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 – 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

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 & 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 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 – SourceWhaleThis 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/