The Resilient Recruiter

Episodes

• How to Make More Placements with Split Fees | NPA Worldwide Panel 01.07.2026 59m

  How many search assignments have you turned down because they were outside your niche, outside your geography, or you simply didn't have the capacity? In this special sponsored panel episode, Mark Whitby is joined by Heather Gardner, Jeff McGraw, and Jen Anderson from NPA Worldwide to discuss how split-fee partnerships help independent recruiters make more placements without taking on more clients. Heather made six split placements in her first year with NPA Worldwide. Jen has completed more than 55 split placements over the past decade. Jeff has been making split placements since 1994. Together, they explain how split fees work, how to build trusted recruiting partnerships, and how collaboration has helped them fill searches they would otherwise have declined. What You'll Learn: How a standard 50/50 split fee works, including the fee paid back to the network What questions to ask before agreeing to work on someone else's job order How Jeff brought a partner onto an intake call and filled an optics engineer role he couldn't have qualified alone How Jen builds trust with a new partner by copying them on every email with the client and candidate How Heather turned six split placements into a steady first year with NPA Worldwide What separates a partner worth working with from one worth turning down Timestamps: 00:00 Why recruiters turn away good search assignments 07:45 How split fee partnerships work 10:43 Heather's first year: six split placements 22:16 Jeff's optics engineer success story 26:10 How to qualify a split opportunity 28:57 The university client Jen won with a partner's help 37:39 Why collaboration beats competition 45:57 What makes a great split recruiting partner Guest Panel Heather Gardner is the owner of High Sierra Talent in California and made six split placements during her first year with NPA Worldwide. Jeff McGraw is with William Charles Search Group in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and has been making split placements through NPA Worldwide since 1994. Jen Anderson is the owner of Prestige Recruiting Firm in Clearwater, Florida. She has been an NPA Worldwide member for 10 years, has completed more than 55 split placements, and currently serves on the NPA Worldwide Americas Board. If you've ever turned down work because it sat outside your specialty, this conversation will change how you think about the next one. This episode is sponsored by NPA Worldwide, a global, member-owned network of independent recruiters built around split fee placements. Learn more about NPA Worldwide: https://npaworldwide.com Mark Whitby: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markwhitby/ The Resilient Recruiter: https://www.recruitmentcoach.com/podcast/
• How a Solo Recruiter Went From Running a Bakery to Billing $100K a Month 25.06.2026 1h 16m

  Michael Chambers didn't come into recruitment through the usual route. Before becoming a recruiter, he spent eight years running a bakery with his mother in Charlotte, North Carolina. Then his father passed away from cancer, leaving behind a recruiting business that had barely gotten started. Michael decided to take it over despite having no recruiting experience. A few years later, after navigating Covid, relocating across the country, and completely changing niches, Michael relaunched his business in manufacturing and battery recruitment across the Southeast United States. By month two, he was billing $100,000 a month as a solo recruiter. His business development strategy is unlike anything we've featured on the podcast before. Michael combines the Dream 100 methodology with personalized market intelligence reports, handwritten notes, LinkedIn videos, voice messages, phone calls, and in-person visits. In one campaign discussed on the show, 25 personalized mailers generated 15 responses and 10 booked conversations. He even shows up at target companies with cakes featuring their logo printed in icing. In this conversation, Michael breaks down exactly how the system works, why he went all-retained after Covid, how he built a niche in the Southeast Battery Belt, and why giving away value before asking for anything has become the foundation of his business. What You'll Learn • How Michael went from bakery owner to a six-figure monthly recruiting desk • Why he switched to a retained-only business model • The complete Dream 100 campaign and follow-up sequence • How personalized market intelligence reports open doors with target clients • Why physical mail still works in a digital world • How AI helps him create highly customized reports efficiently • The thinking behind his two-year replacement guarantee • How he became known as a specialist in battery manufacturing recruitment Timestamps [1:24] Michael's unusual route into recruitment [8:23] Taking over his father's recruiting business [15:21] Starting in 2019 and navigating Covid [17:47] Going all-retained and becoming more selective [21:51] Sending market intelligence before pitching anything [28:14] Relocating and relaunching in the Battery Belt [29:38] Billing $100K/month from month two as a solo recruiter [39:28] Why physical mailers outperform digital outreach [47:22] Dream 100 campaign breakdown: 25 mailers, 15 responses, 10 conversations [53:09] Showing up unannounced with a logo-printed cake [58:59] Inside a 30-page market intelligence report [1:00:38] The two-year replacement guarantee About Michael Chambers Michael Chambers is the founder of The Chambers Group, a retained search firm focused on manufacturing, operations, aerospace, and semiconductor recruitment across the Southeast United States. He entered recruitment in 2019 after taking over the business his father had started before his passing. Today, he specializes in helping manufacturing organizations hire critical leadership and operational talent across the Southeast Battery Belt. Connect with Mark Whitby Free Strategy Session: recruitmentcoach.com/strategy-session 7-Figure Freedom Scorecard: recruitmentcoach.com/scorecard LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/mwhitby Instagram: @RecruitmentCoach
• How to Build a Recruitment Business That Runs Without You, with David Jenyns 19.06.2026 50m

  David Jenyns had 15 people on his team when he realized his business still couldn't function without him. Every client wanted him personally. Every escalation came back to him. He was working long hours and couldn't switch off. When he thought about taking time off to be present for the birth of his first child, it filled him with anxiety rather than excitement. "It was a little bit scary when I realized, hey, if I'm not working, the business isn't working." David is the founder of SYSTEMology, a three-times bestselling author of Authority Content, SYSTEMology, and Systems Champion, and a TEDx speaker. He has built and exited multiple businesses and, in 2016, systemized himself out of Melbourne SEO Services by documenting the business, hiring a CEO, and stepping away from day-to-day operations. He has since personally coached 223 businesses across 48 industries and 27 countries. In this conversation, David and Mark explore why founder dependency is so common in recruitment businesses, why it often gets rewarded in the early stages, and how agency owners can break the cycle. David explains the Critical Client Flow, the knowledgeable worker concept, the Systems Champion role, and why documented processes have become even more valuable in the age of AI. In this episode: Why the traits that help build a recruitment business can eventually limit its growth The Critical Client Flow and how to identify the systems that matter most How to distinguish between the work that requires your expertise and the work that doesn't Why key person dependency creates risk beyond just the founder How to capture the knowledge inside your team's heads before it walks out the door The Systems Champion role and how it drives systemization from within How AI can turn recordings into first-draft process documentation Why businesses with documented processes are getting the most out of AI right now What happened when ChatGPT disrupted a quarter of David's business almost overnight Episode Highlights [2:08] Why David's agency became dependent on him despite having 15 team members [4:15] The catalyst: finding out his wife was pregnant [9:03] Why founder dependency gets rewarded in the early stages [13:16] Systemize everything around the magic [19:58] The Critical Client Flow: where to start [25:32] The knowledgeable worker concept [27:41] The Systems Champion role [38:40] Building a Systems Hub for your intellectual property [47:03] How ChatGPT disrupted David's business overnight [49:06] Why process documentation is now the foundation for AI adoption About David Jenyns David Jenyns is the founder of SYSTEMology and a three-times bestselling author. His books, Authority Content, SYSTEMology, and Systems Champion, have been endorsed by Michael Gerber, Gino Wickman, and Allan Dib. A TEDx speaker and serial entrepreneur, he has personally coached 223 businesses across 48 industries and 27 countries. He also hosts the podcast Business Processes Simplified and runs systemHUB, a platform for business process documentation. Connect with David: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/david-jenyns SYSTEMology: systemology.com systemHUB: systemhub.com Podcast Partner Recruiterflow is an AI-first ATS and CRM built for modern recruitment agencies. Book a demo: recruitmentcoach.com/recruiterflow Free Resources Seven Figure Freedom Scorecard: recruitmentcoach.com/scorecard Free Strategy Session: recruitmentcoach.com/strategy-session Connect with Mark Free 30-minute strategy call: www.recruitmentcoach.com/strategy-session LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/mwhitby Twitter: @MarkWhitby Instagram: @RecruitmentCoach Subscribe to The Resilient Recruiter: https://plinkhq.com/i/1489513354
• The Pros and Cons of Building a Recruitment Business in Dubai | Louise Vine 10.06.2026 1h 11m

  Dubai attracts recruiters from all over the world. Louise Vine has spent the last 18 years learning how the market really works. Louise is the founder of Inspire Selection, a specialist finance and accounting recruitment firm based in Dubai. Over the last 13 years, she has built a fully remote business operating on a commission-only model while navigating a market where fee pressure is intense, cultural differences shape every interaction, and jobs can disappear without warning. Last year, 70% of Louise's assignments were either canceled or put on hold. Louise covers the challenges that catch Western recruiters off guard, why agencies charging 8% fees have changed client expectations, and how she introduced engagement fees to protect her team's time. She also explains how her commission-only model works, why only a small percentage of recruiters are suited to it, and what she has learned about hiring, accountability, and building culture in a fully remote business. If you're considering Dubai, exploring commission-only recruitment, or looking for a different way to build a recruitment business, this episode is worth your time. In this episode: How Louise went from Robert Half in the UK to building a recruitment business in Dubai What recruiters need to understand about the realities of the UAE market Why nationality-based salary bands still exist in some organizations How fee pressure impacts recruitment firms across Dubai Why 70% of Louise's jobs went on hold or were canceled last year The engagement fee strategy that changed client behavior The pros and cons of a commission-only recruitment business How to manage performance without micromanaging Building culture and accountability in a remote team Episode Highlights: 00:00 Intro 02:17 Growing up in Yorkshire and how it shaped Louise's resilience 15:51 The Facebook photos that convinced Louise to move to Dubai 17:25 Becoming top biller in her first quarter in Dubai 22:37 Nationality-based salary bands and what they mean for recruiters 27:06 Why 70% of jobs went on hold and how the engagement fee changed things 37:43 The commission-only model: 60-80% payouts, fully remote, no base salary 44:07 The hidden cost of commission-only, most owners don't see coming 46:18 How Louise manages performance without micromanaging 56:30 Why finding the right person for a commission-only model is harder than it sounds 1:03:07 How Louise builds team culture with everyone working from home About Louise Vine Louise Vine is the founder of Inspire Selection, a specialist finance and accounting recruitment agency based in Dubai. She moved to Dubai from England 18 years ago and launched Inspire Selection 13 years ago. Today she leads a team of nine billers and three support staff, all working remotely on a commission-only model. Connect with Louise: Louise on LinkedIn, inspireselection.com Podcast Partners Recruiterflow is an AI-first ATS and CRM built for modern recruitment firms. Find email addresses and phone numbers directly from LinkedIn profiles and manage your entire recruitment workflow in one platform. Book a demo: recruitmentcoach.com/recruiterflow Free Resources: Take the Recruitment Freedom Scorecard: recruitmentcoach.com/scorecard Book a free Strategy Session with Mark: recruitmentcoach.com/strategy-session Connect with Mark Whitby LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/mwhitby Instagram: @RecruitmentCoach Subscribe to The Resilient Recruiter for weekly interviews with recruitment business owners and search firm leaders.
• How to 10X Your Recruiting Productivity with AI, with Rich Rosen 03.06.2026 1h 4m

  Rich Rosen is having a strong year. But he's quick to point out that it hasn't come easily. In his words, he's working twice as hard for those results. Rich has completed more than 1,200 placements, been recognized by Forbes as one of America's Top 50 Recruiters for seven consecutive years, and continues to bill over $1 million annually. He also spends more time testing recruiting technology than almost anyone in the industry. Yet despite all the AI tools available today, Rich still spends four to six hours a day speaking with clients and candidates. His concern is that many recruiters are approaching AI the wrong way. Either they use it as a distraction, spending core hours building automations instead of talking to people. Or they save time with AI and then fail to reinvest that time into the activities that actually generate revenue. Rich's view is simple: AI should help recruiters become more productive. The real question is what you do with the time it gives back. In this conversation, Rich shares how he runs his desk in 2025, what's in his tech stack, why disciplined phone time still matters, and what he's learned from producing results in a market he describes as genuinely tough. In this episode: Why are many recruiters getting distracted by AI rather than becoming more productive because of it The one question every recruiter should ask after saving time with automation Rich's current tech stack: Pin.com, Ren Systems, Cluely, Gemini Deep Research, and more How he plans his day the night before, so he's calling from minute one Why does he fire bad clients even in a difficult market and what happens when he does How to identify the clients worth keeping and the ones worth walking away from What the Pinnacle Society conference revealed about where the market really is right now Episode highlights:  [10:03] Why perseverance was the dominant theme at Pinnacle Miami [11:46] Rich's take on AI hype and what companies are actually doing with it [17:57] Why recruiters burn out from underappreciation, not hard work [21:29] How to identify the clients worth keeping and the ones worth walking away from [32:44] The mistake recruiters make after saving time with AI [35:18] His current tech stack and the tools generating the most value [46:38] How AI has changed the workflow of a million-dollar desk [54:17] Why he still spends four to six hours a day on the phone [59:57] Is AI making recruiters more productive or just creating new distractions? About Rich Rosen: Rich Rosen is the founder of Cornerstone Search Group and one of the most accomplished recruiters in the technology sector. Over the course of his career, he has completed more than 1,200 placements and been recognized by Forbes as one of America's Top 50 Recruiters for seven consecutive years. Rich specializes in software sales, sales leadership, sales engineering, and executive-level searches for technology companies ranging from startups to enterprise organizations. He is also a longtime member of the Pinnacle Society, the premier consortium of top-performing recruiters in North America. Connect with Rich: Rich Rosen on LinkedIn Cornerstone Search Group Connect with Mark: Free 30-minute strategy call: www.recruitmentcoach.com/strategy-session/ Mark on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/mwhitby Instagram: @RecruitmentCoach
• How to Win New Clients with Personalised Video, with Sam Johnstone 27.05.2026 1h 14m

  Sam Johnstone has never worked for a recruitment agency. He spent three and a half years selling video technology to agency owners. Then he decided to go and do it himself. Four years in, he has a portfolio of repeat clients and inbound leads from LinkedIn. All built from a cabin on the Scottish coast with a few thousand pounds in the bank. Sam is the founder of Real Recruit, a specialist sales recruitment firm based in Glasgow. He built his entire business around video - using it to prospect for new clients, market roles, screen candidates, and deliver shortlists. It's his single biggest differentiator for winning clients over every other agency they're talking to. In this episode, Sam breaks down his complete video process from first outreach to final shortlist. He explains how a 30-second personalised video and a five-minute callback rule consistently gets prospects to take his call. He explains how filming video job adverts inside client offices builds relationships that standard agencies can't match. And he shares the hiring day model that compresses weeks of interviews into a single afternoon. Sam also covers the harder lessons. A hiring day that cost him money. A client who took 180 days to pay. The payment term changes he made after that. And the monthly recurring revenue model he built to create more predictable income. In this episode you'll discover: The 30-second video formula that gets cold prospects to pick up the phone Why Sam sends personalised videos to multiple decision makers at the same company on the same day How filming a video job advert on-site at a client's office wins repeat business The hiring day model and how to run one Why a client who haggles on your deposit is a red flag How Sam rebuilt his payment terms after a client took 180 days to pay How Clay, SourceWhale, and Claude Cowork replaced LinkedIn Recruiter in his tech stack Episode highlights: [1:18] What a video-first recruitment agency actually means [15:15] The BD routine: personalized videos, watch notifications, calling within five minutes [17:54] The 30-second video formula [22:29] How a Rangers fan story turned into Sam's first big retainer [25:16] Why Sam works on deposit - and what clients receive in return [32:42] The hiring day model explained [43:55] The hiring day that cost Sam money and what he learned [49:32] Getting paid 180 days late - and the changes that followed [1:08:16] Clay, SourceWhale, and Claude Cowork replacing LinkedIn Recruiter If your outreach isn't getting responses, this episode will give you a completely different approach to winning clients. Connect with Sam: LinkedIn: Sam Johnstone Website: realrecruit.co.uk Connect with Mark: Free strategy session: recruitmentcoach.com/strategy-session Mark on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/mwhitby Instagram: @RecruitmentCoach
• How to Choose the Right Recruitment Tech and Avoid Wasting Money on Tools, with Nitin Sharma 20.05.2026 1h 7m

  Recruitment business owners are being pitched new tools every single day. Most of it gets bought based on fear of missing out, not because there is a real problem that needs solving. Nitin Sharma is the founder of Rectools IO, an independent directory of recruitment technology, and the host of Rectalk, the most followed recruitment podcast on YouTube with over 100,000 subscribers. He speaks to more recruitment technology companies than almost anyone in the industry while staying completely independent. Before all of that, Nitin built a recruitment agency to 15 people and close to 5 million pounds in revenue. Then it failed. Sitting with an insolvency practitioner, being asked why he did not know the answers to basic questions about his own business, was the moment that shaped everything he does now. In this episode, Nitin shares why most recruitment businesses are buying technology in the wrong order, how to work out what you actually need, and the one question every business owner should ask before spending anything on new tools. You will hear why your business finances almost always mirror your personal finances, the three conversations to have before buying any new tool, how to audit what you already own before spending anything new, and why a CRM with strong back office functionality is the one thing every recruitment business genuinely needs, regardless of size or model. Nitin also breaks down where AI will genuinely replace recruitment work first, how to spot a GPT in a wrapper before you buy it, and why legacy recruitment software is under more threat than most people realize. Episode highlights: 2:19 Building to close to 5 million pounds in revenue and the collapse in December 2023 6:17 The real reasons the agency failed 15:56 Why business finances mirror personal finances 25:47 How Rectools IO and Rectalk became the industry's biggest YouTube channel 31:13 What recruitment business owners should be doing on LinkedIn 46:47 Why legacy recruitment software is under threat 48:10 The recruitment work AI will automate first 49:06 How to spot a GPT in a wrapper 50:53 The one question to ask before buying any recruitment tool 53:38 How to check what you already have before spending anything new 59:48 Why a CRM is the one non-negotiable Connect with Nitin: LinkedIn: Nitin Sharma Website: rectools.io YouTube: Rectalk Podcast Connect with Mark: Free strategy call: recruitmentcoach.com/strategy-session Seven Figure Freedom Scorecard: recruitmentcoach.com/scorecard Mark on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/mwhitby Instagram: @RecruitmentCoach
• How to Build a £25M Recruitment Firm Without Chasing Headcount, with Michelle Lownie 11.05.2026 1h 3m

  Adding more people is how you grow a recruitment firm. Michelle Lownie spent years believing it. Then she watched it go wrong. Michelle is the CEO and co-founder of Eden Scott, one of Scotland's leading recruitment firms. She started in recruitment in 1989, filing documents and making tea at Melville Craig on a six-week summer contract. She stayed 15 years. In 2003, she co-founded Eden Scott alongside Guy Martin and Chris Logue. Today, Eden Scott generates approximately £25 million in annual revenue with 38 consultants across Edinburgh, Aberdeen, and Glasgow. At its peak, the business had nearly 70 people. In this episode, Michelle talks through what it took to rebuild around a smaller, higher-performing team - and how that decision changed everything about how the business runs today. She covers the hiring process Eden Scott uses to find recruiters who don't need managing, why they've stayed on the 360 model for 23 years while everyone else splits desks, and what keeps recruiters at Eden Scott for years in an industry known for high turnover. She also shares what the last 18 months have looked like on the ground in Scotland - and why relationship-led recruitment still matters more than ever. In this episode, you'll learn: How Eden Scott rebuilt from 70 people down to 38 - and what changed How COVID became an opportunity to rebuild around the right people The hiring process - including why interviewers never discuss candidates between stages What Michelle is actually looking for when she makes a hiring decision How their commission and retention structure works, including sabbaticals at 5, 10, and 15 years How the 360 full-desk model still produces a £25 million business What consistent business development actually looks like in practice Episode highlights: [13:39] How COVID forced a complete rethink of the business [17:51] Why Michelle has no interest in scaling back to 70 people [26:29] Why Eden Scott has stayed on the 360 model while others split desks [35:30] The hiring process - and why interviewers don't discuss candidates between stages [45:11] The retention strategies that keep consultants at Eden Scott for years [52:18] Why good recruiters don't need to be pushed This episode is sponsored by Recruiterflow - an AI-first ATS and CRM built for recruiters who want to spend less time on admin and more time on relationships. See it in action at recruitmentcoach.com/recruiterflow. About Michelle Lownie: Michelle Lownie is the CEO and co-founder of Eden Scott, one of Scotland's leading recruitment firms with annual revenue of approximately £25 million. She began her career in 1989 at Melville Craig and co-founded Eden Scott in 2003 alongside Guy Martin and Chris Logue. The firm operates across Edinburgh, Aberdeen, and Glasgow with 38 consultants. Connect with Michelle: LinkedIn: Michelle Lownie Website: edenscott.com Connect with Mark: Free 30-minute strategy session: recruitmentcoach.com/strategy-session Mark on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/markwhitby Follow on Instagram: @RecruitmentCoach
• How to Source Candidates on Autopilot Using Pin.com, with Steve Lu 30.04.2026 1h 34m

  Sourcing frustration is usually diagnosed as a volume problem. Not enough candidates in the funnel. Not enough searches. Not enough outreach. Steven Lu thinks it's the opposite problem. Steven is the co-founder and CEO of Pin.com and the founder of Interseller, a recruiting outreach platform that helped place over 40,000 candidates before being acquired by Greenhouse in 2021. After two years inside Greenhouse studying the top of the recruiting funnel, he launched PIN to solve a specific, persistent problem: the candidates most worth finding are the ones current sourcing tools miss. In this episode, Steven explains why 30% of top talent is essentially invisible in LinkedIn searches. He breaks down how PIN's shadow resume technology rebuilds candidate profiles from external data to surface people who've never described themselves online. He also shares the outreach approach that generates 30 to 40% response rates, the exact sequence he recommends (3 emails and 2 LinkedIn touches), and the four most common mistakes that quietly destroy deliverability. The bigger picture matters for every recruiter working in an increasingly noisy market. The era of high-volume outreach is coming to an end. Email providers are measuring engagement signals. Spam filters are getting sharper. The recruiters who win over the next two or three years will be the ones who source fewer candidates, make each one count, and treat every outreach like it's going to the one person who can fill the role. This is a practical conversation about what's changing in sourcing and how to address it. In this episode, you'll learn: Why the most qualified candidates rarely appear in standard keyword searches How PIN's shadow resume makes unfindable candidates findable What PIN's autopilot mode does and how to set it up with just two inputs Why you should cap your outreach sequence at five steps The four most damaging outreach mistakes recruiters make Why including a Google Doc link beats pasting the job description every time How to structure omnichannel outreach across email and LinkedIn Why the top 1% of billers operate from a very short candidate Rolodex Episode highlights: [3:49] From Interseller to Greenhouse to PIN - Steven's journey [9:34] The talent curve: why top candidates don't show up in search [13:36] PIN's North Star KPI: 7 out of 10 candidates accepted [27:32] Autopilot mode: 50 candidates sourced for you every weekday [37:34] Why volume sourcing is running out of road [44:57] The four outreach mistakes killing your response rates [49:50] The 5-step sequence Steven recommends [1:04:12] How the top 1% of billers think about their candidate pipeline Guest bio: Steven Lu is the co-founder and CEO of Pin.com. He previously founded Interseller, which helped place over 40,000 candidates before being acquired by Greenhouse in 2021. He spent two years at Greenhouse before launching PIN in December 2024. Steven is based in Brooklyn, New York. Connect with Steven: Pin.com - book a free demo or start a free trial Connect with Mark: Free 30-minute strategy session: recruitmentcoach.com/strategy-session Mark on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/mwhitby Follow on Instagram: @RecruitmentCoach
• He Lost His $2.5M Practice and Built Something Clients Have Never Seen, with Darwin Shurig 23.04.2026 1h 10m

  What does it take to build a search process that has a VP of HR saying they've never seen anything like it? Darwin Shurig built a $2.5 million medtech recruiting firm with $1.2 million in personal production. Then in one quarter, eight of his nine top clients stopped using external recruiters. Revenue collapsed. His team disappeared. His 17-year marriage ended in the same period. What he built on the other side changed how he runs every search. His process replaces the standard job description with a short video interview between the recruiter and the hiring manager. Qualified candidates see the role in the manager's own words before a single formal interview is scheduled. On the hiring side, the manager receives the candidate's personal why on video, written samples, and personality profiling. Both sides walk into the first conversation already informed. A VP of HR, after seeing it, told Darwin his firm had just paid $97,000 for an executive search and received resumes and scheduling. "We didn't get anything like this." In this episode, Darwin breaks down the collapse, the lessons, and the process he built from scratch — including two specific things every recruiter can use this week with no software required. In this episode, you'll discover: Why eight of nine clients can vanish in one quarter and what it exposes about your business model The three root causes of underperformance most agency owners never diagnose Why personal why has to match company why when hiring, or it breaks when things get hard How a hiking idea became a platform that's changing how retained search is delivered The hiring manager video that replaces the job description and why candidates respond differently "How Darwin's process consistently delivers results that clients say they've never experienced before Two things you can apply this week with whatever tools you already have Episode highlights: 0:00 Intro 1:41 How Darwin built a $2.5M firm, then lost it 5:43 Eight of nine clients stop overnight 11:16 What the collapse taught him 22:05 The hedgehog lesson: too many projects, not enough oxygen 28:15 Why misaligned values break down when things get hard 36:39 Managing your own business vs. someone else's money 40:48 The expectation failure: "Nobody ever told me." 44:22 The hike that became a platform idea 47:48 Inside Top Talent Accelerant: the hiring manager video 53:59 How the platform is being commercialized 1:05:54 The $97K fee moment 1:11:20 Two things you can use this week Guest bio: Darwin Shurig is the founder of Top Talent Accelerant, a medical device and medtech executive search firm. He built the firm to $2.5 million in revenue with $1.2 million in personal production before a sector-wide downturn in 2023 disrupted the business. He is a Pinnacle Society member, author of Modern Day Job, an Amazon bestseller published in 2024, and is currently writing a second book on talent management strategy. Connect with Darwin: Email: darwin@toptalentaccelerant.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/darwin-shurig/ Website: https://www.toptalentaccelerant.com/ Connect with Mark: Free 30-minute strategy session: recruitmentcoach.com/strategy-session Mark on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/mwhitby Instagram: @RecruitmentCoach
• $28 Million Recruiter Reveals His Daily Habits After 44 Years 16.04.2026 1h 14m

  He nearly quit after 7 months. Zero placements. Nothing working. He packed his things into a cardboard box, walked toward the door, and heard his colleagues talking about him behind his back. What they said stopped him. He turned around, sat back down, and made two placements by the end of that week. That was 1982. He never left. In this episode, Rich breaks down the daily habits behind 44 years of consistent billings. He’s used the handwritten planner for nearly 40 years. Why does he track talk time instead of call volume? And the old-school business development strategy most recruiters have abandoned. Rich is the founder of Team Bradley and a Pinnacle Society member for nearly 30 years. He’s billed $28 million personally. At 67, working solo alongside his wife, he’s still going strong. This isn’t about talent. It’s about cadence, commitment, and building a career you actually want to keep. If you’re wondering whether you can sustain this long term, this episode will change how you think about the business. Resources Mentioned 👉 Find out exactly where your recruitment business is getting stuck. Take the free 7-Figure Freedom Scorecard in under 10 minutes: https://recruitmentcoach.com/scorecard Sponsors 👉 Same team, same market — but 30% more productive. Recruiterflow is an AI-first ATS and CRM built for recruitment agencies and search firms. Book a demo: https://recruitmentcoach.com/recruiterflow 👉 One 30-minute session per month gives you 30 days of LinkedIn video content — fully edited and ready to post. Built for busy recruiters: https://recruitmentcoach.com/video What You'll Learn Chapters 00:00:00 Introduction 00:00:59 44 years in recruiting and $28 million billed — he nearly quit after 7 months 00:05:10 Growing up with abusive, alcoholic parents and running away from home at 15 00:06:21 The voice that drove him for years: "You're never going to amount to anything." 00:17:08 Six months with no placements, and the manager who refused to let him quit 00:19:38 The cardboard box moment, what he overheard walking out the door 00:21:33 Two placements in one week and what total commitment actually looks like 00:25:15 Success is cadence, not luck, the daily planning habit he's used for 40 years 00:32:09 Filling jobs versus placing applicants: the philosophy behind a client-driven business 00:39:02 Why he measures talk time, not call volume, and his daily target 00:42:22 Why reference checks are his primary business development strategy 00:53:25 Polite, professional, persistent, and why that's enough 00:56:18 The cancer diagnosis that reshaped everything and why it happened twice 01:10:28 Still targeting $600K-$700K a year, working solo, at 67 About The Resilient Recruiter The Resilient Recruiter is hosted by Mark Whitby and is one of the top recruiting podcasts in the world, with over 520,000 downloads across 34 countries. Every week, Mark interviews recruitment agency owners, executive search leaders, and top billers to uncover what's actually working in today's market. Connect with Rich Bradley LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richbradley/ Team Bradley website: https://teambradley.com/ Connect with Mark Whitby Free 30-minute strategy call: https://recruitmentcoach.com/strategy-session/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mwhitby/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/recruitmentcoach/ 👍 Subscribe if you’re serious about building a recruitment career that actually lasts.
• She Lost Everything in 2008. Then Built a Recruiting Firm with a 94% Retention Rate 09.04.2026 1h 4m

  Carol Ann Wentworth lost her business, her home, and nearly everything she owned in 2008. Within 10 days of clarifying her next step, three recruiting firms reached out. She had a job offer in two weeks. That same clarity is what built Wentworth Executive Recruiting into a ten-year retained practice with a 94% retention rate. She made 48 placements with one Silicon Valley client and supported their growth through to IPO. She works with five core clients. Two keep her consistently busy. That's the model. In this episode, Carol Ann breaks down the exact process behind her retention rate, the mindset framework she used to rebuild after losing everything, and what a sustainable recruiting practice actually looks like after 35 years in executive search. This is a different way to build a recruitment business. If you're building one and wondering whether scaling is the only path to success, this is worth your time. What you'll learn: • Why Carol Ann sends three candidates per search instead of thirty, and what that demands upfront • The two-hour candidate interview process that produces a 94% retention rate • How she uses social media screening to assess candidates beyond the CV • The clarity, commitment, and consistency framework she used to rebuild after the 2008 crash • The difference between ego and confidence — and why it matters when everything falls apart • What a sustainable retained practice looks like after ten years • Why scaling isn't the only model for a successful recruiting business Timestamps: Chapters 00:00:00 Intro 00:03:54 From international modeling agency founder at 26 to executive search 00:06:00 Relationships and curiosity: the foundations of early success 00:14:40 The mindful recruiting methodology and what real listening looks like 00:15:39 A 94% retention rate and the process that produces it 00:17:00 The two-hour candidate interview: what she asks and what she's listening for 00:21:01 Social media screening: what Carol Ann looks for and why 00:26:15 Ten-year anniversary of Wentworth Executive Recruiting and the 2008 crash that came first 00:35:14 Losing a business, a home, and nearly everything and landing a job in two weeks 00:38:50 Ego vs. confidence: why the distinction matters in a crisis 00:41:04 Clarity, commitment, consistency the framework she used to rebuild 00:55:36 A Mindful Career: how the book came about Listen to the full episode: https://recruitmentcoach.com/podcast/ Resources Mentioned 👉 Take the 7-Figure Recruitment Business Scorecard — get a clear snapshot of where you are today and what to focus on next: https://recruitmentcoach.com/scorecard A Mindful Career by Carol Ann and Eric Wentworth — available on Amazon Sponsors Recruiterflow — your team is sitting on a goldmine of candidate and client insights. Most of it gets lost after the call. Recruiterflow captures, transcribes, and structures those conversations automatically so you can actually use that data: https://recruitmentcoach.com/recruiterflow Trusted Voice Video — if you want clients coming to calls already sold on working with you, video is one of the fastest ways to get there. Create 30 days of content in just 30 minutes, no scripts or awkward takes. Book a call: https://recruitmentcoach.com/video Connect with Carol Ann Wentworth: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolannwentworth Website: https://wentworthexecutiverecruiting.co Connect with Mark Whitby: Free 30-minute strategy session: https://recruitmentcoach.com/strategy-session/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mwhitby/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/recruitmentcoach/ 👍 Subscribe for weekly interviews with recruiters and search firm leaders building businesses that last. #ExecutiveSearch #RecruitmentBusiness #RecruitmentPodcast #RetainedSearch #RecruiterMindset #RecruitmentAgency #RecruiterSuccess #RecruitmentStrategy #RecruitmentCoach #HowToRecruit #RecruitmentTips #SearchFirm
• How She Wins $100K Placements (Without Chasing Volume) 01.04.2026 1h 6m

  What if your next placement paid $100,000… …but took two years to close? Most recruiters, especially in contingency recruiting or running a recruitment agency, wouldn’t go near that model. Darci Smith built her entire business around it. She specializes in moving financial advisors between firms, often transferring hundreds of millions in assets. These are high-stakes, long-cycle deals where trust matters more than speed. In this episode, Darci breaks down how she makes it work. From charging a $5,000 upfront fee, to building a social following that generated $150K in year one, to positioning herself so clients find her through AI search. This is a different way to build a recruitment business. Slower deals. Bigger fees. Stronger relationships. What You’ll Learn Chapters 00:00:00 Why $100K placements take years to close 00:04:09 How Darci got into recruiting 00:09:01 Becoming a top biller through in-person meetings 00:14:25 Choosing a niche with no prior experience 00:18:43 Starting her business with cold calling 00:24:49 How financial advisor transition fees work 00:31:01 Building a 300K+ social following 00:32:16 Making $150K from career coaching 00:44:35 The power of niching down 00:47:35 How she gets found on ChatGPT 00:49:49 The $5K upfront “contained” model 00:55:39 Staying involved after the placement This episode is brought to you by: Recruiterflow — an AI-first ATS and CRM that monitors your database and alerts you when contacts change jobs. Book a demo: https://recruitmentcoach.com/recruiterflow Trusted Voice Video — a done-for-you video service that helps you create 30 days of content in just 30 minutes a month. Book a free strategy call: https://recruitmentcoach.com/video Connect with Mark Whitby: * Free 30-minute strategy session: recruitmentcoach.com/strategy-session * Free scorecard: recruitmentcoach.com/scorecard * Mark on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/markwhitby * Follow on Instagram: @RecruitmentCoach 👍 If you found this episode useful, subscribe for weekly interviews with top recruitment business owners and search firm leaders. #recruitment #recruiter #executivesearch #recruitmentbusiness #staffing #recruitmentpodcast #recruitmentcoach #sales #b2b
• Why This Recruiter Stopped Scaling His $4M Firm and What He's Doing Instead 25.03.2026 1h 10m

  He built a $4M recruitment firm. Then chose not to scale it. Seb Sharpe grew Inventure to $4 million in seven years. Profitable every quarter. Retained and exclusive from day one. A clear niche in renewable energy. Then he made a move most agency owners avoid. Instead of hiring more recruiters and scaling headcount, he started building a platform for what comes next. In this episode of The Resilient Recruiter, Seb breaks down the KPI that made revenue predictable, how to qualify roles so clients stay accountable, and why he believes the recruitment industry is shifting toward more independent, entrepreneurial recruiters. If you own a recruitment agency or executive search firm and want to build more predictable revenue, win more retained clients, and understand where the recruitment industry is heading, this conversation is worth your time. Seb covers how to grow a recruitment business sustainably, the retained search strategy behind Inventure's consistent profitability, and how AI is reshaping recruitment agency operations right now. *What You'll Learn in This Episode* Chapters 00:00:00 Intro 00:02:38 How Seb built a $1M business in year one 00:09:33 Why niching into renewable energy changed everything 00:13:34 The imposter syndrome behind early growth 00:15:05 The academy model for hiring and training 00:22:44 Landing a $30K retainer on day one 00:31:29 The KPI that predicts your revenue 00:33:51 How to calculate the value of a first-time interview 00:36:27 Why most recruiters lose control of searches 00:44:06 Why Seb is building Generate 00:53:26 The EXP Realty model and the future of recruiting 00:58:27 How AI is changing mid-funnel execution 01:09:57 Mark's key takeaways Subscribe for weekly interviews with top recruitment leaders. *Resources and Links* Not sure what's slowing your agency's growth? Take the free Recruitment Scorecard: https://recruitmentcoach.com/scorecard Recruiterflow (Sponsor): The AI-first operating system for recruitment agencies and executive search firms. https://recruitmentcoach.com/recruiterflow Trusted Voice Video: Build stronger candidate pipelines and improve screening with video. #recruitment #recruiter #executivesearch #staffing #recruitmentbusiness #recruitmentagency #aiinrecruitment #headhunting #recruiterlife
• From Zero to $400K: How He Rebuilt a Recruitment Business 19.03.2026 1h 22m

  From $400K to Zero. Then nothing for six months. Harrison Wright launched his recruitment business and billed nearly $400,000 in his first six months. Then the market turned. Hiring froze. Searches disappeared. He was burning $30,000 a month just to stay afloat. Most recruiters would respond by doing more. More calls. More CVs. More pressure. He did exactly that. It didn’t work. So he rebuilt the business. Today, he runs a retained model with an interview-to-placement ratio of over 2:1 and clients worth more than $350,000 over time. After shifting into institutional crypto, he’s on track for $1.2M to $1.6M in 2025. In this episode, we break down: * What actually changed after the crash * Why more activity wasn’t the answer * How he qualifies candidates before a CV gets sent * The process behind a 2:1 interview-to-placement ratio * Why he doesn’t pitch the job on the first call * How positioning attracts retained clients Timestamps Chapters 00:00:00 Intro 00:01:06 From zero to $400K in six months 00:01:21 The crash: no revenue and $30K monthly burn 00:09:26 Why the craft of recruiting has been lost 00:13:17 The 2.16-to-1 interview-to-placement ratio 00:15:14 The 90-minute candidate interview 00:21:37 Why pitching first creates problems later 00:27:14 Front-loading vs back-loading 00:35:42 Building positioning from scratch 00:45:50 Choosing the right clients 00:49:10 The institutional crypto pivot 01:00:46 What a retained proposal looks like Not sure what's slowing your agency's growth? Take the free Recruitment Scorecard: 👉 https://recruitmentcoach.com/scorecard Sponsors Recruiterflow is the AI-first operating system for recruitment agencies and executive search firms. It combines a powerful ATS and CRM with AI built directly into your workflows, helping your team focus on conversations and decisions while the system handles the heavy lifting. 👉 https://recruitmentcoach.com/recruiterflow Trusted Voice Video Trusted helps recruitment firms build high-quality candidate pipelines using video. If you're hiring or placing at scale, video can improve engagement, screening, and conversion. 👉 https://recruitmentcoach.com/video Listen to the full episode: https://recruitmentcoach.com/podcast/ 👍 Don’t forget to subscribe for more interviews with top recruitment leaders every week. #recruitment #recruitmentagency #executivesearch #recruitmentbusiness #recruitmentpodcast #recruitmentstrategy #staffing #recruiterlife
• Why This Recruitment Firm Guarantees Every Placement for 12 Months, with Jessica and Lewis 11.03.2026 1h 12m

  A 12-month guarantee on every placement. That's almost unheard of in recruitment. Most agencies offer three months. Some stretch to six. Lewis Waitt and Jessica Multhauf guarantee their hires for an entire year, and more than 90% of their placements are still in the role after 12 months. That level of confidence doesn't come from luck. It comes from a recruiting process built very differently from most agencies. Aliniti didn't start as a recruitment firm. It began as an HR and organizational development consultancy working closely with privately held and family-owned businesses. Recruiting came later, growing naturally from long-term advisory relationships with clients who needed help hiring. That consulting-first approach changes everything, from how they define the role, to how they run the search, to what happens after the candidate starts. In this episode, we break down: * Why Aliniti offers a 12-month guarantee on every placement * How their consulting background changed the way they recruit * The 90-minute role clarity session they run before every search * Why recruiters should stay involved long after the candidate starts * How multiple service lines create stability in a recruitment business * How long-term advisory relationships turn into consistent search work If you want to differentiate your recruitment firm and build deeper client partnerships, this episode shows how. *Timestamps* Chapters 00:00:00 Intro 00:03:09 How Aliniti started and why recruiting grew out of HR consulting 00:06:37 Lewis joins the firm as the founder's son-in-law 00:09:29 Jess's path from opera singer to recruitment leader 00:13:30 The "four-leg chair" business model 00:15:52 The retained HR model that stabilised the business 00:19:31 Why deep client knowledge improves search outcomes 00:28:24 The role clarity process before every search 00:33:49 Handling unrealistic salary expectations and "purple squirrel" briefs 00:38:56 Why Aliniti offers a 12-month guarantee 00:45:37 The onboarding process that improves retention 00:57:57 Vision for the next three years 01:01:00 Why the firm uses profit sharing instead of commission *Not sure what's slowing your agency's growth?* Take the free Seven Figure Freedom Scorecard: 👉 https://recruitmentcoach.com/scorecard Trusted Voice Video – build authority through consistent short-form content: 👉 https://recruitmentcoach.com/video *Sponsor* Recruiterflow – the AI-first operating system for recruitment agencies and executive search firms. Recruiterflow combines a powerful ATS and CRM with AI built directly into your workflows, helping recruiters focus on conversations and decisions while the system handles the heavy lifting. 👉 https://recruitmentcoach.com/recruiterflow *Resources Mentioned* Aliniti: https://www.aliniti.com Lewis Waitt: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lewiswaitt/ Jessica Multhauf: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jmulthauf/ 👍 Don't forget to subscribe for more interviews with top recruitment leaders every week. Your follow helps us reach more recruiters who want to build smarter, more profitable businesses. #RecruitmentPodcast #RecruitmentAgency #ExecutiveSearch #RecruitmentBusiness #RecruiterTraining #RecruitmentLeadership #HiringStrategy #RecruitmentGrowth #SearchFirm #RecruitmentSuccess
• How to Win Enterprise Clients and Turn One Deal Into Recurring Revenue | Brendan Thomas 04.03.2026 1h 7m

  One placement can be a transaction. Or it can be the start of a long-term enterprise relationship. Most recruiters treat it like the first. Brendan Thomas built his career on the second. He started recruiting at 36, got fired after his first $60,000 placement, and joined a new agency six months later with two clients. By the end of that year, he had built over $600,000 in billings. Six years later, he has generated more than $5 million in lifetime billings, averaged $1 million per year, and qualified for the CEO Club every quarter. In this episode, we break down: • How to win enterprise clients that most recruiters avoid • How to approach hiring managers before HR blocks you • The three responses you’ll get from Talent Acquisition - and how to handle each • How to expand one placement into long-term recurring revenue • What discipline actually looks like on a $1M desk If you want to move beyond one-off transactions and build strategic client relationships, this episode gives you the framework. Timestamps00:00 Intro Chapters 00:00:00 The $60K placement that got him fired 00:01:01 Restarting and billing $600K in six months 00:03:25 Starting recruitment at 36 00:10:53 Ignoring advice to avoid enterprise 00:23:16 Why enterprise accounts are harder and worth it 00:28:15 Going to hiring managers before HR 00:35:38 The three HR responses 00:54:15 Expanding accounts the right way 01:03:23 What "uptime" really means Not sure what’s slowing your agency’s growth? Take the free Seven Figure Freedom Scorecard: 👉 recruitmentcoach.com/scorecard Recruiterflow – the AI-first operating system built for recruitment agencies: 👉 recruitmentcoach.com/recruiterflow Trusted Voice Video – build authority through consistent short-form content: 👉 recruitmentcoach.com/video Resources MentionedHow to Get Access to Hiring Managers Without Alienating HR https://recruitmentcoach.com/how-to-get-access-to-hiring-managers-without-alienating-hr/ Recruiterflow - AI-first operating system for recruitment agencies https://www.recruitmentcoach.com/recruiterflow 👍 Subscribe for weekly conversations with elite recruitment business owners, search leaders, and top billers. Your follow helps us reach more recruiters who want to build smarter, more profitable businesses. #RecruitmentPodcast #RecruitmentAgency #RecruiterTraining #ExecutiveSearch #EnterpriseRecruiting #RecruitmentBusiness #MillionDollarBiller #RecruiterGrowth #BusinessDevelopment #RecruitmentStrategy
• The Real Reason Your Recruiters Aren’t Billing | Larissa Gerlach 27.02.2026 1h 14m

  I can’t keep making $40,000. That’s what Larissa Gerlach told her manager in year one of recruitment. She was making 200+ calls a week. Hitting the activity metrics. Doing everything she was told to do. And still unsure whether she would make it. Three years later, she was President’s Club. Soon after, the CFO of a private equity-backed recruiting firm emailed her: “What are you doing — and how do we replicate it across 25 offices?” That question became a national recruiter training programme. And it reveals a bigger truth: Most recruitment agencies believe in training. Very few build a system that consistently produces top billers. This episode answers one critical question: Why do most recruiter training programmes fail — even when activity is high? In this conversation, Larissa breaks down: • The 200-calls-per-week discipline that changed her trajectory • Why knowledge doesn’t translate into live performance • What a real training playbook looks like — from binder to LMS • Why daily role plays accelerate billings • The three reasons founders struggle to build structured training • Why cohort-based learning outperforms one-to-one onboarding • How to reduce ramp-up time and build $2M+ billers If you’re building a recruitment agency and want consultants billing faster, progressing quicker, and performing consistently, this is a masterclass in building performance systems. Chapters Chapters 00:00:00 Introduction 00:03:56 From fashion sales to recruitment after the 2009 recession 00:08:37 The $40,000 first year and the meeting where she nearly quit 00:12:35 Why most recruiters struggle in year one — and what actually starts to click 00:22:15 The 200-calls-per-week discipline that separated her from everyone else 00:25:25 “You always heard Larissa’s voice” — building momentum through visible activity 00:26:07 The CFO email that led to building a national sales training programme 00:28:17 What the playbook actually looked like — from three-ring binder to full LMS 00:35:51 Why daily role plays create elite performers 00:41:38 Why role plays aren’t just for new starters — they should run your entire career 00:44:14 The deliberate moves she made before launching her own firm 00:47:41 Why Vibrant Talent works retained and RPO only from day one 01:05:49 The three reasons most founders struggle to train their teams 01:10:29 Why group cohorts outperform one-on-one onboarding Resources & Tools Mentioned Want a structured 18-week recruiter training system for your team? 👉 recruitmentcoach.com/training Not sure what’s slowing your agency’s growth? Take the free Seven Figure Freedom Scorecard: 👉 recruitmentcoach.com/scorecard Recruiterflow – the AI-first operating system built for recruitment agencies: 👉 recruitmentcoach.com/recruiterflow Trusted Voice Video – build authority through consistent short-form content: 👉 recruitmentcoach.com/video Connect with LarissaLinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/larissagerlach Work With Mark Whitby Book a free strategy session: https://recruitmentcoach.com/strategy-session LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/mwhitby If you’re serious about building a high-performance recruitment business, subscribe for weekly conversations with elite agency owners, search leaders, and top billers. Each episode breaks down what actually drives billings, growth, and long-term resilience in recruitment. Your follow helps us reach more recruiters who want to build smarter, more profitable businesses.
• Why AI Has Made Recruitment Harder (Not Easier) | Greg Savage 18.02.2026 1h 7m

  AI in recruitment was supposed to make hiring faster, smarter, and more efficient. Greg Savage believes it has made recruitment harder. Fraud at scale. Inflated CVs. AI screening tools producing just 14% shortlist overlap. And automation that speeds up broken recruitment processes instead of fixing them. In Episode 300 of _The Resilient Recruiter,_ we break down AI in recruitment, the future of recruitment agencies, retained vs contingent recruitment, and what recruitment agency owners must do to stay relevant in an AI-driven market. Greg was my very first guest back in 2019. In 2023, he made a series of bold predictions about how AI would reshape recruitment. Two years later? Those predictions were “scarily accurate.” But in some areas, things have accelerated even faster than expected. Greg has built four recruitment businesses. He’s the author of _The Savage Truth_ (20,000+ copies sold). He’s spent five decades watching the recruitment and executive search industry evolve. His view? AI hasn’t simplified recruitment. It has raised the bar. Episode Timeline00:00 Intro Chapters 00:00:00 The biggest threat — and opportunity — in decades 00:02:14 Why the contingent, multi-listed perm model is under pressure 00:06:34 The 14% shortlist overlap test in AI screening 00:08:32 What “automating dysfunction” really means 00:26:20 The highest ROI AI opportunity for recruitment agencies 00:30:43 Four questions to ask before buying any AI tool 00:54:04 The rise of the “techno-empath” recruiter What You’ll Learn About AI in RecruitmentThis is a strategic conversation about recruitment agency growth, retained search, executive search, and how to scale a recruitment business in an AI-driven environment. Why AI Is Making Recruitment Harder• The 14% shortlist overlap between major AI screening tools • Research suggesting around 40% of tech candidates have inflated resumes • What “automating dysfunction” looks like in recruitment agencies • The four questions every recruitment business owner should ask before investing in AI Which Recruitment Models Will Survive• Why the contingent, multi-listed recruitment model is under pressure • Why retained search and executive search are positioned to grow • The recruitment business models likely to thrive over the next five years • Why recruiters must sell decision-making, not just placements What Recruitment Leaders Must Master Next• The highest ROI AI opportunity: activating and cleaning your recruitment database • Why “techno-empath” recruiters will win • The moments of truth in recruitment that must never be automated • The skills that will define high-performing recruiters in an AI-driven market Why Episode 300 MattersSix years ago, when I launched this recruitment podcast, Greg Savage was my very first guest. Since then, we’ve lived through a global pandemic, a hiring boom, a market correction, and now the fastest wave of AI adoption in recruitment. Episode 300 is less about tools — and more about leadership, positioning, and building a recruitment agency that stays relevant in a changing market. Greg SavageGreg Savage is the founder of four recruitment businesses and the author of two best-selling books, including _The Savage Truth._ He has spent five decades in recruitment and executive search and is widely regarded as one of the industry’s most direct voices on leadership and the future of work. Savage Recruitment Academy: https://thesra.co/ SponsorThis episode is proudly sponsored by Recruiterflow. Recruiterflow is an end-to-end, AI-first ecosystem built to run and scale your recruitment business. It combines ATS, CRM, sequencing, data enrichment, marketing automation, and AI agents in one platform. Many recruitment agency owners use Recruiterflow to improve visibility, accountability, and performance. Book a demo here: https://www.recruitmentcoach.com/recruiterflow If you run a recruitment agency, executive search firm, or staffing business and want to stay ahead of AI in recruitment, subscribe to _The Resilient Recruiter_ for weekly conversations with leading recruitment entrepreneurs.
• How to Win Retained Recruitment Work Without Pitching Harder, with James O'Brien 11.02.2026 1h 8m

  Why do some recruiters close retained work in a single meeting while others pitch for weeks and still lose to contingent competitors? In this episode of *The Resilient Recruiter,* Mark Whitby sits down with *James O’Brien,* Managing Director and COO at i-intro, to unpack what really separates recruiters who win retained and exclusive work from those stuck chasing job orders. James has been in recruitment since the late 1980s and has spent the last decade helping agencies transition from contingent recruitment to retained search. His clients consistently outperform the market, achieving *96% one-year retention* and *93% of placements still in role after two years.* This conversation isn’t about pitching harder or discounting fees. It’s about changing the _dynamic_ of the client conversation by reframing hiring around risk, retention, and accountability. If you’re tired of competing with multiple agencies for the same role and want clients to see you as a trusted advisor rather than a supplier, this episode will change how you run client meetings. What You’ll Learn in This Episode: * Why recruitment isn’t the real problem — retention is * The three questions that expose hidden hiring failure * How to justify higher fees by measuring retention * Why most recruiters lose retained work in the preparation, not the pitch * How to show value instead of describing your process * What accountability really looks like beyond the placement * Why retained work is won before you walk into the meeting Timestamps:00:00 Why most recruiters struggle to win retained work Chapters 00:00:00 Why transactional recruitment is dying 00:10:13 Recruitment’s not the problem. Retention is 00:13:34 How to measure retention and monetize better outcomes 00:18:00 The three questions that reveal a 20–30% hiring failure rate 00:32:23 Why “wow” should be your standard in client meetings 00:36:35 The preparation process that wins retained work 00:45:00 Why proposals still matter (and when to send them) 00:59:03 Accountability beyond the placement and why guarantees work *Listen to the full episode:* https://recruitmentcoach.com/podcast/ SponsorThis episode is brought to you by *Recruiterflow* — an end-to-end, AI-first recruitment platform that helps recruiters run and scale their business. Recruiterflow combines ATS, CRM, sequencing, data enrichment, marketing automation, and AI agents in one streamlined system. Learn more or request a demo at recruitmentcoach.com/recruiterflow 👍 *If you found this episode helpful, don't forget to subscribe for more interviews with top recruitment leaders every week.* Your follow helps us reach more recruiters who want to grow their business and win more retained work. *GUEST BIO* James O'Brien is the Managing Director and COO at i-intro. Since the late 1980s, he has worked across every part of the recruitment industry and now helps recruitment firms transition from contingent to retained and exclusive search. His work focuses on retention, accountability, and elevating recruiters from job fillers to trusted talent advisors.