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 Search02:02 – Kadeem's Journey in Recruitment05:17 – Why Money and Material Success Aren't Enough07:40 – Why Building Trust and Relationships Creates Long-Term Success09:22 – Understanding What Really Motivates Recruitment Consultants11:25 – Finding Your Bigger Purpose and What Drives You14:24 – Why Leaders Need to Understand Their Consultants18:33 – Understanding the Person Behind the Performance22:43 – Why Unethical Recruitment Practices Eventually Catch Up With You35:06 – Why Recruiters Need to Master Their Questions36:53 – Transactional Recruitment vs Building Long-Term Partnerships51:35 – The Two Components of Trust: Character & Competence59:05 – The Story Behind Demystifying Talent01:01:16 – Breaking Down the 5A Recruitment Framework01:03:35 – Why Kadeem Decided to Write His Book01:05:44 – Kadeem's Advice for Getting 1% Better in Recruitment🐋 Podcast Sponsor – SourceWhaleThis episode is sponsored by SourceWhale, the recruitment productivity platform I personally use and recommend to recruiters and founders.SourceWhale helps recruiters save time across outreach, sourcing, data enrichment, multi-step email and LinkedIn sequences, inbox management and call notes, giving recruiters more time to focus on the human side of recruitment.👉 Book a SourceWhale demo here: https://sourcewhale.com/book-demo/Mention The 1% Better Recruitment Podcast or my name, Charles Kyriakou, when you book.Connect with Kadeem:💻 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kadeem-houson-a5624646/🌐 Website: https://www.5arf.com/📖 Book: Demystifying Talent: The 5A Recruitment Frameworkhttps://www.amazon.co.uk/Demystifying-Talent-Five-Recruitment-Framework/dp/1806343665Connect with Me:💻 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charleskyriakou1/📲 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@charles.kyriakou🌐 Podcast Website: https://www.the1percentbetterecruitmentpodcast.com/🌐 Coaching & Training: 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 Search02:09 – Louise's Journey From Contingent to Retained Recruitment04:32 – Why Recruiters Have Misconceptions About Retained Business08:50 – Why Recruiters Struggle to Articulate Their Retained Offering10:53 – How to Start Building a Retained Recruitment Model13:13 – Diagnosing Client Problems Before Selling a Solution15:34 – Why the Contingent Model Can Fall Short for Clients17:55 – Why You Should Never Guarantee a Placement20:09 – Using Better Questions to Sell Retained Recruitment23:30 – Why Recruitment Sales Should Be Based on Solution Selling25:28 – Productising Your Retained Recruitment Offering29:37 – The Benefits of Retained Recruitment for Clients and Candidates34:25 – Learning to Sell Retainers Through Experience36:42 – When Contingent Recruitment Is Still the Right Option38:26 – How to Structure Retained Fees and Milestone Payments42:55 – Why You Cannot Guarantee a Placement44:49 – The Problem With 100% Placement Guarantees47:53 – Why Winning Retained Business and Delivering It Require Different Skills51:36 – Building a Separate Delivery Function54:14 – Retained vs Engaged Recruitment Models58:28 – Why You Should Never Take Less Than a Third on Commencement01:01:15 – What Happens If a Client Receives CVs From Another Agency?01:03:34 – Exclusivity, Client Commitment and Protecting the Search01:07:34 – Why Retained Projects Need Clear Guardrails and Frustration Clauses01:12:02 – Getting Your Terms of Business Right01:13:52 – Louise's Advice for Getting 1% Better in Recruitment: Diagnose First🐋 Podcast Sponsor – SourceWhaleThis episode is sponsored by SourceWhale, the recruitment productivity platform I personally use and recommend to recruiters and founders.SourceWhale helps recruiters save time across outreach, sourcing, data enrichment, multi-step email and LinkedIn sequences, inbox management and call notes, giving recruiters more time to focus on the human side of recruitment.👉 Book a SourceWhale demo here: https://sourcewhale.com/book-demo/?ut...Mention The 1% Better Recruitment Podcast or my name, Charles Kyriakou, when you book.Connect with Louise:💻 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/louise--archer/Connect with Me:💻 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charleskyriakou1/📲 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@charles.kyriakou🌐 Podcast Website: https://www.the1percentbetterecruitmentpodcast.com/🌐 Coaching & Training: https://www.inf1nitelearning.com/👨🏽‍💻 Book 30mins with me: https://calendar.app.google/Xv3UaCGZ66Luu5f5A

How Can Recruiters Overcome Their Fear of Business Development?Why do so many recruiters avoid BD, and what can leaders do about it?In this episode of The 1% Better Recruitment Podcast, I’m joined by Kate O’Neill, a coach, trainer and fractional BD leader who goes into recruitment businesses, picks up the phones and wins business for them. We discuss the state of BD in recruitment today, why consultants avoid it, and how a lack of confidence and sales culture feeds the problem. Topics Discussed:✅ Why recruitment has lost its sales culture and what needs to change✅ Why recruiters avoid BD and use a lack of time as an excuse✅ How leaders can build confidence by being vulnerable and sharing their own mistakes✅ Why AI can become a deflection tool for recruiters who lack confidence in sales✅ How to make BD more engaging through competitions, incentives and call coaching✅ Why great BD comes down to building relationships, asking better questions and having authentic conversations⏱️ Timestamps:00:00 – Introduction & Kate's Background in Recruitment BD02:02 – What Kate Does as a Fractional BD Leader04:17 – The Current State of BD in Recruitment08:34 – Why Recruiters Avoid Business Development10:53 – Why Training Alone Doesn't Fix BD Problems14:15 – Why Are New Recruiters Being Kept Away From Clients?23:13 – Dealing With Rejection and Building Resilience26:00 – The Difference Between Training and Coaching28:24 – Is AI Becoming an Excuse to Avoid BD?29:15 – How Leaders Can Build a Stronger Sales Culture31:37 – Why Leaders Need to Normalise Failure34:58 – Why Recruiters Need to Stop Being Afraid of Making Mistakes36:44 – How to Make BD Fun and Reward the Right Behaviours39:07 – Where AI Can Help With BD and Where It Falls Short48:24 – Why Recruitment Businesses Need to Invest in Their People51:33 – Why Human Role Models Still Matter in Recruitment55:17 – Using AI to Save Time Without Losing the Human Touch59:54 – What Great Recruiters Do Differently in BD01:03:39 – Why Recruiters Overcomplicate Business Development01:05:47 – Making Sales Training Fun and Building Better Habits01:11:31 – Kate's Advice for Getting 1% Better in Recruitment01:13:13 – Stop Putting Clients on a Pedestal01:16:40 – Building Better Client Partnerships and Setting Boundaries🐋 Podcast Sponsor – SourceWhaleThis episode is sponsored by SourceWhale, the recruitment productivity platform I personally use and recommend to recruiters and founders.SourceWhale helps recruiters save time across outreach, sourcing, data enrichment, multi-step email and LinkedIn sequences, inbox management and call notes, giving recruiters more time to focus on the human side of recruitment.👉 Book a SourceWhale demo here: https://sourcewhale.com/book-demo/?ut...Mention The 1% Better Recruitment Podcast or my name, Charles Kyriakou, when you book.Connect with Kate:💻 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kateoneill-recruitment/Connect with Me:💻 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charleskyriakou1/📲 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@charles.kyriakou🌐 Podcast Website: https://www.the1percentbetterecruitmentpodcast.com/🌐 Coaching & Training: https://www.inf1nitelearning.com/👨🏽‍💻 Book 30mins with me: https://calendar.google.com/calendar/u/0/appointments/schedules/AcZssZ26tWBWPErn_0_Xk0rH3CAJiCVEocIzG69_E0eHzUlccT0N7nBNk1lPq7NtNdhqpjpidUaAzdiY

How Can Recruiters Build Better Relationships With CEOs and Senior Leaders? What if the best business conversations don't start with business at all?In this episode of The 1% Better Recruitment Podcast, I'm joined by Chris Morrison, Group Managing Director at Cedar, to discuss how recruiters can build stronger relationships, have better conversations and stand out in an increasingly competitive market.Chris also shares his thoughts on traditional BD versus modern prospecting, using AI without losing authenticity, why face-to-face meetings still matter, and how to balance relationship building with commercial focus.⏱️ Timestamps:00:00 – Introduction03:27 – Why Chris Uses Do Not Disturb to Protect His Performance05:15 – Introducing Chris and Cedar08:59 – Why the Best Business Meetings Don't Always Start With Business10:44 – Stop Treating Clients and Candidates Differently13:07 – Does Your Environment Change How You Approach Senior People?15:09 – Finding Common Ground Through Personal Connections16:48 – Why Recruiters Feel Intimidated by CEOs and Senior Leaders20:13 – How to Make Cold Calls Feel Warmer21:20 – Why Personal Notes Matter in Recruitment22:11 – The Problem With Calling Multiple Prospects at Once24:59 – How Much Research Should You Do Before a BD Call?28:00 – Chris's Biggest Frustration With AI-Generated Content32:52 – What Should Recruiters Post About When They're New to a Market?34:30 – Turning Conversations Into Valuable LinkedIn Content36:55 – Why Storytelling Beats Repeating Statistics37:14 – Has Recruitment BD Changed Over the Years?38:50 – Traditional BD vs Modern Prospecting41:03 – Why Face-to-Face Meetings Still Matter43:28 – Is the Next Generation of Recruiters Less Willing to Meet People?44:33 – How Face-to-Face Meetings Can Help You Stand Out46:16 – Going the Extra Mile to Win Bigger Client Relationships48:39 – Why Listening Matters More Than How You Meet Someone51:25 – How to Build Rapport Before Moving Into Business53:31 – Being Personable Without Losing Commercial Focus55:29 – When Relationship Building Goes Too Far57:45 – Chris's Advice for Getting One Step Better in Recruitment59:27 – Final Thoughts and Closing Remarks🐋 Podcast Sponsor – SourceWhaleThis episode is sponsored by SourceWhale, the recruitment productivity platform I personally use and recommend to recruiters and founders.SourceWhale helps recruiters save time across outreach, sourcing, data enrichment, multi-step email and LinkedIn sequences, inbox management and call notes, giving recruiters more time to focus on the human side of recruitment.👉 Book a SourceWhale demo here: https://sourcewhale.com/book-demo/Mention The 1% Better Recruitment Podcast or my name, Charles Kyriakou, when you book.Connect with Chris:💻 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-morrison-988b2a22/Connect with Me:💻 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charleskyriakou1/📲 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@charles.kyriakou🌐 Podcast Website: https://www.the1percentbetterecruitmentpodcast.com/🌐 Training Website: https://www.inf1nitelearning.com/

What can recruiters learn from a tech founder about building better BD?In this episode of The 1% Better Recruitment Podcast, I'm joined by Cam Briggs, co-founder of Venti AI and former recruiter turned tech sales leader and entrepreneur.Cam started his career in recruitment before moving into tech sales and eventually co-founding Venti AI, a business built around solving one of the biggest problems he kept hearing from recruitment businesses: BD.We discuss the lessons Cam has learned from recruitment, tech sales, building a startup and raising almost £900k, and how many of those lessons apply directly to recruitment BD. Topics Discussed: ✅ Why recruiters become too focused on short-term BD wins✅ The difference between chasing immediate jobs and building long-term relationships✅ What recruitment BD can learn from tech sales and fundraising✅ Why you should build relationships before you need them✅ The importance of customer validation before building a product✅ What Cam learned from getting his first startup idea wrong✅ Why being specific and niche makes your sales message stronger✅ How to qualify customers out rather than simply qualifying them in✅ Why introverts can actually have an advantage in sales✅ How Cam went from struggling with cold calling to becoming comfortable with outbound✅ The importance of understanding the “why now?” behind a sales conversation✅ How customer feedback can completely change a product✅ The lessons Cam learned from raising almost £900k✅ The “Good” mindset and the importance of extreme ownership✅ What recruiters can learn from tech sales and startup founders⏱️ Timestamps:00:00 – Introduction & Cam’s Journey From Recruitment to Tech Sales02:00 – Cam’s Biggest Lesson From His First Startup: Customer Validation04:01 – How Customer Feedback Changed Venti AI06:07 – Why Recruiters Don’t Want to Sit Around Watching Training Videos07:45 – The Importance of User Education09:48 – What Fundraising Taught Cam About Recruitment BD11:03 – Finding the Problem That Actually Needs Solving19:02 – Why Recruiters Are Too Short-Term Focused21:00 – The Recruitment BD Pendulum: Delivery vs BD25:00 – Building Relationships Before You Need Them30:00 – Why Recruiters Need to Think Like Salespeople36:36 – Adding Context to Your BD Conversations37:36 – Becoming the Expert in Your Market40:00 – Why You Need to Back Yourself45:00 – Cam’s Experience as an Introvert in Sales50:00 – How Cam Learned to Love Cold Calling52:00 – Structure, Call Blocks & Consistency in BD54:56 – Why Recruiters Don’t Follow Up Enough59:00 – The “Good” Mindset & Extreme Ownership01:04:33 – Why You Need to Qualify Customers Out01:06:44 – Why Outbound Lets You Choose Who You Work With01:10:00 – What Recruitment Can Learn From Tech Sales01:12:54 – Where to Find Cam & Venti AI01:13:29 – Closing Thoughts🐋 Podcast Sponsor – SourceWhaleThis episode is sponsored by SourceWhale, the recruitment productivity platform I personally use and recommend to recruiters and founders.SourceWhale helps recruiters save time across outreach, sourcing, data enrichment, multi-step email and LinkedIn sequences, inbox management and call notes, giving recruiters more time to focus on the human side of recruitment.👉 Book a SourceWhale demo here: SourceWhale DemoMention The 1% Better Recruitment Podcast or my name, Charles Kyriakou, when you book.Connect with Cam: 💻 LinkedIn: Cam Briggs on LinkedIn 🌐 Website: Venti AIConnect with Me: 💻 LinkedIn: Charles Kyriakou on LinkedIn 📲 TikTok: Charles Kyriakou on TikTok 🌐 Podcast Website: The 1% Better Recruitment Podcast🌐 Training Website: Inf1nite Learning