RecTalk Podcast - Explore Recruitment Insights

Is AI transforming recruitment for the better, or are agencies getting distracted by the hype?

In this week's episode of RecTalk, Nitin Sharma is joined by Poonam Mawani from Azuki Accounts and AI consultant Dylan Humphreys from First Frontier AI for an honest, practical discussion about how recruitment businesses should be approaching AI today.

Rather than focusing on shiny new tools and buzzwords, this episode dives into the real challenges recruitment agencies face every day—from CV overload and candidate engagement to business development, data quality, operational efficiency and the future of retained search.

Poonam puts Dylan in the hot seat with a series of real-world recruitment challenges gathered from agency leaders, founders and operators across the industry. Together, they explore where AI can genuinely add value, where human expertise remains essential, and why many agencies are still solving the wrong problems.

Key topics covered:

• Why AI should be treated as an assistant, not a replacement for expertise

• The importance of keeping humans "in the loop"

• How poor prompting creates poor AI outcomes

• Using AI to tackle CV overload and candidate screening

• The ethics of AI-driven candidate data management

• Why most recruitment businesses have a data problem, not an AI problem

• How AI can improve business development through market intelligence and insights

• The shift from contingent recruitment towards retained and consultancy-led models

• Automation opportunities in recruitment operations, finance and back-office functions

• The future of candidate engagement, outreach and relationship building

• Why recruitment agencies should think of themselves as data businesses

• Whether AI is a genuine revolution or simply another technology bubble

One of the standout themes throughout the conversation is that agencies shouldn't start with AI tools—they should start with business problems. Dylan explains why successful AI adoption begins by identifying operational pain points and then determining whether AI, automation or process improvement is the right solution.

Poonam also shares practical examples from finance and recruitment operations, highlighting how automation can eliminate repetitive tasks, improve reporting and free up consultants to focus on higher-value work.

Who this episode is for:

• Recruitment agency founders

• Recruitment consultants and team leaders

• Talent acquisition professionals

• Recruitment operations specialists

• Finance and back-office leaders in staffing businesses

• Anyone exploring AI, automation and the future of recruitment

🔗 Connect with the guests

Dylan Humphreys: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dylanjhumphreys/

First Frontier AI: https://firstfrontier.ai/

Poonam Mawani: https://www.linkedin.com/in/poonammawaniazuki/

Azuki Accounts: https://www.rectools.io/product/azuki-accounts/

🔗 Connect with the host

Nitin Sharma: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nitin-rectools/

Discover recruitment tools and services: https://www.rectools.io/

Listen to RecTalk on another platform: https://rectalk.co.uk/

#Recruitment #AI #RecruitmentTechnology #StaffingIndustry #TalentAcquisition #RecruitmentLeadership #Automation #FutureOfWork #RecruitmentOperations #RetainedSearch #BusinessDevelopment #DataDrivenRecruitment #RecTalk #RecTools #FirstFrontierAI #Azuki

USE CODE RECTALK30RF at check out for 30% off!RecFest 2026 is nearly here, and we sat down to discuss what attendees can expect from the UK's biggest talent acquisition festival. From AI and automation to employer branding, hiring trends, networking opportunities, and the famous RecFest after-parties, we cover it all.Join RecTalk's Nitin Sharma and Talking Talent host Sean "The TA Guy" Kennedy as they give their unfiltered take on:🎪 What RecFest 2026 is really all about🤖 The "Human Advantage" theme and whether AI has gone too far📉 Why graduate hiring is falling and what it means for employers💼 The reality facing job seekers and green lanyard attendees🎤 The sessions we'd attend (and the ones we'd probably skip!)🎁 RecFest merch, exhibitors and supplier stands🍻 Networking, social selling and building genuine relationships🎙️ The huge guest lineup joining us live at RecFestWe'll also reveal some of the industry names expected to join us at the RecTalk podcast booth, including conversations with some of the biggest voices in recruitment, talent acquisition and HR tech.If you're attending RecFest this year, come and say hello.👇 Let us know in the comments:What's the one session, speaker or supplier you're most looking forward to seeing?#RecFest2026 #Recruitment #TalentAcquisition #HRTech #RecruitmentPodcast #RecTalk #ArtificialIntelligence #EmployerBranding #Hiring #Recruiters #HumanAdvantage #TalentStrategy #FutureOfWork #RecruitmentTechnology #SeanTheTAGuy #HungLee #ChadAndCheese #RecruitmentEvents

In this episode of RecTalk, Nitin Sharma sits down once again with Matt Fox, Founder of Exitus Advisory, to discuss one of the hottest topics in recruitment right now: selling recruitment businesses.

Matt shares what he's seeing across the SME recruitment market, why more founders are considering an exit, and why buyer appetite remains surprisingly strong despite ongoing economic uncertainty. The conversation explores business valuations, buy-and-build strategies, deal structures, common misconceptions about selling a recruitment business, and what founders can do to maximise value before heading to market.

The pair also discuss founder burnout, market volatility, the challenges recruitment leaders have faced over the last decade, and why many business owners are reassessing what success really looks like. Rather than chasing ever-increasing valuation targets, many founders are focusing on lifestyle, financial security, and reducing stress.

Matt provides practical insight into:

• Why now may still be a good time to sell a recruitment business
• The current appetite from buyers in the recruitment market
• How buy-and-build groups evaluate acquisition opportunities
• What makes a recruitment business attractive to buyers
• Common mistakes founders make when preparing for sale
• How debt, liabilities, compliance issues, and operational challenges impact deals
• The importance of transparency during due diligence
• Real-world examples of recent recruitment business transactions
• The role of specialist recruitment M&A advisors versus general business brokers
• How recruitment business owners can prepare for a future exit strategy

Whether you're actively considering an exit, exploring growth through acquisition, or simply curious about how recruitment M&A works, this episode is packed with practical advice and valuable market insight.

🔗 Connect with the guest

Matt Fox: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-fox-50b10311/

Learn more about Exitus Advisory: https://www.rectools.io/product/exitus-advisory/

🔗 Connect with the host

Nitin Sharma: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nitin-rectools/

Discover recruitment tools and services: https://www.rectools.io/

New episodes of RecTalk (including Founder Diaries) drop regularly on Wednesday and Friday.

Also look out for new episodes of Talking Talent and The Mixed Grill (the official podcast of the Recruitment Curry Club).

https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-recruitment-curry-club/

Listen on another platform: https://rectalk.co.uk/

#RecTalk #Recruitment #RecruitmentBusiness #RecruitmentFounder #RecruitmentLeadership #BusinessSale #BusinessExit #RecruitmentMAndA #ExitStrategy #BuyAndBuild #RecruitmentIndustry #StaffingIndustry #MattFox #ExitusAdvisory #NitinSharma #Rectools

What does it feel like to hear voices every day?

Recorded live at IHR Live Manchester, Sean Kennedy and Nitin Sharma sit down with talent acquisition leader Jed Shaw for one of the most honest conversations we've ever had on the podcast.

Jed shares his experience living with psychosis, including auditory hallucinations, a mental health crisis that led to hospitalisation, and how he rebuilt his life and career afterwards. Despite hearing multiple voices every day, Jed has gone on to become a respected leader, speaker and advocate for neurodiversity in the workplace.

This episode also explores:

✅ Living with psychosis and auditory hallucinations
✅ Neurodiversity in the workplace
✅ Mental health recovery and resilience
✅ How employers can better support neurodivergent employees
✅ Why sharing your story matters
✅ Automation vs AI in talent acquisition
✅ Building a successful career despite adversity

Jed's story is a powerful reminder that people are capable of far more than a diagnosis, and that understanding creates opportunities for everyone.

If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health challenges, please remember that support is available and reaching out is a sign of strength.

#MentalHealth #Psychosis #Neurodiversity #Recruitment #TalentAcquisition #WorkplaceWellbeing #IHRLive #RecTalk #TalkingTalent

For years, recruiters have focused on email deliverability—getting SPF, DKIM, DMARC, domain reputation, and technical compliance right. But what happens when your emails are landing in the inbox and you're still not getting replies?

In this episode of RecTalk, Nitin Sharma sits down with Ben Fielding, founder of Quinset and one of the recruitment industry's leading experts on email deliverability and outreach strategy, to explore the next evolution of business development in recruitment.

Together they unpack why many traditional recruitment outreach tactics no longer work, why recruiters are struggling to generate engagement despite having the right technology in place, and how the modern market demands a completely different approach to building relationships with clients.

Ben explains why deliverability is only one layer of the challenge. Once your email reaches the inbox, your messaging, positioning, relevance, credibility, and understanding of the prospect's world become the deciding factors in whether somebody responds.

The conversation dives deep into:

• Why mass spec CV campaigns are becoming less effective
• The shift from transactional outreach to relationship-led business development
• How recruiters can become memorable and stay front-of-mind when hiring needs eventually arise
• The psychology behind prospect engagement and "critical filters"
• Why most recruitment marketing makes the recruiter the hero instead of the client
• Storytelling techniques that increase response rates
• Hyper-personalisation versus mass outreach
• The importance of demonstrating outcomes rather than simply selling recruitment services
• Why engagement rates now directly impact email performance and domain reputation
• The mistakes recruiters make when trying to scale outreach through volume alone
• How branding, trust signals and familiarity influence open rates and responses
• Practical ways to improve candidate and client engagement without sending more emails

One of the biggest takeaways from this episode is that recruiters need to stop focusing solely on getting emails delivered and start focusing on giving recipients a compelling reason to respond.

If you've ever wondered why your outreach isn't generating conversations despite having the right tech stack, this episode is packed with practical insights you can implement immediately.

🔗 Connect with the guest

Ben Fielding: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benfielding/

Learn more about Quinset: https://www.rectools.io/product/quinset-powermail/

🔗 Connect with the host

Nitin Sharma: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nitin-rectools/

Discover recruitment tools and services: https://www.rectools.io/

New episodes of RecTalk (including Founder Diaries) drop regularly on Wednesday and Friday.

Also look out for new episodes of Talking Talent and The Mixed Grill (the official podcast of the Recruitment Curry Club).

https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-recruitment-curry-club/

Watch or listen on another platform: https://rectalk.co.uk/

#Recruitment #RecruitmentAgency #BusinessDevelopment #ColdOutreach #EmailMarketing #EmailDeliverability #RecruitmentSales #RecruitmentMarketing #ExecutiveSearch #TalentAcquisition #StaffingIndustry #RecruiterLife #RecTech #SalesPsychology #B2BSales #RecTalk #Rectools #Quinset #BenFielding #NitinSharma

Look out for RecTalk podcast at RecFest in Knebworth, 2 July 2026

Use code RECTALK30RF for 30% off tickets: https://recfest.com/uk/tickets/?&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=tickets&utm_campaign=rectalk

In this special crossover episode of RecTalk, Talking Talent and Mixed Grill, Nitin Sharma is joined by two familiar faces from the recruitment community: Sean Kennedy and Bobby Banerjee.

Filmed at the incredible Full Swing Europe HQ (https://fullswingsports.eu/), the trio dive into one of the biggest conversations happening in recruitment right now: the evolving relationship between agency recruiters and talent acquisition teams.

From the realities of working in TA versus agency recruitment, to the future impact of AI on talent functions, this episode is packed with honest opinions, industry debate, plenty of laughs, and a few controversial takes along the way.

The conversation also explores the upcoming RecFest, why events matter more than ever, how recruiters can build stronger relationships with TA leaders, and whether talent acquisition belongs inside HR at all.

Expect discussions around:

• RecFest and why it's become one of recruitment's most anticipated events
• Why agency recruiters and TA teams often misunderstand each other
• Sean's experience moving into a fractional Talent Acquisition role
• The biggest differences between agency recruitment and internal hiring
• Stakeholder management, hiring managers and candidate experience
• When businesses should use agencies (and when they shouldn't)
• The changing role of Talent Acquisition in a world increasingly influenced by AI
• Jeremy Snell's prediction that TA has less than 18 months left in its current form
• Whether Talent Acquisition should sit within HR, RevOps, Sales or People Operations
• Why relationship-building beats transactional recruiting every time
• Community, networking and the power of events like RecFest, TA hikes and industry meetups
• Recruitment leadership, promotion mistakes and the challenges of building great teams

One of the standout themes throughout the episode is empathy — understanding the challenges faced by clients, candidates, hiring managers and talent teams in order to become a more effective recruiter and business partner.

Who This Episode Is For:

• Agency Recruiters
• Talent Acquisition Professionals
• Heads of Talent
• Recruitment Leaders
• Recruitment Business Owners
• HR Professionals
• Recruitment Technology Vendors
• Staffing Entrepreneurs
• Anyone interested in the future of hiring, recruitment and workforce planning

🔗 Connect with the hosts

Bobby Banerjee: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbybanerjee/

Sean Kennedy: https://www.linkedin.com/in/seanthetaguy/

Nitin Sharma: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nitin-rectools/

Discover recruitment tools and services: https://www.rectools.io/

New episodes of RecTalk (including Founder Diaries) drop regularly on Wednesday and Friday.

Also look out for new episodes of Talking Talent and The Mixed Grill (the official podcast of the Recruitment Curry Club).

https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-recruitment-curry-club/

Listen on another platform: https://rectalk.co.uk/

#RecTalk #TalkingTalent #MixedGrill #Recruitment #TalentAcquisition #RecFest #AgencyRecruitment #RecruitmentLeadership #Hiring #RecruitmentIndustry #HRTech #FutureOfWork #PeopleOps #EmployerBranding #RecruitmentMarketing #TalentStrategy #SeanKennedy #BobbyBanerjee #NitinSharma

Is remote work dying? Is AI making content better or worse? And what do candidates, employers and recruiters need to do to adapt?Recorded live at IHR Live Manchester, Nitin Sharma and Sean Kennedy sit down with Michelle Coulson and Victoria Dawe to discuss some of the biggest workplace trends shaping recruitment, talent acquisition and employer branding today.From the growing push to bring employees back into the office to the rise of AI-generated content, this episode explores what happens when technology, culture and human behaviour collide.🎙️ In this episode:✅ Why companies are forcing staff back into the office✅ The truth about remote working and productivity✅ Why trust is at the heart of the return-to-office debate✅ How candidates can stay competitive in a shrinking remote job market✅ Whether AI is helping or hurting content creation✅ Why authenticity still matters in marketing and employer branding✅ How businesses can create content people actually connect with✅ What the future of work could look like over the next decadeFeaturing:🎤 Michelle Coulson – Remote hiring specialist🎤 Victoria Dawe – Content strategist and photojournalistWhether you're a recruiter, TA leader, founder, marketer or business owner, this conversation offers practical insights into the changing world of work and the skills that will matter most moving forward.🎧 Subscribe for weekly conversations with recruitment leaders, founders, marketers and innovators.#futureofwork #aiinrecruitment #remotework #employerbranding #recruitment #talentacquisition #leadership #contentmarketing #hiring #RecTalk

In this episode of RecTalk, Nitin Sharma sits down with recruitment sales trainer Jeremy Snell, founder of Your People Engine, for a thought-provoking discussion on one of recruitment's longest-running debates: sales versus marketing.

Recorded on Jeremy's farm (with a few unexpected guest appearances from lambs Judy and Erica), this conversation explores what really drives buying decisions, how recruiters should approach business development in today's market, and why many agencies may be focusing on the wrong metrics altogether.

Topics covered include:

• Do people buy from people they like, or from people who understand their problems?
• Why trust matters more than likability in recruitment sales.
• The difference between "wants" and "needs" when selling recruitment services.
• Why Jeremy believes sales is simply finding out what somebody wants and helping them get it.
• The evolution from B2B to Human-to-Human selling.
• Why data alone doesn't win business without emotional context.
• The growing importance of combining sales and marketing into a true revenue-generating function.
• Why recruitment marketing teams should have greater visibility of CRM data and customer conversations.
• The future of business development as cold outreach becomes more challenging.
• How recruiters can build attention, trust and familiarity across multiple channels.
• Why nurturing prospects remains critical even when immediate opportunities aren't available.
• Jeremy's predictions for recruitment over the next 6-12 months.
• The continued contraction of the recruitment market and what successful agencies will do differently.
• Why Jeremy believes Talent Acquisition will continue to evolve beyond traditional hiring functions.
• Nitin's view on the future relationship between Talent Acquisition, Revenue Operations and HR.

One of the standout discussions focuses on the misconception that business development is "broken." Jeremy argues that people still answer the phone, still respond to outreach, and still buy—but only when businesses create enough trust and attention over time. The conversation dives into how modern recruiters should balance immediate revenue generation with longer-term relationship building to create sustainable growth.

🔗 Connect with the guest

Jeremy Snell: https://www.linkedin.com/in/recruitmentsalestraining/

Learn more about Your People Engine: https://yourpeopleengine.com/

🔗 Connect with the host

Nitin Sharma: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nitin-rectools/

Discover recruitment tools and services: https://www.rectools.io/

New episodes of RecTalk (including Founder Diaries and Talking Talent) drop regularly on Wednesday and Friday.

Also look out for new episodes of The Mixed Grill — the official podcast of the Recruitment Curry Club:

https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-recruitment-curry-club/

Listen on another platform: https://rectalk.co.uk/

🔗 Get in touch with these recommended suppliers

CoRecruit: https://corecruit.com/

Ascen: https://www.ascen.com/

Your People Engine: https://yourpeopleengine.com/

Recruiterflow: https://recruiterflow.short.gy/rectalk-recommendations

SourceWhale: https://sourcewhale.com/

#Recruitment #RecruitmentSales #BusinessDevelopment #Marketing #SalesTraining #RecruitmentMarketing #RevOps #TalentAcquisition #YourPeopleEngine #JeremySnell #RecTalk #RecruitmentIndustry #Hiring #AgencyRecruitment #NitinSharma

What if one of the most recognised voices in talent acquisition is right?A few weeks before recording this episode, Jeremy Snell made a bold prediction: Talent Acquisition as we know it won't exist in 18 months.Live from IHR Manchester, Nitin Sharma is joined by Sean Kennedy, co-host of Talking Talent and RecTalk contributor, to unpack one of the most controversial topics currently facing the recruitment and HR industry.Will AI replace Talent Acquisition teams? Is the traditional TA function becoming obsolete? Or are we simply witnessing the next evolution of the profession?Drawing on Sean's experience across agency recruitment, embedded hiring and talent acquisition leadership, the pair explore what the future could look like for TA professionals, how hiring teams are changing, and why the role may become far more strategic than many organisations currently allow.Topics discussed include:• Jeremy Snell's prediction that Talent Acquisition won't exist in 18 months• How AI is changing sourcing, assessment and recruitment workflows• Why Talent Acquisition must evolve beyond simply filling vacancies• The growing importance of employer branding and candidate experience• The differences between UK and North American hiring models• Why agencies are viewed differently in the US compared to the UK• The relationship between Talent Acquisition, HR and People Operations• Whether TA professionals should be worried about disruption• Why stakeholder management is often harder than recruitment itself• The future skills today's Talent Acquisition professionals need to developKey Takeaways:Sean argues that Talent Acquisition isn't disappearing — it's evolving. As AI automates more administrative and repetitive recruitment tasks, the value of TA professionals will increasingly come from stakeholder management, workforce planning, talent strategy, employer branding, candidate experience and business partnership. The job title may change, but the need for great talent professionals isn't going away anytime soon.Who This Episode Is For:• Talent Acquisition professionals• Internal recruiters• HR Business Partners• Heads of People• Recruitment leaders• Agency recruiters considering a move in-house• Recruitment technology providers• Anyone interested in the future of hiring and AIAbout Sean Kennedy:Sean Kennedy is the co-host of Talking Talent, a RecTalk podcast dedicated to exploring the realities of modern Talent Acquisition, recruitment leadership and the future of hiring. With experience spanning agency recruitment, embedded hiring and internal TA functions, Sean brings a practical and candid perspective to the industry's biggest challenges.What do you think?Will Talent Acquisition still exist in 18 months, or is the industry heading for its biggest transformation yet?Let us know your thoughts in the comments.#RecTalk #TalkingTalent #talentacquisition #recruitment #HRTech #futureofwork #Hiring #recruitmentindustry #PeopleOps #EmployerBranding #ArtificialIntelligence #HRLeadership #IHRManchester #TalentStrategy #RecruitmentTechnology

Welcome to a special RecTalk Masterclass, recorded live at The Peg & Grill in Birmingham ahead of a Recruitment Curry Club event.

In this roundtable discussion, Nitin Sharma is joined by an exceptional panel of recruitment industry leaders and specialists:

• Jeremy Snell – Founder of Your People Engine
• Jo Elwell – Co-Founder of Contractor Financial
• Bobby Banerjee – Founder of the HAPI Test and The Recruitment Curry Club
• Billie Davoile – Co-Founder of Contractor Financial
• Keith Davidson – Business Development Director at Recruitment Funding Solutions

Together, they dive deep into the challenges and opportunities facing recruitment businesses in today's market, sharing practical lessons from recruitment, financial services, funding, training, business ownership and community building. The discussion explores why so many recruiters become business owners without understanding finance, why recruitment firms struggle with profitability despite healthy revenues, and how better commercial awareness can transform performance. The panel also examines the growing importance of financial literacy, employee benefits, contractor support, business protection and transparency with teams.

Key topics discussed include:

• Why recruitment business owners often lack financial education
• The difference between turnover, profit and cash flow
• The hidden costs of technology subscriptions and operational overheads
• Contractor financial wellbeing and mortgage challenges
• Why specialist recruitment advisors matter
• The impact of economic and market changes on recruitment businesses
• Employee retention, benefits and long-term staff engagement
• Commercial awareness and educating recruiters on business performance
• Open-book management and business transparency
• Protecting recruitment businesses from unexpected risks
• The rise of community-led recruitment businesses
• Why networking and relationship-building are outperforming traditional sales approaches
• The evolution of outbound sales, referrals and business development
• How recruiters can create more value beyond simply filling vacancies
• The concept of the "zombie recruitment business" and how to avoid becoming one

Whether you're launching a recruitment business, scaling an established agency, supporting contractors, or simply trying to become a more commercially aware recruiter, this episode is packed with actionable insights from people operating at the heart of the recruitment ecosystem.

🔗 Connect with the guests

Jeremy Snell: https://www.linkedin.com/in/recruitmentsalestraining/

Jo Elwell: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jo-elwell-09679b3a/

Bobby Banerjee: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbybanerjee/

Billie Davoile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/billie-davoile-1327a1107/

Keith Davidson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/keith-davidson-rfsqps/

🔗 Connect with the host

Nitin Sharma: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nitin-rectools/

Discover recruitment tools and services: https://www.rectools.io/

New episodes of RecTalk (including Founder Diaries and Talking Talent) drop regularly on Wednesday and Friday.

Also look out for new episodes of The Mixed Grill — the official podcast of the Recruitment Curry Club:

https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-recruitment-curry-club/

Listen on another platform: https://rectalk.co.uk/

🔗 Get in touch with these recommended suppliers

CoRecruit: https://corecruit.com/

Ascen: https://www.ascen.com/

Your People Engine: https://yourpeopleengine.com/

Recruiterflow: https://recruiterflow.short.gy/rectalk-recommendations

SourceWhale: https://sourcewhale.com/

#RecTalk #RecruitmentPodcast #RecruitmentIndustry #RecruitmentBusiness #StaffingIndustry #RecruitmentLeadership #AgencyGrowth #RecruitmentFounder #ContractorRecruitment #FinancialLiteracy #RecruitmentTraining #BusinessGrowth #RecruitmentCommunity #RecruitmentFunding #ContractorFinancial #RecruitmentSales #RecruitmentMarketing #RecruitmentTechnology #RecruitmentInsights #NitinSharma