment businesses move beyond contingent recruitment by improving how they sell, structure, and deliver retained search. We break down how to identify clients who need a retained solution, handle objections to upfront fees, structure milestone payments, and protect projects with clear terms and client commitment. Topics Discussed: ✅ Why recruiters struggle to sell retained recruitment and the misconceptions holding them back ✅ How to identify clients who genuinely need a retained solution ✅ Why better questioning and diagnosing client pain points are essential to winning business ✅ How to articulate the value of retained recruitment ✅ The benefits of retained recruitment for clients, candidates and recruitment businesses ✅ How to structure retained fees, including commencement payments and milestones ✅ Why you should never guarantee a placement and what you should commit to instead ✅ Why winning retained business and delivering it require different skillsets ✅ How to get 1% better in recruitment by diagnosing the problem before prescribing the solution ⏱️ Timestamps: 00:00 – Introduction & Louise Archer's Background in Retained Search 02:09 – Louise's Journey From Contingent to Retained Recruitment 04:32 – Why Recruiters Have Misconceptions About Retained Business 08:50 – Why Recruiters Struggle to Articulate Their Retained Offering 10:53 – How to Start Building a Retained Recruitment Model 13:13 – Diagnosing Client Problems Before Selling a Solution 15:34 – Why the Contingent Model Can Fall Short for Clients 17:55 – Why You Should Never Guarantee a Placement 20:09 – Using Better Questions to Sell Retained Recruitment 23:30 – Why Recruitment Sales Should Be Based on Solution Selling 25:28 – Productising Your Retained Recruitment Offering 29:37 – The Benefits of Retained Recruitment for Clients and Candidates 34:25 – Learning to Sell Retainers Through Experience 36:42 – When Contingent Recruitment Is Still the Right Option 38:26 – How to Structure Retained Fees and Milestone Payments 42:55 – Why You Cannot Guarantee a Placement 44:49 – The Problem With 100% Placement Guarantees 47:53 – Why Winning Retained Business and Delivering It Require Different Skills 51:36 – Building a Separate Delivery Function 54:14 – Retained vs Engaged Recruitment Models 58:28 – Why You Should Never Take Less Than a Third on Commencement 01:01:15 – What Happens If a Client Receives CVs From Another Agency? 01:03:34 – Exclusivity, Client Commitment and Protecting the Search 01:07:34 – Why Retained Projects Need Clear Guardrails and Frustration Clauses 01:12:02 – Getting Your Terms of Business Right 01:13:52 – Louise's Advice for Getting 1% Better in Recruitment: Diagnose First 🐋 Podcast Sponsor – SourceWhale This episode is sponsored by SourceWhale, the recruitment productivity platform I personally use and recommend to recruiters and founders. SourceWhale helps recruiters save time across outreach, sourcing, data enrichment, multi-step email and LinkedIn sequences, inbox management and call notes, giving recruiters more time to focus on the human side of recruitment. 👉 Book a SourceWhale demo here: https://sourcewhale.com/book-demo/?ut...Mention The 1% Better Recruitment Podcast or my name, Charles Kyriakou, when you book. Connect with Louise: 💻 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/louise--archer/ Connect with Me: 💻 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charleskyriakou1/ 📲 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@charles.kyriakou 🌐 Podcast Website: https://www.the1percentbetterecruitmentpodcast.com/ 🌐 Coaching & Training: https://www.inf1nitelearning.com/ 👨🏽‍💻 Book 30mins with me: https://calendar.app.google/Xv3UaCGZ66Luu5f5A

How Can Recruiters Overcome Their Fear of Business Development? Why do so many recruiters avoid BD, and what can leaders do about it? In this episode of The 1% Better Recruitment Podcast, I’m joined by Kate O’Neill, a coach, trainer and fractional BD leader who goes into recruitment businesses, picks up the phones and wins business for them. We discuss the state of BD in recruitment today, why consultants avoid it, and how a lack of confidence and sales culture feeds the problem. Topics Discussed: ✅ Why recruitment has lost its sales culture and what needs to change ✅ Why recruiters avoid BD and use a lack of time as an excuse ✅ How leaders can build confidence by being vulnerable and sharing their own mistakes ✅ Why AI can become a deflection tool for recruiters who lack confidence in sales ✅ How to make BD more engaging through competitions, incentives and call coaching ✅ Why great BD comes down to building relationships, asking better questions and having authentic conversations ⏱️ Timestamps: 00:00 – Introduction & Kate's Background in Recruitment BD 02:02 – What Kate Does as a Fractional BD Leader 04:17 – The Current State of BD in Recruitment 08:34 – Why Recruiters Avoid Business Development 10:53 – Why Training Alone Doesn't Fix BD Problems 14:15 – Why Are New Recruiters Being Kept Away From Clients? 23:13 – Dealing With Rejection and Building Resilience 26:00 – The Difference Between Training and Coaching 28:24 – Is AI Becoming an Excuse to Avoid BD? 29:15 – How Leaders Can Build a Stronger Sales Culture 31:37 – Why Leaders Need to Normalise Failure 34:58 – Why Recruiters Need to Stop Being Afraid of Making Mistakes 36:44 – How to Make BD Fun and Reward the Right Behaviours 39:07 – Where AI Can Help With BD and Where It Falls Short 48:24 – Why Recruitment Businesses Need to Invest in Their People 51:33 – Why Human Role Models Still Matter in Recruitment 55:17 – Using AI to Save Time Without Losing the Human Touch 59:54 – What Great Recruiters Do Differently in BD 01:03:39 – Why Recruiters Overcomplicate Business Development 01:05:47 – Making Sales Training Fun and Building Better Habits 01:11:31 – Kate's Advice for Getting 1% Better in Recruitment 01:13:13 – Stop Putting Clients on a Pedestal 01:16:40 – Building Better Client Partnerships and Setting Boundaries 🐋 Podcast Sponsor – SourceWhale This episode is sponsored by SourceWhale, the recruitment productivity platform I personally use and recommend to recruiters and founders.SourceWhale helps recruiters save time across outreach, sourcing, data enrichment, multi-step email and LinkedIn sequences, inbox management and call notes, giving recruiters more time to focus on the human side of recruitment. 👉 Book a SourceWhale demo here: https://sourcewhale.com/book-demo/?ut...Mention The 1% Better Recruitment Podcast or my name, Charles Kyriakou, when you book. Connect with Kate: 💻 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kateoneill-recruitment/ Connect with Me: 💻 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charleskyriakou1/ 📲 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@charles.kyriakou 🌐 Podcast Website: https://www.the1percentbetterecruitmentpodcast.com/ 🌐 Coaching & Training: https://www.inf1nitelearning.com/ 👨🏽‍💻 Book 30mins with me: https://calendar.google.com/calendar/u/0/appointments/schedules/AcZssZ26tWBWPErn_0_Xk0rH3CAJiCVEocIzG69_E0eHzUlccT0N7nBNk1lPq7NtNdhqpjpidUaAzdiY

How Can Recruiters Build Better Relationships With CEOs and Senior Leaders? What if the best business conversations don't start with business at all? In this episode of The 1% Better Recruitment Podcast, I'm joined by Chris Morrison, Group Managing Director at Cedar, to discuss how recruiters can build stronger relationships, have better conversations and stand out in an increasingly competitive market. Chris also shares his thoughts on traditional BD versus modern prospecting, using AI without losing authenticity, why face-to-face meetings still matter, and how to balance relationship building with commercial focus. ⏱️ Timestamps: 00:00 – Introduction 03:27 – Why Chris Uses Do Not Disturb to Protect His Performance 05:15 – Introducing Chris and Cedar 08:59 – Why the Best Business Meetings Don't Always Start With Business 10:44 – Stop Treating Clients and Candidates Differently 13:07 – Does Your Environment Change How You Approach Senior People? 15:09 – Finding Common Ground Through Personal Connections 16:48 – Why Recruiters Feel Intimidated by CEOs and Senior Leaders 20:13 – How to Make Cold Calls Feel Warmer 21:20 – Why Personal Notes Matter in Recruitment 22:11 – The Problem With Calling Multiple Prospects at Once 24:59 – How Much Research Should You Do Before a BD Call? 28:00 – Chris's Biggest Frustration With AI-Generated Content 32:52 – What Should Recruiters Post About When They're New to a Market? 34:30 – Turning Conversations Into Valuable LinkedIn Content 36:55 – Why Storytelling Beats Repeating Statistics 37:14 – Has Recruitment BD Changed Over the Years? 38:50 – Traditional BD vs Modern Prospecting 41:03 – Why Face-to-Face Meetings Still Matter 43:28 – Is the Next Generation of Recruiters Less Willing to Meet People? 44:33 – How Face-to-Face Meetings Can Help You Stand Out 46:16 – Going the Extra Mile to Win Bigger Client Relationships 48:39 – Why Listening Matters More Than How You Meet Someone 51:25 – How to Build Rapport Before Moving Into Business 53:31 – Being Personable Without Losing Commercial Focus 55:29 – When Relationship Building Goes Too Far 57:45 – Chris's Advice for Getting One Step Better in Recruitment 59:27 – Final Thoughts and Closing Remarks 🐋 Podcast Sponsor – SourceWhale This episode is sponsored by SourceWhale, the recruitment productivity platform I personally use and recommend to recruiters and founders. SourceWhale helps recruiters save time across outreach, sourcing, data enrichment, multi-step email and LinkedIn sequences, inbox management and call notes, giving recruiters more time to focus on the human side of recruitment. 👉 Book a SourceWhale demo here: https://sourcewhale.com/book-demo/ Mention The 1% Better Recruitment Podcast or my name, Charles Kyriakou, when you book. Connect with Chris: 💻 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-morrison-988b2a22/ Connect with Me: 💻 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charleskyriakou1/ 📲 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@charles.kyriakou 🌐 Podcast Website: https://www.the1percentbetterecruitmentpodcast.com/ 🌐 Training Website: https://www.inf1nitelearning.com/

What can recruiters learn from a tech founder about building better BD? In this episode of The 1% Better Recruitment Podcast, I'm joined by Cam Briggs, co-founder of Venti AI and former recruiter turned tech sales leader and entrepreneur. Cam started his career in recruitment before moving into tech sales and eventually co-founding Venti AI, a business built around solving one of the biggest problems he kept hearing from recruitment businesses: BD. We discuss the lessons Cam has learned from recruitment, tech sales, building a startup and raising almost £900k, and how many of those lessons apply directly to recruitment BD. Topics Discussed: ✅ Why recruiters become too focused on short-term BD wins ✅ The difference between chasing immediate jobs and building long-term relationships ✅ What recruitment BD can learn from tech sales and fundraising ✅ Why you should build relationships before you need them ✅ The importance of customer validation before building a product ✅ What Cam learned from getting his first startup idea wrong ✅ Why being specific and niche makes your sales message stronger ✅ How to qualify customers out rather than simply qualifying them in ✅ Why introverts can actually have an advantage in sales ✅ How Cam went from struggling with cold calling to becoming comfortable with outbound ✅ The importance of understanding the “why now?” behind a sales conversation ✅ How customer feedback can completely change a product ✅ The lessons Cam learned from raising almost £900k ✅ The “Good” mindset and the importance of extreme ownership ✅ What recruiters can learn from tech sales and startup founders ⏱️ Timestamps: 00:00 – Introduction & Cam’s Journey From Recruitment to Tech Sales 02:00 – Cam’s Biggest Lesson From His First Startup: Customer Validation 04:01 – How Customer Feedback Changed Venti AI 06:07 – Why Recruiters Don’t Want to Sit Around Watching Training Videos 07:45 – The Importance of User Education 09:48 – What Fundraising Taught Cam About Recruitment BD 11:03 – Finding the Problem That Actually Needs Solving 19:02 – Why Recruiters Are Too Short-Term Focused 21:00 – The Recruitment BD Pendulum: Delivery vs BD 25:00 – Building Relationships Before You Need Them 30:00 – Why Recruiters Need to Think Like Salespeople 36:36 – Adding Context to Your BD Conversations 37:36 – Becoming the Expert in Your Market 40:00 – Why You Need to Back Yourself 45:00 – Cam’s Experience as an Introvert in Sales 50:00 – How Cam Learned to Love Cold Calling 52:00 – Structure, Call Blocks & Consistency in BD 54:56 – Why Recruiters Don’t Follow Up Enough 59:00 – The “Good” Mindset & Extreme Ownership 01:04:33 – Why You Need to Qualify Customers Out 01:06:44 – Why Outbound Lets You Choose Who You Work With 01:10:00 – What Recruitment Can Learn From Tech Sales 01:12:54 – Where to Find Cam & Venti AI 01:13:29 – Closing Thoughts 🐋 Podcast Sponsor – SourceWhale This episode is sponsored by SourceWhale, the recruitment productivity platform I personally use and recommend to recruiters and founders. SourceWhale helps recruiters save time across outreach, sourcing, data enrichment, multi-step email and LinkedIn sequences, inbox management and call notes, giving recruiters more time to focus on the human side of recruitment. 👉 Book a SourceWhale demo here: SourceWhale Demo Mention The 1% Better Recruitment Podcast or my name, Charles Kyriakou, when you book. Connect with Cam: 💻 LinkedIn: Cam Briggs on LinkedIn 🌐 Website: Venti AI Connect with Me: 💻 LinkedIn: Charles Kyriakou on LinkedIn 📲 TikTok: Charles Kyriakou on TikTok 🌐 Podcast Website: The 1% Better Recruitment Podcast 🌐 Training Website: Inf1nite Learning

What makes a recruitment BD strategy actually work? In this episode of The 1% Better Recruitment Podcast, I'm joined by Roheel Ahmad, founder, entrepreneur and recruitment business advisor. Roheel co-founded FB in 2016 and helped grow the business globally across London, Nottingham, New York and Dubai before transitioning out in 2024. Today, he works across recruitment consultancy, advisory and recruitment technology through Imagine AI. We also discuss how FB improved its BD hit rate from the mid-thirties to picking up a requirement every 11 calls, the importance of building relationships and expanding accounts, why every recruiter should be doing BD every day, and why even your biggest billers are never above training. Topics Discussed: ✅ Why recruitment founders struggle to get their BD strategy into the business ✅ The difference between pulling jobs and building a consistent desk ✅ How FB improved its BD hit rate from the mid-thirties to 1 requirement every 11 calls ✅ Building a repeatable BD strategy without removing individual flair ✅ Why recruiters should be doing BD every single day ✅ The importance of value, relationships and consistent follow-up ✅ Why your best billers are never above training ✅ How to build a recruitment business that isn't dependent on one client or the founder ⏱️ Timestamps: 00:00 – Introduction & Welcome 00:18 – Roheel's Journey: Building FB to $100M and Imagine AI 01:02 – The BD Problem Every Founder Faces 02:44 – Getting BD Out of Your Head and Into the Business 04:15 – Why Recruiters Overcomplicate BD Strategy 05:30 – Stop Pulling Jobs, Start Building Accounts 07:11 – The New Starter Trap & Early Wins 08:37 – Roheel's Story: Getting Sacked and Starting Over 10:19 – The 6-Month Blank: Learning Through Failure 13:26 – How Process Control Changed Everything 14:47 – Building Real Relationships vs Transaction Mentality 17:02 – The Interview Slot System That Works 21:20 – Documentation Is Your Biggest Advantage 22:50 – Why Your BD Falls Apart When You Scale 23:16 – Giving Consultants Framework, Not Complexity 25:27 – Spec In, Spec Out: The Process That Wins 27:59 – Teaching Your Team What Actually Works 51:00 – Building Scalable BD Systems 55:56 – Culture & Team Buy-In 01:00:02 – Why Consultants Avoid the Phone 01:05:42 – Making BD a Real Skill, Not Just Hustle 01:12:20 – Where BD Breaks Down 01:14:14 – AI vs Traditional Recruitment Fundamentals 01:15:39 – Why Your Team Won't Pick Up the Phone 01:16:49 – How to Get 1% Better at BD 01:17:34 – About Imagine AI & Where to Connect 01:18:58 – Closing Thoughts 🐋 Podcast Sponsor – SourceWhale This episode is sponsored by SourceWhale, the recruitment productivity platform I personally use and recommend to recruiters and founders. SourceWhale helps recruiters save time across outreach, sourcing, data enrichment, multi-step email and LinkedIn sequences, inbox management and call notes, giving recruiters more time to focus on the human side of recruitment. 👉 Book a SourceWhale demo here: https://sourcewhale.com/book-demo/?utm_source=partner&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign&utm_term=charles_kyriakou&utm_content=book_a_demo Mention The 1% Better Recruitment Podcast or my name, Charles Kyriakou, when you book. Connect with Roheel: 💻 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/roheelahmad/ Connect with Me: 💻 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charleskyriakou1/ 📲 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@charles.kyriakou 🌐 Podcast Website: https://www.the1percentbetterrecruitmentpodcast.com/ 🤖 MILO – Tell Me More: https://ask-milo.com/

What separates a great recruiter from a great leader? In this episode of The 1% Better Recruitment Podcast, I'm joined by Lily Savage, Managing Director for Europe Perm Recruitment at Discover International. Lily has spent the last 10 years at Discover, joining as employee number six and starting her recruitment career as a trainee before progressing through the ranks to become MD of the European Perm division. We discuss her journey from successful biller to leader, what separates great recruiters from great leaders, and how to build a high-performing recruitment team without losing individuality, culture or accountability.We also get into the changing world of recruitment, from the decline of cold calling and the rise of hybrid working to why picking up the phone and maintaining genuine human relationships could become even more important as technology and AI continue to develop.Topics Discussed:✅ The difference between great recruiters and great leaders✅ Making the transition from top biller to effective leader✅ Building a consistent recruitment process without taking away individuality✅ Why cold calling and human connection still matter in modern recruitment✅ Developing and motivating the next generation of recruiters✅ The mindset, discipline, and belief behind top billers✅ How recruitment leaders can build high-performing, accountable teams⏱️ Timestamps: 00:00 – Introduction & welcome 02:29 – Lily's 10-year journey at Discover International 03:21 – Growing from employee #6 to 100+ people globally 04:15 – What makes a great recruiter? 06:21 – The transition from recruiter to leader 08:33 – Great recruiter vs great leader 10:10 – The mindset shift from biller to leader 12:05 – Knowing when to get into the weeds 14:45 – Managing friends and switching between different leadership hats 16:08 – Why leadership intent matters 18:16 – Creating a scalable recruitment process 20:27 – Building a consistent operating model across different offices 22:18 – Why Discover doesn't use scripts 24:02 – Giving experienced recruiters freedom to try new things 26:37 – Recruitment in 2016 vs 2026 27:22 – The changing expectations around remote working 28:31 – Why cold calling still matters 31:32 – Creating a phone-first recruitment culture 33:17 – The importance of a high-energy sales floor 36:37 – Getting new recruiters up and running 38:08 – Keeping trainees motivated 40:24 – Lily's first lunch club 43:17 – How recruitment can change people's lives 46:39 – The habits of top billers 49:28 – The importance of belief 49:50 – Can belief be developed? 51:35 – Advice for new recruitment leaders 52:18 – How to get 1% better in recruitment 52:32 – Closing thoughts 🐋 Podcast Sponsor – SourceWhale This episode is sponsored by SourceWhale, the recruitment productivity platform I personally use and recommend to recruiters and founders.SourceWhale helps recruiters save time across outreach, sourcing, data enrichment, multi-step email and LinkedIn sequences, inbox management and call notes, giving recruiters more time to focus on the human side of recruitment.👉 Book a SourceWhale demo here: https://sourcewhale.com/book-demo/?utm_source=partner&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign&utm_term=charles_kyriakou&utm_content=book_a_demoMention The 1% Better Recruitment Podcast or my name, Charles Kyriakou, when you book.Connect with Lily:💻 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lily-savage-b4a4b798/Connect with Me:💻 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charleskyriakou1/📲 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@charles.kyriakou🌐 Podcast Website: https://www.the1percentbetterrecruitmentpodcast.com/🤖 MILO – Tell Me More: https://ask-milo.com/

What does it take to become the go-to recruiter in your market? In this episode of The 1% Better Recruitment Podcast, I'm joined by Rich Westhead, Managing Director of AJ Group.Having spent 25 years in recruitment across Manpower, Search Consultancy and now AJ Group, Rich has experienced everything from large corporate recruitment businesses to rapidly growing boutiques. We discuss how AJ Group has built a high-performance culture across remote and hybrid teams, with recruiters working across the UK and Europe, while still creating genuine camaraderie, accountability and consistency. Topics Discussed: ✅ Building a high-performance remote and hybrid recruitment team ✅ Creating a strong culture across different countries and locations ✅ Managing remote recruiters without micromanaging ✅ Why communication matters even more with remote teams ✅ Giving recruiters flexibility, autonomy and accountability ✅ Why hybrid working should be tailored to the individual ✅ Creating consistency without forcing everyone to work the same way ✅ Why one-size-fits-all KPIs don't work ✅ Building career progression for remote employees ✅ How recruiters can be more productive working from home ✅ Why niche specialisation creates better recruiters ✅ How narrow should a recruiter's market actually be? ✅ Why recruiters should focus on three to six core job titles ✅ Building long-term candidate and client relationships ✅ Why transactional recruitment doesn't work ✅ The importance of meeting candidates and clients face-to-face ✅ Why great candidate service creates future business ⏱️ Timestamps: 00:00 – Introduction & welcome03:11 – Rich's 25-year recruitment journey05:00 – Building culture across remote and international teams06:59 – Creating a high-performance, high-reward environment09:00 – Communication and keeping remote teams connected11:45 – Managing and supporting recruiters remotely14:32 – How often should managers communicate with remote teams?15:54 – Building structure without micromanaging18:28 – Why one-size-fits-all KPIs don't work20:18 – Giving recruiters genuine flexibility and autonomy23:07 – Why different people need different working environments24:47 – Building careers and offices around great people26:45 – How to maximise productivity when working from home30:17 – Accountability without micromanagement34:00 – Why niche specialisation matters in recruitment37:48 – How narrow should your recruitment niche be?41:36 – When should recruiters step outside their niche?45:54 – Why candidate experience matters46:46 – Training recruiters to be less transactional48:53 – Why recruiters should meet their candidates51:50 – The problem with transactional recruitment53:21 – Why meeting clients face-to-face still matters57:11 – How to get 1% better in recruitment57:55 – Closing thoughts 🐋 Podcast Sponsor – SourceWhale This episode is sponsored by SourceWhale, the recruitment productivity platform I personally use and recommend to recruiters and founders.SourceWhale helps recruiters save time across outreach, sourcing, data enrichment, multi-step email and LinkedIn sequences, inbox management and call notes, giving recruiters more time to focus on the human side of recruitment. 👉 Book a SourceWhale demo here: https://sourcewhale.com/book-demo/?utm_source=partner&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign&utm_term=charles_kyriakou&utm_content=book_a_demoMention The 1% Better Recruitment Podcast or my name, Charles Kyriakou, when you book. Connect with Rich: 💻 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richardwesthead/ Connect with Me: 💻 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charleskyriakou1/ 📲 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@charles.kyriakou 🌐 INF1NITE Learning: https://www.inf1nitelearning.com/ 🌐 Podcast Website: https://www.the1percentbetterrecruitmentpodcast.com/ 🤖 MILO – Tell Me More: https://ask-milo.com/

Why are recruiters becoming afraid to pick up the phone? In this episode of The 1% Better Recruitment Podcast, I'm joined by Adam Turner, founder of Global Veterinary Careers (GVC). Having worked in veterinary recruitment since 2007, Adam has built GVC into an international recruitment business operating across the UK, US and Australia. We discuss why recruitment needs to get back on the phone, what's happened to sales culture since COVID, and why phone-first recruiters can instantly differentiate themselves in a world dominated by emails, LinkedIn messages, automation and AI. Topics Discussed: ✅ Why recruitment needs to get back on the phone ✅ Has sales culture declined in recruitment? ✅ Why younger recruiters can be more reluctant to make calls ✅ Building confidence and overcoming rejection on the phone ✅ Creating a phone-first recruitment culture ✅ Why recruiters shouldn't hide away to make sales calls ✅ Learning by osmosis and the importance of the sales floor ✅ Relationships vs transactional recruitment ✅ Standardising processes across international recruitment teams ✅ Giving recruiters structure without removing individuality ✅ Balancing AI and automation with traditional recruitment fundamentals ✅ Why over-reliance on AI could impact recruiter development ✅ Why consistency is a superpower in recruitment ⏱️ Timestamps: 00:00 – Introduction & welcome 02:27 – Adam's recruitment journey and building GVC 03:24 – What happened to phone-first recruitment? 06:16 – Gen Z, rejection and getting recruiters on the phone 12:28 – Has recruitment become too transactional? 14:44 – How the recruitment boom changed what "good" looks like 16:50 – Short-term BD vs building long-term relationships 20:32 – Why relationships and customer service still win 23:15 – Why recruiters hide away to make phone calls 27:34 – Building confidence on the sales floor 35:31 – Dealing with imposter syndrome as a founder 39:48 – Standardising processes across international teams 43:57 – Building recruitment playbooks people actually use 48:19 – Different learning styles and recruiter development 50:06 – Giving recruiters freedom within a structured process 53:04 – Balancing AI with traditional recruitment fundamentals 59:31 – Is AI making recruiters less capable? 01:01:16 – How to get 1% better in recruitment 01:02:54 – Closing thoughts 🐋 Podcast Sponsor – SourceWhale This episode is sponsored by SourceWhale, the multi-channel outreach platform I personally use and recommend to recruiters and founders.SourceWhale helps you combine email, LinkedIn, calls, and tasks into one structured, consistent BD workflow, without relying on spray-and-pray automation. 👉 Book a demo here: https://sourcewhale.com/book-demo/?utm_source=partner&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign&utm_term=charles_kyriakou&utm_content=book_a_demoMention The 1% Better Recruitment Podcast or my name, Charles Kyriakou, when you book. Connect with Adam: 💻 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adam-turner-gvc/ Connect with Me: 💻 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charleskyriakou1 📲 TikTok: / charles.kyriakou 🌐 INF1NITE Learning: https://www.inf1nitelearning.com/ 🌐 Podcast Website: https://www.the1percentbetterrecruitm... 🤖 MILO – Tell Me More: https://ask-milo.com/

How do the best recruitment leaders consistently raise the average across their teams? In this episode, I'm joined by Sachin Ruparelia , CEO of Camino Partners and Camino Search. Having spent more than 14 years building one of the recruitment industry's most respected businesses, Sachin shares the leadership lessons he's learned through rapid growth, losing key people, and rebuilding a high-performance culture. We discuss why great recruitment businesses aren't built around star performers, how leaders can consistently raise the average across their teams, and why communication, coaching and accountability are the foundations of long-term success. Topics Discussed: ✅ Building a high-performance culture that isn't reliant on one individual ✅ Why the best leaders hire people who raise the average ✅ Creating consistent recruiter performance through standards and accountability ✅ Coaching experienced recruiters, not just trainees ✅ Leading through change and communicating with transparency ✅ Building recruitment businesses that scale beyond the founder ✅ Why AI should enhance recruiters, not replace them ✅ How recruitment leaders can get 1% better every day ⏱️ Timestamps: 00:00 – Introduction & welcome 01:44 – Sachin's journey and building Camino Partners 03:27 – Losing a key leader and rebuilding the business 09:18 – Leadership lessons from difficult periods of change 17:56 – Hiring people who genuinely raise the average 20:48 – Experienced hires vs trainee academies 27:40 – Why recruiter consistency beats motivation 35:18 – Non-negotiables, accountability and performance standards 42:02 – Balancing empathy with accountability as a leader 45:37 – Defining "what good looks like" in recruitment 49:06 – The founder's role in growing a recruitment business 51:16 – Recruitment, relationships and the role of AI 57:10 – Sachin's advice on becoming 1% better 58:48 – Why Sachin chose to support MILO 01:00:15 – Closing thoughts 🐋 Podcast Sponsor – SourceWhale. This episode is sponsored by SourceWhale , the multi-channel outreach platform I personally use and recommend to recruiters and founders. SourceWhale helps you combine email, LinkedIn, calls, and tasks into one structured, consistent BD workflow, without relying on spray-and-pray automation. 👉 Book a demo here: https://sourcewhale.com/book-demo/?utm_source=partner&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=&utm_term=charles_kyriakou&utm_content=book_a_demo Mention The 1% Better Recruitment Podcast or my name, Charles Kyriakou , when you book. Connect with Sachin: 💻 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sachinruparelia/ 🌐 Camino Partners: https://www.caminopartners.co.uk/ 🌐 Camino Search: https://www.caminosearch.co.uk/ Connect with Me: 💻 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charleskyriakou1/ 📲 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@charles.kyriakou 🌐 INF1NITE Learning: https://www.inf1nitelearning.com/ 🌐 Podcast Website: https://www.the1percentbetterrecruitmentpodcast.com/ 🤖 MILO – Tell Me More: https://ask-milo.com/

What separates a good recruiter from a consistently great one? Ryan shares the lessons he's learned over 16 years at SThree, from joining as a trainee after initially failing the recruitment process, to becoming a Sales Director responsible for building high-performing teams. We explore why consistency beats intensity, how the best recruiters build trust through genuine relationships, and why long-term success comes from mastering the fundamentals rather than chasing shortcuts. Topics Discussed: ✅ What separates a good recruiter from a good biller✅ The importance of giving value before asking for information✅ Why recruiters need to play the long game✅ How to build a recruitment desk from scratch✅ Developing genuine expertise within your chosen market✅ Why curiosity can be more valuable than technical knowledge✅ Why successful recruiters consistently execute the basics✅ Setting daily non-negotiables and minimum expectations✅ How top billers stay focused and manage their time✅ Creating urgency and maintaining control of recruitment processes✅ Using testimonials, recommendations and case studies in business development✅ Building a personal brand without oversharing✅ Managing inconsistent consultant performance✅ Diagnosing the root cause of underperformance✅ Helping recruiters rebuild confidence, motivation and momentum⏱️ Timestamps: 00:00 – Introduction & welcome 00:45 – Ryan’s journey from trainee to Sales Director 02:33 – The scale of SThree and the Leeds office 04:34 – What makes a genuinely good recruiter? 08:09 – Giving value before asking candidates for information 10:26 – The give-and-take approach to candidate conversations 13:39 – Playing the long game with prospective clients 17:13 – How to build a recruitment desk from scratch 19:45 – Curiosity, technical knowledge and removing your ego 23:52 – Finding passion for your recruitment market 28:40 – Immersing yourself in your industry 30:52 – The impact recruiters can have on people’s lives 33:17 – The difference between good recruiters and top billers 34:54 – Consistency, focus and creating urgency 36:33 – The boring habits behind extraordinary billings 38:27 – Accountability, hard work and daily non-negotiables 41:21 – Working longer hours versus working effectively 45:15 – Protecting your focus and managing distractions 47:31 – How leaders and founders can plan unpredictable days 48:23 – The Ivy Lee Method and managing daily priorities 52:42 – Using testimonials and proof in business development 56:20 – Why recruiters should capture their success 59:35 – Personal branding and humanising yourself online 01:03:58 – Using shared interests to build stronger relationships 01:07:35 – Managing inconsistent recruiter performance 01:08:16 – Diagnosing the root cause of underperformance 01:11:03 – Rebuilding passion, confidence and motivation 01:13:06 – Holding consultants accountable for their activity 01:17:00 – How recruiters can get 1% better 01:18:25 – SThree hiring opportunities and Recutation 01:19:04 – Closing thoughts🐋 Podcast Sponsor – SourceWhale This episode is sponsored by SourceWhale, the multi-channel outreach platform I personally use and recommend to recruiters and founders.SourceWhale helps you combine email, LinkedIn, calls, and tasks into one structured, consistent BD workflow, without relying on spray-and-pray automation.👉 Book a demo here: https://sourcewhale.com/book-demo/?ut... Mention The 1 Percent Better Recruitment Podcast or my name, Charles Kyriakou, when you book. Connect with Ryan: 💻 LinkedIn: / ryancollett 🌐 Recutation: https://recutation.com/ 🌐 SThree: https://www.sthree.com/ Connect with Me: 💻 LinkedIn: / charleskyriakou1 📲 TikTok: / charles.kyriakou 🌐 Coaching Website: https://www.inf1nitelearning.com/ 🌐 Podcast Website: https://www.the1percentbetterecruitme... 🤖 MILO Tell Me More Link: https://ask-milo.com/

What does it actually mean to play the long game in recruitment? Luke shares the reality of building a recruitment technology business from the ground up, from living in a shed to fund the business, overcoming failed partnerships, and learning why playing the long game always wins. We also explore why authentic relationships outperform transactional networking, how personal branding creates opportunities, and why AI should enhance human connection rather than replace it. Topics Discussed: ✅ Why recruiters need to stop thinking short-term ✅ Building authentic relationships that compound over time ✅ Why networking should never feel transactional ✅ The power of personal branding and creating content ✅ Growing a recruitment tech startup from scratch ✅ The lessons learned from living in a shed to build a business ✅ Why resilience matters more than overnight success ✅ Using AI to enhance recruiters, not replace them ✅ How to build trust that leads to long-term business ✅ Why playing the long game always wins in recruitment and business ⏱️ Timestamps: 00:00 – Introduction & welcome 01:58 – Meet Luke Pitkin & his entrepreneurial journey 09:30 – Why relationships beat transactional networking 13:20 – The best sales strategy is simply being yourself 15:25 – Authentic content vs "Corporate You" 17:40 – Building trust through testimonials and customer stories 19:00 – AI, automation & the future of recruitment technology 22:00 – Why every recruiter should be creating content 26:30 – Playing the long game in business and personal branding 33:00 – Building Gig Hire from the ground up 41:20 – Living in a shed to build the business 43:30 – Getting ripped off on the company's first deal 49:00 – Startup resilience, setbacks & surviving the early years 56:50 – Why spreadsheets hold recruiters back 58:20 – How Gig Hire is simplifying recruitment CRM 01:01:10 – How recruiters can get 1% better 01:02:10 – Closing thoughts 🐋 Podcast Sponsor – SourceWhale This episode is sponsored by SourceWhale, the multi-channel outreach platform I personally use and recommend to recruiters and founders.SourceWhale helps you combine email, LinkedIn, calls, and tasks into one structured, consistent BD workflow, without relying on spray-and-pray automation. 👉 Book a demo here : ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://sourcewhale.com/book-demo/?utm_source=partner&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=&utm_term=charles_kyriakou&utm_content=book_a_demo⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Mention The 1 Percent Better Recruitment Podcast or my name, Charles Kyriakou, when you book. Connect with Luke: 💻 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/luke-pitkin-79060094/ 📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@UC4E35iAr1JNyVhMtIXSNUBA 🖥️ Free Recruitment CRM: giighire.co/Free-Recruitment-Software-YTO Connect with Me: 💻 LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/charleskyriakou1/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 📲 TikTok: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@charles.kyriakou⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 🌐 Coaching Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.inf1nitelearning.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 🎙️ Podcast Website: ⁠https://www.the1percentbetterecruitmentpodcast.com⁠/ 🤖 MILO: ⁠⁠⁠https://ask-milo.com/⁠

What happens when you combine nearly 40 years of recruitment experience with a genuine passion for AI? In this episode, I'm joined by Elkie Holland , recruitment entrepreneur, tech recruitment specialist, and founder of Prospectus Recruitment. Having been in the industry since the mid-1980s, Elkie has witnessed every major shift in recruitment and is now leading from the front by building her own AI talent partner to help recruiters become more productive without losing the human touch. We explore why AI should be viewed as a performance enhancer rather than a replacement, how recruiters can use technology to eliminate repetitive tasks, and why the future of recruitment still belongs to those who build genuine relationships. Elkie also shares practical examples of how her business is using AI today, the biggest mistakes recruiters make with new technology, and why curiosity will always outperform complacency. Topics Discussed: ✅ Why recruiters using AI are like recruiters on steroids ✅ How AI should enhance recruiters, not replace them ✅ Keeping the human touch in an AI-driven world ✅ Building your own AI recruitment assistant ✅ Using AI for sourcing, screening, research and admin ✅ Why curiosity is the most valuable skill recruiters can develop ✅ The biggest mistakes recruiters make when adopting AI ✅ Using AI to create more time for sales and relationship building ✅ The future of recruitment and where AI is really heading ✅ Practical AI tools and workflows every recruiter should know ⏱️ Timestamps: 00:00 – Introduction & welcome 01:45 – Meet Elkie Holland & her recruitment journey 03:30 – Why recruiters must embrace AI to stay ahead 07:00 – Sponsor break (SourceWhale) 08:05 – Recruiters using AI are like recruiters on steroids 13:10 – How recruitment founders should implement AI 17:55 – Using AI to eliminate admin and create more selling time 23:20 – How AI makes recruiters better, not obsolete 26:05 – Why AI will never replace great recruiters 30:20 – Communication and trust still win in recruitment 33:10 – How recruiters build long-term client trust 38:50 – Why relationships will always beat technology 48:15 – The conversations that build the strongest client relationships 51:10 – Inside TED: Elkie's AI Talent Partner 55:10 – The AI tools every recruiter should be using 59:35 – The future of AI in recruitment 01:00:20 – How recruiters can get 1% better 01:01:20 – Closing thoughts 🐋 Podcast Sponsor – SourceWhale This episode is sponsored by SourceWhale, the multi-channel outreach platform I personally use and recommend to recruiters and founders. SourceWhale helps you combine email, LinkedIn, calls, and tasks into one structured, consistent BD workflow, without relying on spray-and-pray automation. 👉 Book a demo here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠https://sourcewhale.com/book-demo/?utm_source=partner&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=&utm_term=charles_kyriakou&utm_content=book_a_demo⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Mention The 1 Percent Better Recruitment Podcast or my name, Charles Kyriakou, when you book. Connect with Elkie: 💻 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elkieholland/ Connect with Me: 💻 LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/charleskyriakou1/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 📲 TikTok: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@charles.kyriakou⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 🌐 Coaching Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠https://www.inf1nitelearning.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 🎙️ Podcast Website: https://www.the1percentbetterecruitmentpodcast.com 🤖 MILO: ⁠ ⁠https://ask-milo.com/

What does it actually take to build a recruitment business that people never want to leave? In this episode of The 1% Better Recruitment Podcast, I’m joined by Ash Knight, Founder at AJ Group, and an investor. Having built and scaled multiple specialist recruitment brands, Ash has created one of the UK's highest-performing recruitment businesses, with a relentless focus on leadership, culture, people development, and long-term growth. Topics Discussed: ✅ How AJ Group achieved 0% staff attrition ✅ Building a recruitment business that doesn't depend on the founder ✅ Hiring an exceptional Managing Director ✅ Why letting go is one of the hardest lessons for founders ✅ Building a culture people genuinely want to stay in ✅ Hiring for values, behaviours and long-term potential ✅ Leadership, trust and empowering your team ✅ Succession planning and building for the future ✅ Investing, wealth creation and thinking beyond recruitment ✅ Avoiding founder burnout while scaling your business ✅ Why long-term thinking beats short-term wins ✅ Lessons learned from building multiple recruitment businesses ✅ Focusing on your strengths as a founder ✅ Creating opportunities for people to grow ⏱ Timestamps: 00:00 – Intro & welcome 01:18 – Ash's journey into recruitment 03:56 – Building a recruitment business for the long term 06:42 – Hiring a Managing Director and letting go as a founder 10:15 – Why founders struggle to delegate 13:48 – Building trust within your leadership team 17:02 – Podcast sponsor: SourceWhale 17:35 – How AJ Group achieved 0% staff attrition 22:04 – Hiring for behaviours rather than experience 26:12 – Creating a culture people genuinely want to stay in 30:18 – Leadership, progression and developing people 34:06 – Building a business that isn't dependent on one person 38:11 – Founder mindset and avoiding burnout 41:37 – Investing, wealth creation and long-term thinking 46:09 – Lessons Ash has learned from building businesses 50:24 – Advice for recruitment founders looking to scale 54:11 – The future of recruitment leadership 57:08 – How recruiters can get 1% better 🐋 Podcast Sponsor – SourceWhale This episode is sponsored by SourceWhale, the multi-channel outreach platform I personally use and recommend to recruiters and founders. SourceWhale helps you combine email, LinkedIn, calls, and tasks into one structured, consistent BD workflow, without relying on spray-and-pray automation. 👉 Book a demo here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://sourcewhale.com/book-demo/?utm_source=partner&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=&utm_term=charles_kyriakou&utm_content=book_a_demo⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Mention The 1 Percent Better Recruitment Podcast or my name, Charles Kyriakou, when you book. Connect with Ash: 💻 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashknightr2r/ 🌐 Website: www.ajgroup.io Connect with Me: 💻 LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://www.linkedin.com/in/charleskyriakou1/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 📲 TikTok: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://www.tiktok.com/@charles.kyriakou⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 🍏 Apple Podcasts: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/1-better-recruitment-podcast/id1775201502⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 📺 YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://www.youtube.com/@1PercentBetterRecPod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 🌐 Coaching Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://www.inf1nitelearning.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 🌐 Podcast Website: https://www.the1percentbetterecruitmentpodcast.com 🤖 MILO: ⁠ https://ask-milo.com/

What does it actually take to build a high-performance recruitment business that scales? In this episode, I’m joined by Dale Williams, CEO of The Recolution Group, a multi-brand recruitment business operating across professional services, SAP, aerospace, defence, space, and executive search. With over 18 years in recruitment and more than 15 years as a business owner, Dale shares the lessons he's learned from building multiple recruitment brands, hiring and developing recruiters, creating a high-performance culture, and navigating the challenges of leadership in a changing industry. Topics Discussed: ✅ Building a multi-brand recruitment group ✅ When to launch a new recruitment brand vs a new division ✅ The pros and cons of niche recruitment businesses ✅ Creating a high-performance recruitment culture ✅ Hiring recruiters and spotting future top performers ✅ Why sales experience often beats recruitment experience ✅ Developing recruiters from trainee to leader ✅ Learning by osmosis and why office culture still matters ✅ Work from home vs office-based recruitment ✅ Has recruitment created a lost generation of recruiters? ✅ Recruitment progression structures and career development ✅ Why standards matter more than micromanagement ✅ KPIs, accountability and recruiter performance ✅ Scaling recruitment teams sustainably ✅ Leadership lessons from 15+ years of agency ownership ⏱ Timestamps: 00:00 – Intro & welcome 00:15 – Dale's recruitment journey and The Recolution Group 02:00 – Building a multi-brand recruitment business 04:51 – Why Dale expanded into multiple recruitment brands 06:34 – Launching brands around niche market opportunities 07:09 – Challenges of managing multiple brands 10:51 – Creating alignment across different recruitment businesses 13:05 – Internal competition, culture and collaboration 15:18 – Recruitment hiring mistakes founders make 17:12 – Why recruitment is difficult to hire for 19:36 – The sweet spot for hiring recruiters 20:46 – Why good recruiters leave the industry too early 23:23 – Alternative recruitment interview processes 25:12 – Developing recruiters from zero to hero 28:06 – Building onboarding, L&D and progression structures 30:29 – Transparent promotion frameworks 33:10 – High-performance culture and business infrastructure 36:09 – Why constantly changing policies creates chaos 38:35 – Work from home vs office culture 40:12 – Learning by osmosis and recruiter development 43:31 – Has recruitment created a lost generation of recruiters? 45:27 – Managing performance in a hybrid world 47:45 – KPIs, accountability and trust 51:03 – Common work-from-home leadership mistakes 53:42 – Why remote management is a different skill 55:06 – The hidden cost of remote recruitment 56:46 – How recruiters can get 1% better 🐋 Podcast Sponsor – SourceWhale This episode is sponsored by SourceWhale, the multi-channel outreach platform I personally use and recommend to recruiters and founders. SourceWhale helps you combine email, LinkedIn, calls, and tasks into one structured, consistent BD workflow, without relying on spray-and-pray automation. 👉 Book a demo here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://sourcewhale.com/book-demo/?utm_source=partner&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=&utm_term=charles_kyriakou&utm_content=book_a_demo⁠⁠⁠⁠ Mention The 1 Percent Better Recruitment Podcast or my name, Charles Kyriakou, when you book. Connect with Dale: 💻 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dalewilliamsrecruitment/ Connect with Me: 💻 LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://www.linkedin.com/in/charleskyriakou1/⁠⁠⁠⁠ 📲 TikTok: ⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://www.tiktok.com/@charles.kyriakou⁠⁠⁠⁠ 🍏 Apple Podcasts: ⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/1-better-recruitment-podcast/id1775201502⁠⁠⁠⁠ 📺 YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://www.youtube.com/@1PercentBetterRecPod⁠⁠⁠⁠ 🌐 Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://www.inf1nitelearning.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠ 🤖 MILO: https://ask-milo.com/

What happens when recruitment founders know they need to embrace AI, but have no idea where to start? In this episode, I’m joined by Rob Saltrese, AI strategist, recruitment technology specialist, and founder of Lyra Labs. Rob has spent years helping businesses understand, adopt, and implement AI properly. Rather than focusing on the fearmongering headlines, we discuss what recruitment founders and leaders should actually be doing right now to stay competitive. Topics Discussed: ✅ The biggest misconceptions about AI in recruitment ✅ Why recruiters who ignore AI risk getting left behind ✅ AI adoption vs shiny object syndrome ✅ How recruitment founders should approach AI strategy ✅ AI-native tools vs legacy recruitment technology ✅ AI note takers and recruiter productivity ✅ Market mapping and business development with AI ✅ The future of recruitment training and coaching ✅ AI agents and workflow automation ✅ How AI can augment, not replace, recruiters ✅ Building an AI-native culture within your business ✅ Practical ways recruitment leaders can start using AI today ✅ Why curiosity and experimentation matter more than expertise ✅ The role of human connection in an AI-driven world ✅ How recruitment businesses can future-proof themselves ⏱ Timestamps: 00:00 – Intro & welcome 02:02 – What Rob has been building in AI 03:49 – The biggest misconceptions about AI 08:04 – How recruitment businesses should approach AI adoption 09:13 – AI in candidate attraction and recruitment processes 13:25 – Why founders need to embrace AI now 15:13 – Building an AI strategy before buying tools 17:54 – AI-native tools vs legacy recruitment technology 20:21 – Curiosity, learning & staying ahead 21:10 – Using AI for business development & market mapping 24:31 – Predictive intelligence and spotting opportunities early 26:20 – AI tools every recruitment business should be using 29:20 – Email automation & keeping the human touch 33:15 – Why recruiters must continuously adapt 37:53 – AI and training the next generation of recruiters 43:12 – Will AI replace trainers and coaches? 49:38 – AI as an augmentation tool, not a replacement 53:08 – How founders can learn more about AI 57:04 – AI agents, automation & building your own workflows 01:03:27 – Creating an AI-native culture 01:07:48 – How recruiters can get 1% better 🐋 Podcast Sponsor – SourceWhale This episode is sponsored by SourceWhale, the multi-channel outreach platform I personally use and recommend to recruiters and founders. SourceWhale helps you combine email, LinkedIn, calls, and tasks into one structured, consistent BD workflow, without relying on spray-and-pray automation. 👉 Book a demo here: ⁠⁠⁠ https://sourcewhale.com/book-demo/?utm_source=partner&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=&utm_term=charles_kyriakou&utm_content=book_a_demo⁠⁠⁠ Mention The 1 Percent Better Recruitment Podcast or my name, Charles Kyriakou, when you book. Connect with Rob: 💻 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-saltrese-17263a2/ Connect with Me: 💻 LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠ https://www.linkedin.com/in/charleskyriakou1/⁠⁠⁠ 📲 TikTok: ⁠⁠⁠ https://www.tiktok.com/@charles.kyriakou⁠⁠⁠ 🍏 Apple Podcasts: ⁠⁠⁠ https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/1-better-recruitment-podcast/id1775201502⁠⁠⁠ 📺 YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠ https://www.youtube.com/@1PercentBetterRecPod⁠⁠⁠ 🌐 Website: ⁠⁠⁠ https://www.inf1nitelearning.com/⁠⁠⁠ 🤖 MILO: https://www.linkedin.com/company/m-i-l-o/

What does it really take to build a recruitment business that someone actually wants to buy? In this episode, I'm joined by Tara Ricks, a highly respected advisor, chair, non-executive director, and former recruitment business owner who successfully built and sold her own company before going on to advise recruitment businesses across EMEA on growth, scale, acquisitions, investment, and exits. Tara shares what founders need to be doing long before they ever think about selling, why most recruitment businesses aren't as prepared as they think they are, and the common mistakes that reduce the value of a company. Topics Discussed: ✅ Building a recruitment business with an exit in mind ✅ The biggest mistakes founders make before a sale ✅ Why most recruitment firms underuse their CRM ✅ Data-driven recruitment leadership ✅ Creating a high-performance culture ✅ Scaling through systems and infrastructure ✅ Choosing the right advisors and NEDs ✅ How to increase the value of your recruitment business ⏱ Timestamps: 00:00 – Introduction to Tara Ricks 01:31 – Tara's background and building Joss & Roe 03:54 – What a Chair, NED and advisor actually does 04:21 – Why founders should seek external advice early 10:30 – How to choose the right advisor for your business 13:00 – Values, chemistry and cultural fit 16:03 – The biggest impact an advisor can have on a business 19:40 – Fundraising, preparation and due diligence 21:45 – Collaboration in recruitment and industry networks 24:03 – Why due diligence is more forensic than founders expect 26:08 – What separates good recruitment businesses from great ones 26:45 – The importance of data-driven decision making 28:05 – Using data to drive growth and client penetration 31:50 – KPIs, performance culture and accountability 37:48 – CRM adoption and business visibility 40:14 – Culture, leadership and creating high-performance environments 42:22 – Vision, communication and coaching cultures 46:16 – Why continuous learning matters 49:25 – What founders should do today if they want to sell in the future 52:45 – Building scalable systems and operating models 57:24 – How recruitment leaders can get 1% better 🐋 Podcast Sponsor – SourceWhale This episode is sponsored by SourceWhale, the multi-channel outreach platform I personally use and recommend to recruiters and founders. SourceWhale helps you combine email, LinkedIn, calls, and tasks into one structured, consistent BD workflow, without relying on spray-and-pray automation. 👉 Book a demo here: https://sourcewhale.com/book-demo/?utm_source=partner&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=&utm_term=charles_kyriakou&utm_content=book_a_demo Mention The 1 Percent Better Recruitment Podcast or my name, Charles Kyriakou , when you book. Connect with Tara: 💻 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tara-ricks-4b17112/ Connect with me: 💻 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charleskyriakou1/ 📲 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@charles.kyriakou 🍏 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/1-better-recruitment-podcast/id1775201502 📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@1PercentBetterRecPod 🌐 Website: https://www.inf1nitelearning.com/ If you enjoyed this episode, make sure you follow the show, leave a rating, and share it with another recruiter or founder who wants to build a better business. Small improvements daily lead to big results over time. Let's get 1% better. 🚀

What if burnout, ADHD symptoms, energy crashes, and poor performance weren’t just mindset problems… but biological ones? Debbie Bosworth is a strategic genomist with 30 years of experience, and founder of Ideal Edge, where she works with founders, CEOs, leaders, and recruiters to understand what is really going on beneath the surface by testing and interpreting genetics, DNA, bloods, cells, energy levels, and biological markers. Topics Discussed: ✅ Debbie's Burnout Story ✅ Understanding ADHD through genetics, DNA, and biology ✅ Why burnout is often cellular debt, not just stress ✅ How recruiters and high performers build up energy debt ✅ Genetics, DNA, cells and biological bottlenecks ✅ Why energy crashes happen in high-pressure careers ✅ The role of dopamine, adrenaline and cortisol ✅ Why recruiters often run on stress, caffeine and poor food ✅ How nutrition impacts performance, focus and energy ✅ Supplements, blood markers and why guessing can be risky ✅ Morning routines, hydration and delaying caffeine ✅ Gluten, folic acid, methylation and ADHD traits ✅ Why health should be treated like business performance ⏱ Timestamps: 00:00 – Intro & episode context 01:10 – Introducing Debbie Bosworth 02:08 – Debbie’s background in healthcare, nursing and medical sales 04:26 – Ideal Edge, genetics, bloods and energy levels 04:46 – Debbie’s experience with severe burnout 06:38 – ADHD, hyperfocus and energy crashes 08:39 – Burnout, dopamine and high-performance biology 10:30 – Podcast sponsor: SourceWhale 11:54 – ADHD, trauma and nervous system dysregulation 15:17 – Stress, B12, folate, D3 and cellular debt 17:36 – Burnout as cellular debt 18:11 – Recognising burnout before it goes too far 20:09 – Why recruiters need to be honest about energy levels 21:42 – Blood tests, DNA and biological bottlenecks 23:59 – Nutrition, supplementation and lifestyle 26:34 – Why you need to know your biological data 27:05 – Diet, performance and Mediterranean-style nutrition 29:40 – Food, inflammation and recruiter energy levels 31:55 – Recruitment culture, burnout and mental health 34:17 – What employers should provide for better health and performance 35:51 – Supplementation, ADHD and nutrition 37:32 – Dopamine, ADHD and addiction patterns 39:11 – Folic acid, D3, B12 and omega profiles 40:30 – Supplements, curcumin and inflammation 42:59 – Cortisol, testosterone, coffee and hormone crashes 48:22 – Creatine, ADHD and brain clarity 50:58 – Being proactive with health before problems hit 52:12 – ADHD strategies, whiteboards and working with your brain 53:51 – Gluten, methylfolate and the 14-day experiment 59:04 – Key blood markers to look at 59:57 – Debbie’s energy routine: hydration, sunlight, protein and delayed coffee 01:02:00 – Alcohol, tracking and over-optimisation 01:08:20 – Cortisol, caffeine and avoiding the 3pm crash 01:11:22 – How recruiters can get 1% better 01:12:35 – Who Debbie works with and how to connect 🐋 Podcast Sponsor – SourceWhale This episode is sponsored by SourceWhale, the multi-channel outreach platform I personally use and recommend to recruiters and founders. SourceWhale helps you combine email, LinkedIn, calls, and tasks into one structured, consistent BD workflow, without relying on spray-and-pray automation. 👉 Book a demo here: ⁠ https://sourcewhale.com/book-demo/?utm_source=partner&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=&utm_term=charles_kyriakou&utm_content=book_a_demo⁠ Mention The 1 Percent Better Recruitment Podcast or my name, Charles Kyriakou, when you book. Connect with Debbie: 💻 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/debbie-bosworth-0163aa287/ 🌐 Website: https://www.idealedge.co Connect with Me: 💻 LinkedIn: ⁠ https://www.linkedin.com/in/charleskyriakou1/⁠ 📲 TikTok: ⁠ https://www.tiktok.com/@charles.kyriakou⁠ 🍏 Apple Podcasts: ⁠ https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/1-better-recruitment-podcast/id1775201502⁠ 📺 YouTube: ⁠ https://www.youtube.com/@1PercentBetterRecPod⁠ 🌐 Website: ⁠ https://www.inf1nitelearning.com/⁠

What happens when a naturally introverted recruiter, who struggles with confidence, rejects traditional recruitment stereotypes and still becomes a top performer? In this episode, I’m joined by Craig Lewis, a recruiter with over a decade of experience who has built a highly successful desk by doing things differently. Craig opens up about confidence struggles, ADHD, personality profiling, niche specialisation, and why leaning into authenticity completely changed his career trajectory. We discuss business development without cold calling, building a recruitment desk around your strengths, market mapping, KPIs, and why some recruiters become incredibly successful simply by stopping trying to fit in. Topics Discussed: ✅ How an introvert became a successful recruiter & top biller ✅ Why authenticity changed Craig’s career trajectory ✅ The reality of confidence struggles in recruitment ✅ Building a recruitment desk around your personality ✅ Why niche specialisation compounds over time ✅ How Craig wins business without traditional cold calling ✅ Recruitment KPIs, performance & measuring success properly ✅ Why badly implemented KPIs can damage performance ✅ ADHD, mindset & finding ways of working that suit you ✅ Market mapping strategies for niche recruitment desks ✅ Why consistency matters more than trying to fit in ✅ The dangers of copying other recruiters instead of being yourself ✅ Building credibility, trust & long-term client relationships ✅ Rejection sensitivity, identity & confidence in recruitment ✅ Why asking better questions creates stronger client relationships ✅ Working with your brain instead of against it ⏱ Timestamps: 00:00 – Intro & welcome 01:37 – Why Craig is an atypical top performer 02:29 – Craig’s recruitment journey & boutique agency background 04:23 – Billing £200K+ in the UK market & dominating a niche 05:00 – Podcast sponsor: SourceWhale 06:41 – Why pretending to be someone else doesn’t work in recruitment 06:49 – Authenticity, introversion & finding what works for you 07:51 – How Craig started building a new market 09:00 – “Fish with bait”, Craig’s approach to gentle BD 10:31 – Tripling down on your strengths 12:58 – Why Craig doesn’t do things just for the sake of KPIs 14:02 – The problem with badly implemented KPIs 19:38 – Client value, fees & why speed can be misunderstood 24:12 – Podcast CTA break 25:13 – Craig’s wobble, personality profiles & self-doubt 31:00 – Mapping markets through candidates and adjacent niches 36:00 – Spotting gaps where other recruiters don’t understand the role 01:05:10 – Name dropping, credibility & proving market knowledge 01:12:57 – Why asking questions shows genuine interest 01:17:25 – Recapping client calls & asking what you missed 01:27:42 – ADHD, time blindness & changing your identity 01:28:46 – Rejection sensitivity & why cold calling can feel harder 01:29:15 – Working with your brain instead of against it 🐋 Podcast Sponsor – SourceWhale This episode is sponsored by SourceWhale, the multi-channel outreach platform I personally use and recommend to recruiters and founders. SourceWhale helps you combine email, LinkedIn, calls, and tasks into one structured, consistent BD workflow, without relying on spray-and-pray automation. 👉 Book a demo here: ⁠⁠ https://sourcewhale.com/book-demo/?utm_source=partner&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=&utm_term=charles_kyriakou&utm_content=book_a_demo⁠⁠ Mention The 1 Percent Better Recruitment Podcast or my name, Charles Kyriakou , when you book. Connect with Craig: 💻 LinkedIn: ⁠⁠ https://www.linkedin.com/in/craig-lewis-marketing-recruitment/⁠⁠ Connect with Me: 💻 LinkedIn: ⁠⁠ https://www.linkedin.com/in/charleskyriakou1/⁠⁠ 📲 TikTok: ⁠⁠ https://www.tiktok.com/@charles.kyriakou⁠⁠ 🍏 Apple Podcasts: ⁠⁠ https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/1-better-recruitment-podcast/id1775201502⁠⁠ 📺 YouTube: ⁠⁠ https://www.youtube.com/@1PercentBetterRecPod⁠⁠ 🌐 Website: ⁠⁠ https://www.inf1nitelearning.com/⁠⁠

What does it take to build a recruitment business that survives 20 years, thrives in a saturated UK market, and still wins through relationships in an AI-driven world? In this episode, I’m joined by Adam Wagster, CEO of Uniting Ambition, a technology recruitment business approaching its 20th anniversary. Adam has spent over two decades in recruitment, scaling teams, navigating private equity backing, surviving market downturns, and building long-term client relationships in one of the most competitive sectors in the UK. Topics Discussed: ✅ Building a recruitment business that lasts 20+ years ✅ Why Adam doubled down on the UK market when others left ✅ Standing out in saturated recruitment markets ✅ Why relationships still outperform transactional recruitment ✅ The importance of customer experience & service in recruitment ✅ Narrow niche vs broad market, finding the right balance ✅ How to define your ICP (Ideal Customer Profile) properly ✅ Why most recruiters are too broad in their approach ✅ Building long-term client partnerships that survive market cycles ✅ The rise of AI, automation & how recruiters should adapt ✅ Recruitment growth, scaling & private equity backing ✅ Why recruiters should think like advisors, not suppliers ✅ The reality of recruitment through COVID, boom years & downturns ✅ Candidate experience, interview prep & improving conversions ✅ Learning & development, why experienced recruiters still need coaching ✅ Marginal gains & improving performance in recruitment teams ✅ How recruiters get 1% better through consistency & continuous improvement ⏱ Timestamps: 00:00 – Intro & welcome 00:46 – Meet Adam Wagster & intro to Uniting Ambition 01:17 – Adam’s recruitment journey & 20 years of business 03:33 – Building long-term teams through market ups & downs 04:33 – Why Adam doubled down on the UK market 06:49 – Is the UK recruitment market still worth it? 09:12 – Why recruiters leaving the UK creates opportunity 11:16 – Service, reputation & customer experience in recruitment 12:01 – Transactional recruiters vs relationship-led recruiters 14:28 – Why relationships still win in recruitment 18:24 – Defining your ICP properly 20:21 – Narrow niche vs broad market focus 22:34 – Why most recruiters are too broad 24:35 – Go-to-market strategy & target lists 27:16 – Going too niche & scaling challenges 28:41 – Breaking into enterprise clients 29:30 – International expansion vs dominating locally 31:50 – Why Adam believes the UK market will recover 54:30 – Candidate prep, interview coaching & improving placements 01:06:03 – Why recruiters need more training & coaching 01:07:04 – Marginal gains, L&D & recruiter performance 01:08:28 – Final thoughts & outro 🐋 Podcast Sponsor – SourceWhale This episode is sponsored by SourceWhale, the multi-channel outreach platform I personally use and recommend to recruiters and founders. SourceWhale helps you combine email, LinkedIn, calls, and tasks into one structured, consistent BD workflow, without relying on spray-and-pray automation. 👉 Book a demo here: ⁠ https://sourcewhale.com/book-demo/?utm_source=partner&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=&utm_term=charles_kyriakou&utm_content=book_a_demo⁠ Mention The 1 Percent Better Recruitment Podcast or my name, Charles Kyriakou , when you book. Connect with Adam: 💻 LinkedIn: ⁠ https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamwagster/⁠ Connect with Me: 💻 LinkedIn: ⁠ https://www.linkedin.com/in/charleskyriakou1/⁠ 📲 TikTok: ⁠ https://www.tiktok.com/@charles.kyriakou⁠ 🍏 Apple Podcasts: ⁠ https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/1-better-recruitment-podcast/id1775201502⁠ 📺 YouTube: ⁠ https://www.youtube.com/@1PercentBetterRecPod⁠ 🌐 Website: ⁠ https://www.inf1nitelearning.com/⁠