The Lone Recruiter

I can never make a candidate do something they’re not willing to do for themselves. I can’t force anyone to take a job. What I can do is lay out all the information and make the path to where we want them to go as inviting and compelling as possible. That’s the job of a recruitment consultant.
In this ep, I walk you through one of the strategies we’ve named in our office: The Takeaway. It works especially well when a candidate is taking their time and you’ve got a real offer on the table. And it’s not deceptive. It’s the opposite. It’s being completely truthful about what will play out in the background if we behave in certain ways.
I cover:👉 Why candidates are well within their rights to take their time, and why time still kills deals👉 The child-and-the-toy principle: why taking something away makes people want it back👉 The exact approach I use with a candidate who’s sitting on an offer👉 Giving a clear deadline without pressure (Wednesday to Friday, no answer needed now)👉 Being upfront that the client will keep interviewing and I’ll keep headhunting, so there are no surprises👉 The gap between a candidate’s two-month timeline and the two days we have in reality👉 Why you either get the deal or get your answer sooner, and both are a win
Nine times out of ten the candidate says that’s actually reasonable. Try it with a candidate who’s dragging their feet and see how it goes.
Like, share and subscribe to help the show grow.
Have an amazing day, and may all your deals and takeaways come true.

Think you've cracked the LinkedIn algorithm? Think again!
This week I'm joined by the brilliant Emma O'Connell, a LinkedIn insider with 13 years of experience at the company and an incredible depth of knowledge about the platform recruiters rely on every single day.
Emma is my go-to LinkedIn expert, and every time we chat, I walk away having learned something new. So I thought it was about time I shared some of that knowledge with you!
We're separating fact from fiction, busting some of LinkedIn's biggest algorithm myths and getting into what actually makes content perform.
Emma has even conducted her own LinkedIn content audit, uncovering some surprising results that challenge plenty of the advice floating around online.
👉 Why nobody, not even LinkedIn insiders, has truly cracked the algorithm👉 The three factors that determine what appears in your LinkedIn feed👉 Why likes and impressions aren't necessarily signs of success👉 Whether taking a break from posting really hurts your reach👉 The truth about hashtags, tagging, external links and AI-generated content👉 How to use AI to audit your LinkedIn performance and reach the right audience👉 What's coming next for recruiters with LinkedIn's Hiring Assistant and Recruiter Professional Services Plus
This is an absolute goldmine for recruiters looking to build their personal brand, reach more clients and candidates, and get smarter about how they use LinkedIn.
A massive thank you to Emma for sharing her expertise and making her podcast debut with us!

There’s always love in the room until there isn’t. In my view, our job as recruiters is to keep that love, because the moment it leaves, the deal usually goes with it.
In this ep, I walk through a scenario from my own team that holds a big lesson for junior recruiters and a timely reminder for the seniors. You know the feeling. The brief looks great, the candidate looks great, they shake hands, and both walk away saying “that felt good.” That’s love in the room. So what ruins it?
I cover:👉 What “love in the room” actually is, and why it’s what makes candidates choose a role👉 Trust, and the last-minute title or scope change that makes a candidate feel hoodwinked👉 A live relocation deal, New Zealand to Australia, where the salary expectations are miles apart and no one’s said it out loud yet👉 Why the exchange rate, tax, cost of living and KiwiSaver vs super all matter in a relocation👉 The push-back principle: bash the love with money at the final stage and both sides push back with equal force👉 How to weave the money conversation in over two, three or four days instead of one hit👉 Why “hit and hope” doesn’t work, and why surprises are the punches that knock the wind out of deals👉 Why AI can match, automate and email, but can’t protect love in the room (not yet, anyway)
Look at your pipeline today. Which deal has the most love in the room, and where are you foggy on clarity? Don’t run from it. Start weaving those conversations in now.
If this one helped, share it with a recruiter who needs it and hit subscribe to help the show grow.

We all know about KPIs in recruitment. Calls, CVs, interviews, placements. But what about the habits behind the numbers?
I've been working with a health coach recently, and he's introduced me to habit tracking. It got me thinking about how we measure success in recruitment and whether we're overlooking some of the most important things.
KPIs tell us what we're achieving, but I reckon our daily habits have a huge influence on how we get there.
In this episode, I explore why habit tracking could be a game changer for recruiters, managers and business owners, both inside and outside the office.
👊 The difference between KPIs and habit tracking
👊 Why sleep, hydration and movement matter to your performance
👊 The softer habits that can make you a better recruiter and leader
👊 How managers can track the things that don't show up in traditional KPIs
👊 Why the first thing on your habit tracker should be completing your habit tracker!
I've started using a habit tracker myself, and I'm encouraging my team to think about the habits that matter to them too.
Because sometimes it's the things we're not measuring that make the biggest difference.
Give it a crack. It might just be a game changer.
As always, have an amazing day!

What if you could swap your biggest problem for someone else's? Would you take the risk, or would you stick with your own?
I heard this question recently and it really got me thinking.
We all have problems. Some big, some small, but when you're in the thick of one, it's easy to get overwhelmed by the stress, uncertainty and emotion surrounding it.
Here's the thing. Sometimes the problem isn't nearly as complicated as we've made it out to be. We just haven't taken the time to properly understand it.
In this ep, I'm sharing a simple mindset shift that can completely change how you approach challenges, whether they're at your recruitment desk, in your business or in your personal life.
👉 Why putting your problems into perspective matters👉 The question that might make you rethink your biggest challenge👉 Why defining a problem is often harder than solving it👉 How we make small problems feel much bigger than they are👉 Why stepping away and giving yourself time to think can lead to your biggest breakthroughs
Before you rush to find a solution, make sure you're solving the right problem.
As always, may all your deals come true!