The Savage Truth About Your Recruitment

The real confusion in recruitment right now is which ‘sacred tactics’ of the past remain relevant and which need to be reinvented or dumped.

It is tough to let go of what has served you well.

But that is, in fact, your most significant risk.

And of course, this includes AI and automation. But not only that. Much needs to change.

That’s what leaders and recruiters alike are getting wrong, right now, everywhere.

Holding on to what is no longer valid. Slow to pivot, reinvent, and try fresh ideas.

So, I did a podcast with Alfie Whattam of Alpha AI. All the podcast links are below.

Check out the summary in this 40-second teaser. And some key points are below.

But I think you will get value out of the whole podcast.

All the links are below.

• The core message to agency owners in this podcast: Success starts with clarity. Are you building a ‘lifestyle business’ that funds a good life, or a scalable asset you can sell? Most founders never decide, and that’s why they stall.

• Measure what actually matters: gross profit per recruiter, fill rates, temp margins. Then face what the numbers tell you. You cannot manage what you do not measure.

• However, performance in recruitment isn’t just about metrics — it’s about influence, storytelling and connection. This is where so many are getting it so wrong in the world of AI slop. The best recruiters don’t simply process job specs and candidate lists; they shape outcomes.

• The growth framework I advocate is simple but powerful: 1) three-year vision (for direction) – 2) one-year “Christmas Day” plan (for outcomes) – 3) 100-day sprints (for accountability). He says, “The thing about recruitment in the agency world is it’s very easy to explain. It’s just incredibly hard to do.”

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• Training matters — but only if it’s relevant, practical, and tied to leadership accountability. Generic training that doesn’t build fundamental skills or leadership buy-in is a waste—cutting back on training because your revenue drops is the worst possible option. You should increase it to help your recruiters thrive in a changing market.

• Technology (AI, automation) won’t replace human recruiters; it will reshape them. The focus shifts to human skills first. Knowing what to automate—and what not to—will be the key. However, recruiters without the skills to thrive in an AI-supported world will not survive.

• In changing markets, the companies that maintain investment in training, marketing and culture — rather than pull back — will win—downturns are opportunity windows.

• Leadership isn’t about being passive once you have strong performers; it’s about continuing to coach, challenge and raise the bar. Leaving top-billers unattended is a risk.

• Culture isn’t slogans. It’s leadership behaviour. If leaders cut corners or dodge calls, their teams will copy them.

• Great recruiters don’t blame the market. They adapt, ask better questions, and own their results.

• The winners will blend tech with curiosity, insight, and persuasion. Machines automate processes, humans influence outcomes.

Here’s the ‘savage truth’ about recruitment. Choose your podcast format

Spotify 

YouTube 

Apple 

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