Free Daily Podcast Summary
1% Better Recruitment Podcast: Daily Summaries Delivered
by Charlie Kyriakou
Hello and welcome to the 1% better recruitment podcast, with your host, Charles Kyriakou.The goal of this podcast is to have a wide variety of people all within the recruitment sector that will add tremendous value to those who are either looking to get into recruitment, working within the industry, running their own business, or thinking about setting up their own company. I aim to make sure that after every episode, you leave 1% better off.
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- Today1h 13m
Why Your Recruitment Marketing Isn't Generating Enough Business | George Bristow (EP 110)
Is your recruitment agency’s marketing actually generating business, or is it just keeping your LinkedIn feed busy?In this episode, I'm joined by George Bristow, co-founder of Bristow & Hardy, a recruitment marketing agency specialising in helping recruitment businesses generate more leads and create more commercial opportunities through marketing.We discuss how recruitment agencies can use marketing to create more conversations, give their consultants more people to speak to, and ultimately generate more business. George also shares his approach to building a marketing strategy that works alongside sales, rather than operating in isolation.Topics Discussed:✅ The biggest mistakes recruitment founders make when investing in marketing✅ Why you need to understand your commercial goals before deciding whether to invest in marketing✅ The difference between entity marketing and personal branding, and why recruitment agencies need both✅ How to build a consistent marketing strategy that generates leads and gives consultants more people to call✅ The four key elements of an effective recruitment marketing strategy: social content, targeted email campaigns, email nurture and LinkedIn outreach✅ Why marketing should be about answering your audience's questions and providing genuine value, rather than constantly promoting your services✅ How to use multiple channels together to create warmer conversations and more effective outreach✅ How to stop marketing and sales from operating in silos, and get consultants buying into the marketing strategy⏱️ Timestamps:[00:00] – Introduction & George's Background at Bristow & Hardy[05:07] – What Is Recruitment Marketing Actually Supposed to Achieve?[07:29] – Why Marketing and Sales Need to Work Together[12:32] – The Common Marketing Mistakes Recruitment Founders Make[14:52] – Why You Need to Understand Your 'Why' Before Investing in Marketing[17:06] – When Is the Right Time to Outsource Your Marketing?[21:40] – Entity Marketing vs Personal Branding: What's the Difference?[23:57] – How to Build a Marketing Engine That Generates More Leads[27:50] – The Importance of Value-Led Marketing and Multi-Channel Campaigns[30:13] – The Four-Part Marketing Strategy Recruitment Agencies Should Be Using[33:40] – How to Approach LinkedIn Messages Without Being Too Salesy[37:38] – Why You Need More Than Just One Channel to Generate Leads[39:56] – Give Before You Take: Why Value Should Come Before the Pitch[44:44] – Why Recruitment Marketing Requires a Long-Term Approach[58:28] – Why You Shouldn't Give Up on Clients Just Because They're Not Hiring[01:02:09] – How to Stop Marketing and Sales From Operating in Silos[01:06:46] – How to Get Your Consultants to Trust and Act on Marketing Leads[01:11:28] – George's Advice for Getting 1% Better in Recruitment🐋 Podcast Sponsor – SourceWhaleThis 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% Bett
- 1 weeks ago1h 8m
Why Recruitment Has a Reputation Problem (And How We Fix It) | Kadeem Houson (EP 109)
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 Search02:02 – Kadeem's Journey in Recruitment05:17 – Why Money and Material Success Aren't Enough07:40 – Why Building Trust and Relationships Creates Long-Term Success09:22 – Understanding What Really Motivates Recruitment Consultants11:25 – Finding Your Bigger Purpose and What Drives You14:24 – Why Leaders Need to Understand Their Consultants18:33 – Understanding the Person Behind the Performance22:43 – Why Unethical Recruitment Practices Eventually Catch Up With You35:06 – Why Recruiters Need to Master Their Questions36:53 – Transactional Recruitment vs Building Long-Term Partnerships51:35 – The Two Components of Trust: Character & Competence59:05 – The Story Behind Demystifying Talent01:01:16 – Breaking Down the 5A Recruitment Framework01:03:35 – Why Kadeem Decided to Write His Book01:05:44 – Kadeem's Advice for Getting 1% Better in Recruitment🐋 Podcast Sponsor – SourceWhaleThis 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 Frameworkhttps://www.amazon.co.uk/Demystifying-Talent-Five-Recruitment-Framework/dp/1806343665Connect with Me:💻 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charleskyriakou1/📲 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@charles.kyriakou🌐 Podcast Website: https://www.the1percentbetterecruitmentpodcast.com/🌐 Coaching & Training: <a href="https://www.inf
- 2 weeks ago1h 16m
Why Recruiters Struggle to Sell Retainers (And How to Fix It) | Louise Archer (EP 108)
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 Search02:09 – Louise's Journey From Contingent to Retained Recruitment04:32 – Why Recruiters Have Misconceptions About Retained Business08:50 – Why Recruiters Struggle to Articulate Their Retained Offering10:53 – How to Start Building a Retained Recruitment Model13:13 – Diagnosing Client Problems Before Selling a Solution15:34 – Why the Contingent Model Can Fall Short for Clients17:55 – Why You Should Never Guarantee a Placement20:09 – Using Better Questions to Sell Retained Recruitment23:30 – Why Recruitment Sales Should Be Based on Solution Selling25:28 – Productising Your Retained Recruitment Offering29:37 – The Benefits of Retained Recruitment for Clients and Candidates34:25 – Learning to Sell Retainers Through Experience36:42 – When Contingent Recruitment Is Still the Right Option38:26 – How to Structure Retained Fees and Milestone Payments42:55 – Why You Cannot Guarantee a Placement44:49 – The Problem With 100% Placement Guarantees47:53 – Why Winning Retained Business and Delivering It Require Different Skills51:36 – Building a Separate Delivery Function54:14 – Retained vs Engaged Recruitment Models58:28 – Why You Should Never Take Less Than a Third on Commencement01:01:15 – What Happens If a Client Receives CVs From Another Agency?01:03:34 – Exclusivity, Client Commitment and Protecting the Search01:07:34 – Why Retained Projects Need Clear Guardrails and Frustration Clauses01:12:02 – Getting Your Terms of Business Right01:13:52 – Louise's Advice for Getting 1% Better in Recruitment: Diagnose First🐋 Podcast Sponsor – SourceWhaleThis 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
- 2 weeks ago1h 20m
Recruitment Has A BD Problem | Kate O'Neill (EP 107)
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 BD02:02 – What Kate Does as a Fractional BD Leader04:17 – The Current State of BD in Recruitment08:34 – Why Recruiters Avoid Business Development10:53 – Why Training Alone Doesn't Fix BD Problems14:15 – Why Are New Recruiters Being Kept Away From Clients?23:13 – Dealing With Rejection and Building Resilience26:00 – The Difference Between Training and Coaching28:24 – Is AI Becoming an Excuse to Avoid BD?29:15 – How Leaders Can Build a Stronger Sales Culture31:37 – Why Leaders Need to Normalise Failure34:58 – Why Recruiters Need to Stop Being Afraid of Making Mistakes36:44 – How to Make BD Fun and Reward the Right Behaviours39:07 – Where AI Can Help With BD and Where It Falls Short48:24 – Why Recruitment Businesses Need to Invest in Their People51:33 – Why Human Role Models Still Matter in Recruitment55:17 – Using AI to Save Time Without Losing the Human Touch59:54 – What Great Recruiters Do Differently in BD01:03:39 – Why Recruiters Overcomplicate Business Development01:05:47 – Making Sales Training Fun and Building Better Habits01:11:31 – Kate's Advice for Getting 1% Better in Recruitment01:13:13 – Stop Putting Clients on a Pedestal01:16:40 – Building Better Client Partnerships and Setting Boundaries🐋 Podcast Sponsor – SourceWhaleThis 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
- 3 weeks ago1h 1m
How to Build Trust With CEOs and Senior Leaders | Chris Morrison (EP 106)
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 – Introduction03:27 – Why Chris Uses Do Not Disturb to Protect His Performance05:15 – Introducing Chris and Cedar08:59 – Why the Best Business Meetings Don't Always Start With Business10:44 – Stop Treating Clients and Candidates Differently13:07 – Does Your Environment Change How You Approach Senior People?15:09 – Finding Common Ground Through Personal Connections16:48 – Why Recruiters Feel Intimidated by CEOs and Senior Leaders20:13 – How to Make Cold Calls Feel Warmer21:20 – Why Personal Notes Matter in Recruitment22:11 – The Problem With Calling Multiple Prospects at Once24:59 – How Much Research Should You Do Before a BD Call?28:00 – Chris's Biggest Frustration With AI-Generated Content32:52 – What Should Recruiters Post About When They're New to a Market?34:30 – Turning Conversations Into Valuable LinkedIn Content36:55 – Why Storytelling Beats Repeating Statistics37:14 – Has Recruitment BD Changed Over the Years?38:50 – Traditional BD vs Modern Prospecting41:03 – Why Face-to-Face Meetings Still Matter43:28 – Is the Next Generation of Recruiters Less Willing to Meet People?44:33 – How Face-to-Face Meetings Can Help You Stand Out46:16 – Going the Extra Mile to Win Bigger Client Relationships48:39 – Why Listening Matters More Than How You Meet Someone51:25 – How to Build Rapport Before Moving Into Business53:31 – Being Personable Without Losing Commercial Focus55:29 – When Relationship Building Goes Too Far57:45 – Chris's Advice for Getting One Step Better in Recruitment59:27 – Final Thoughts and Closing Remarks🐋 Podcast Sponsor – SourceWhaleThis 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/
- Oct 6, 20261h 14m
What Recruiters Can Learn From Tech Sales | Cameron Briggs (EP 105)
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 Sales02:00 – Cam’s Biggest Lesson From His First Startup: Customer Validation04:01 – How Customer Feedback Changed Venti AI06:07 – Why Recruiters Don’t Want to Sit Around Watching Training Videos07:45 – The Importance of User Education09:48 – What Fundraising Taught Cam About Recruitment BD11:03 – Finding the Problem That Actually Needs Solving19:02 – Why Recruiters Are Too Short-Term Focused21:00 – The Recruitment BD Pendulum: Delivery vs BD25:00 – Building Relationships Before You Need Them30:00 – Why Recruiters Need to Think Like Salespeople36:36 – Adding Context to Your BD Conversations37:36 – Becoming the Expert in Your Market40:00 – Why You Need to Back Yourself45:00 – Cam’s Experience as an Introvert in Sales50:00 – How Cam Learned to Love Cold Calling52:00 – Structure, Call Blocks & Consistency in BD54:56 – Why Recruiters Don’t Follow Up Enough59:00 – The “Good” Mindset & Extreme Ownership01:04:33 – Why You Need to Qualify Customers Out01:06:44 – Why Outbound Lets You Choose Who You Work With01:10:00 – What Recruitment Can Learn From Tech Sales01:12:54 – Where to Find Cam & Venti AI01:13:29 – Closing Thoughts🐋 Podcast Sponsor – SourceWhaleThis 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 DemoMention The 1% Better Recruitment Podcast or my name, Charles Kyriakou, when you book.Connect with Cam: 💻 LinkedIn: Cam Briggs on LinkedIn 🌐 Website: Venti AIConnect with Me: 💻 LinkedIn: Charles Kyriakou on LinkedIn 📲 TikTok: Charles Kyriakou on TikTok 🌐 Podcast Website: The 1% Better Recruitment Podcast🌐 Training Website: Inf1nite Le
- Sep 17, 20261h 20m
How the Best Recruitment Businesses Actually Do BD | Roheel Ahmad (EP 104)
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 & Welcome00:18 – Roheel's Journey: Building FB to $100M and Imagine AI01:02 – The BD Problem Every Founder Faces02:44 – Getting BD Out of Your Head and Into the Business04:15 – Why Recruiters Overcomplicate BD Strategy05:30 – Stop Pulling Jobs, Start Building Accounts07:11 – The New Starter Trap & Early Wins08:37 – Roheel's Story: Getting Sacked and Starting Over10:19 – The 6-Month Blank: Learning Through Failure13:26 – How Process Control Changed Everything14:47 – Building Real Relationships vs Transaction Mentality17:02 – The Interview Slot System That Works21:20 – Documentation Is Your Biggest Advantage22:50 – Why Your BD Falls Apart When You Scale23:16 – Giving Consultants Framework, Not Complexity25:27 – Spec In, Spec Out: The Process That Wins27:59 – Teaching Your Team What Actually Works51:00 – Building Scalable BD Systems55:56 – Culture & Team Buy-In01:00:02 – Why Consultants Avoid the Phone01:05:42 – Making BD a Real Skill, Not Just Hustle01:12:20 – Where BD Breaks Down01:14:14 – AI vs Traditional Recruitment Fundamentals01:15:39 – Why Your Team Won't Pick Up the Phone01:16:49 – How to Get 1% Better at BD01:17:34 – About Imagine AI & Where to Connect01:18:58 – Closing Thoughts🐋 Podcast Sponsor – SourceWhaleThis 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 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/
- Aug 25, 202653 min
The Difference Between Great Recruiters and Great Leaders | Lily Savage (EP 103)
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 & welcome02:29 – Lily's 10-year journey at Discover International03:21 – Growing from employee #6 to 100+ people globally04:15 – What makes a great recruiter?06:21 – The transition from recruiter to leader08:33 – Great recruiter vs great leader10:10 – The mindset shift from biller to leader12:05 – Knowing when to get into the weeds14:45 – Managing friends and switching between different leadership hats16:08 – Why leadership intent matters18:16 – Creating a scalable recruitment process20:27 – Building a consistent operating model across different offices22:18 – Why Discover doesn't use scripts24:02 – Giving experienced recruiters freedom to try new things26:37 – Recruitment in 2016 vs 202627:22 – The changing expectations around remote working28:31 – Why cold calling still matters31:32 – Creating a phone-first recruitment culture33:17 – The importance of a high-energy sales floor36:37 – Getting new recruiters up and running38:08 – Keeping trainees motivated40:24 – Lily's first lunch club43:17 – How recruitment can change people's lives46:39 – The habits of top billers49:28 – The importance of belief49:50 – Can belief be developed?51:35 – Advice for new recruitment leaders52:18 – How to get 1% better in recruitment52:32 – Closing thoughts🐋 Podcast Sponsor – SourceWhaleThis 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
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About 1% Better Recruitment Podcast
Hello and welcome to the 1% better recruitment podcast, with your host, Charles Kyriakou.The goal of this podcast is to have a wide variety of people all within the recruitment sector that will add tremendous value to those who are either looking to get into recruitment, working within the industry, running their own business, or thinking about setting up their own company. I aim to make sure that after every episode, you leave 1% better off.
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