Episodios

  • How to Win Retained Searches and Scale Your Desk with the Rainmaker Model, with Carol Wenom

    How to Win Retained Searches and Scale Your Desk with the Rainmaker Model, with Carol Wenom
    Jul 9 2025
    How do you move from being a contingency recruiter to winning retained searches consistently? And how do you scale your desk without doing it all yourself? In this episode of The Resilient Recruiter, industry veteran Carol Wenom shares the exact mindset shift, client messaging, and team model that helped her make that leap and increase her billings by 70% in one year. With over 40 years in engineering and technical search, Carol built a niche-dominant practice, earned preferred partner status with top clients, and served as VP and GM at Whitaker Companies. She’s also a past president of the Pinnacle Society and Knapp’s Hall of Fame inductee. Today, she trains recruiters through The Tanbark Group. Whether you’re a solo operator or running a team, Carol’s insights will help you elevate your positioning, close more retainers, and structure your desk for long-term growth. 🔑 In this episode, you’ll learn: How to educate clients on retained vs. engaged vs. contingency The “position prospectus” that helped Carol win exclusive searches What the Rainmaker model looks like in practice (including comp splits) How to qualify searches and pitch retainers with confidence When to bring on a production assistant and how to structure their role Why niche mastery and client relationship-building drive long-term success Episode Outline and Highlights [02:40] With over four decades of experience in recruitment, Carol describes what has changed and what will never change. [06:45] How transitioning from contingency to retained increased Carol’s revenue based on the service level. [14:54] Promoting the retained search via several differentiators. [24:42] When and how to recommend retained vs. contingency. [31:32] Exploring fee structure options when offering a retained model. [34:59] Carol explains how she adopted the “Rainmaker” model. [40:47] Team structure and compensation model in a rainmaker model. [47:39] Carol’s niche, relationship building, and business development approach. [58:48] What is next for Carol Wenom? 👤 Guest Bio: Carol Wenom is a recruitment leader with four decades of experience in engineering and technical search for the refining and chemical industries. As VP and GM at Whitaker Companies, she was a top biller and team leader. She’s a Pinnacle Society lifetime member, Knapp’s Hall of Fame inductee, and now trains recruiters across North America through The Tanbark Group. 🔗 Resources & Links: Learn more about Carol: https://www.tanbarkgroup.com/ Connect with Mark & access free training: https://www.recruitmentcoach.com/ 🎧 Subscribe to The Resilient Recruiter for more insights from top performers. 💬 Found this valuable? Leave a review or share with a fellow recruiter. #RetainedSearch #RainmakerModel #RecruitmentPodcast #CarolWenom #SearchFirmGrowth #ExecutiveSearch #RecruitmentBusiness #TheResilientRecruiter #ContingencyToRetained #NicheRecruiting
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    1 h y 1 m
  • How to Build a Culture Where Values Actually Drive Results, with Matthew Wragg

    How to Build a Culture Where Values Actually Drive Results, with Matthew Wragg
    Jul 4 2025
    What does it take to transform a 500-person staffing company and restore profitability while maintaining high engagement and renewed purpose? In this episode of The Resilient Recruiter, you'll hear how one leader rebuilt culture and strengthened organizational performance through people-first leadership, without sacrificing values or authenticity. After joining the company as a trainee in 2001, Matthew Wragg eventually became CEO in 2022. In this conversation, he shares the inside story of the business transformation at Gattaca PLC: removing executive offices, tying leadership bonuses to employee engagement, and launching a new cultural framework that turns values into specific, observable behaviors. We also dive into his personal lessons from two decades in recruitment, including the wins and mistakes that shaped his approach to growth, leadership, and resilience. Episode Highlights [05:46] How Matthew got into recruitment and why he stayed with one company [14:23] From trainee to CEO: lessons in ambition and internal branding [22:00] The £30M deal they lost—and how they won it back [30:55] Using culture and values to improve employee engagement [46:01] Removing executive offices and linking pay to engagement scores [49:48] How “Changing Up the Game” became a strategic reset during COVID [52:18] Aligning the team around clear, behavioral definitions of company values [59:29] How Gattaca is thinking about AI adoption Losing a £30M Dealand Using It to Win Future Business Matthew shares how Gattaca lost a £30M contract despite having the experience, pricing, and capability. The reason? They didn’t take the time to understand the client. He took responsibility, re-engaged with the customer over 12 months, and eventually won the deal back—this time at a 70% higher price. This loss prompted a shift in sales culture: more discovery, less assumption; more trust, less volume. It was a turning point in how Gattaca approached strategic selling. How Culture and Values Fueled Gattaca’s Turnaround When Matthew stepped in as CEO, the company was struggling with flat growth and low engagement. His first move was to prioritize people. He eliminated glass offices to flatten hierarchy and increase visibility. He began weekly internal video updates and tied 10% of leadership compensation to employee engagement. He personally reviews hundreds of anonymous employee comments each month—starting with the negatives. Over two years, this helped shift Gattaca from 58% detractors to 58% promoters, even in a tough market. How Gattaca’s “DNA Deck” Turned Culture into Performance To make values actionable, Gattaca launched a “DNA deck” that defines specific behaviors tied to each value. These are reviewed quarterly and fully integrated into performance management—alongside sales and effort metrics. One example: “Be brave enough to tell the truth, but kind enough to say it the right way.” Each principle includes examples of “what good looks like” so there’s no ambiguity. No one can top-score on performance if their behavior doesn’t align with the culture. Matthew Wragg – Bio & Contact Matthew Wragg is CEO of Gattaca PLC with 23+ years in recruitment. Starting as a trainee in 2001, he progressed through senior leadership roles before becoming CEO in 2022. He has led Gattaca through an organizational reset focused on purpose, vision, and values—prioritizing sustainable growth, employee engagement, and cultural clarity. Matthew on LinkedIn Gattaca PLC Website Gattaca on Instagram Connect with Mark Whitby Book a FREE 30-minute strategy call Mark on LinkedIn Instagram | Facebook | Twitter Subscribe to The Resilient Recruiter on your favorite platform.
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    1 h y 9 m
  • How to Use LinkedIn’s 2025 Algorithm to Attract More Clients and Candidates, with Richard van der Blom

    How to Use LinkedIn’s 2025 Algorithm to Attract More Clients and Candidates, with Richard van der Blom
    Jun 27 2025
    Why has your LinkedIn reach dropped even though your content is better and your audience is growing? You’re not imagining things. LinkedIn changed the rules in 2025, and in this episode, LinkedIn algorithm expert Richard van der Blom breaks down exactly what’s changed—and how recruiters can adjust to stay visible and competitive. You’ll discover why organic reach is down by 50%+ for most users and how LinkedIn has shifted focus from virality to relevance. Richard shares how to realign your content strategy based on your goals—whether you’re looking to increase reach, drive engagement, or generate client and candidate leads. We also unpack the five content pillars that top-performing recruiters use, the formats that LinkedIn is rewarding right now (like vertical native video and carousels), and why relying solely on job posts or text-only content can quietly kill your visibility. Richard goes even deeper, revealing his proven process for creating “hybrid” content—written by humans but enhanced by AI—to dramatically improve structure, hooks, and engagement without losing authenticity. Episode Highlights: [3:25] How Richard reverse-engineered LinkedIn’s algorithm manually [8:35] LinkedIn confirms reach is down 50%+—here’s why [12:37] The 5 content types that drive performance in 2025 [18:42] Why recruiters need variety to maintain reach and engagement [21:21] Post formats that are working best and which are declining. [26:10] When selfies help—and when they hurt your reach [28:07] Using polls to generate leads and market insights [32:02] Why hybrid content (human + AI) outperforms both extremes [35:51] Why LinkedIn’s built-in AI tools aren’t your best option Key Takeaways for Recruiters: Fix Your Reach: The algorithm now values relevance > reach. Focus on content that fits your audience and objective. Diversify Formats: Don’t just post jobs. Use video, polls, carousels, and storytelling to stay visible. Hybrid Content Wins: Human + AI = stronger structure, better hooks, and more engagement. AI-only content often fails, and human only content often lacks polish. Combine both for maximum impact. If you’re a recruiter or agency owner looking to build your brand, attract inbound leads, and stay ahead of LinkedIn’s changes—this episode is your roadmap. Resources & Links Download Richard’s 2025 LinkedIn Algorithm Report: [Insert link] Richard’s website: https://www.richardvanderblom.com Richard on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richardvanderblom Connect with Mark Whitby Book your free strategy session: https://www.recruitmentcoach.com/strategy-session Mark on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markwhitby Instagram: @RecruitmentCoach Twitter: @MarkWhitby Subscribe for more recruiter-focused episodes Like this video if it helped clarify LinkedIn’s algorithm
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    39 m
  • How Selective Client Partnerships Help Recruitment Agencies Scale Faster, with Allicia Birch

    How Selective Client Partnerships Help Recruitment Agencies Scale Faster, with Allicia Birch
    Jun 18 2025
    What if your growth path wasn't adding more clients, but working fewer, higher-quality roles with people who genuinely value your service? Allicia Birch, founder of 4tify Recruitment, built a six-figure recruitment firm in her first year — without cold calls, without compromising on fees, and without chasing every job. Her success came down to discipline: working to a structured 12-hour day in 15-minute blocks, building a reputation-based BD strategy, and walking away from bad-fit clients. You'll hear how she transformed underperformance into consistent high billings, created multi-division revenue from single clients, and productised her approach to business development — including how she sells high-ticket projects, runs invite-only roundtables, and uses market intelligence to position herself as a trusted partner, not just a vendor. 4tify is based in Manchester and specializes in construction industry recruitment. After 8 years in the industry, Allicia has become a leading voice in the residential new build market. Episode Highlights [03:20] How she struggled during the first three years with plenty of lessons [14:11] Breakdown to Breakthrough - turning things around from 250k to 350k billings [20:25] What inspired the launch of 4tify [26:10] Key success factors in the first 12 months of business [35:19] Her idea of a cold call - how she does BD without 'cold calling' [44:26] Best practices on being organized and creating a Day Plan [48:30] How market intelligence helps provide custom-fit solutions to clients [58:21] The round-table engagement strategy [1:03:04] What's next for the team Key Takeaways Training Makes the Difference: Her first three years brought zero earnings until proper training at Anderson James turned everything around. A breakthrough coaching session helped her jump from struggling to billing £250,000–£350,000 per year. Client Selection Strategy: "If you're trying to beat me down to 10%, I'm not your recruiter. I don't get out of bed for that." She only works with clients who respect her values, turning down low-fee roles and walking away from companies that don't align. Daily Structure: Speaks to 30 people per day (150 per week) - all warm calls through referrals Plans the day in 15-minute increments the night before at 9 PM Works closest to money first: live processes, then candidates, then client development Uses Excel spreadsheets with checkboxes and color coordination Market Intelligence: Uses reputational analysis to provide custom-fit solutions to each client. Her genuine, relationship-first approach thrives on meaningful partnerships – no cold calling, just honest conversations and deep understanding of what makes great teams work. About Allicia Birch Allicia Birch is the Managing Director of 4tify, a specialist recruitment company with 8 years in the industry, though it didn't start easily. The first three years brought zero earnings, but plenty of lessons. Once things clicked, she went on to consistently break records year after year, becoming a leading voice in the residential new build market. Her genuine, relationship-first approach thrives on meaningful partnerships – no cold calling, just honest conversations and deep understanding of what makes great teams work. With operations expanding in both the UK and US, she's on a mission to connect market leaders to the market. Connect with Mark Whitby Get your FREE 30-minute strategy call Subscribe to The Resilient Recruiter
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  • How Blunt Messaging and Smart Systems Grew a More Profitable Recruitment Firm, with Jordana Matsos

    How Blunt Messaging and Smart Systems Grew a More Profitable Recruitment Firm, with Jordana Matsos
    Jun 12 2025
    How do you grow a high-margin recruitment business without hiring a big team—or chasing every lead? And what happens when you go all-in on yourself, right before a global pandemic? In this episode, I’m joined by Jordana Matsos, founder of Higher Equity, who shares how she launched a solo sales recruitment agency with no prior agency experience—and grew it into a $500K+ business by being radically transparent, highly organized, and boldly direct. We discuss why blunt messaging often works better than polished sales talk, how Jordana systematized her entire operation to run lean, and the lessons she learned after scaling too quickly. She also shares how she created an online academy for job seekers, turning inbound candidate traffic into an additional revenue stream. Episode Highlights: [03:43] From sales leader to recruiter: Jordana’s career pivot [11:16] Building the business: pricing, tools, and tech stack [14:28] Leveraging video and short-form content to attract talent [21:58] What went wrong when she scaled too fast [28:45] Creating the HireQuity Academy to serve job seekers [40:46] SOPs and templates that saved time and ensured consistency [45:48] Business development: blunt pitches, smart triggers, and warm referrals [58:30] Why transparency builds trust with both clients and candidates Blunt Messaging That Converts Jordana’s “blunt honesty” approach is one of her biggest differentiators. She shares full job details upfront—company name, comp, and expectations—which earns her 55–70% candidate response rates. For clients, her pitch deck goes out in the first message, including fee structure and recent placements, eliminating unnecessary back-and-forth and building immediate trust. Systematizing Solo Success Coming from a corporate sales background, Jordana knew she had to create repeatable, efficient processes. She templatized everything—from client onboarding to follow-ups and outreach. Tools like Google Sheets, Taplio, Otter.ai, and Aspect helped her automate and scale as a solo operator. Lessons from Scaling Too Fast After a strong first year billing nearly $300K solo, Jordana hired a full-time recruiter, BD rep, and sourcer. But expenses skyrocketed, margins plummeted to 20%, and client relationships suffered. She course-corrected by downsizing, letting go of low-margin clients, and doubling down on her niche—bringing her gross margins back to 60%+. Creating a Revenue Stream with Purpose Unable to serve every candidate personally, Jordana built the HireQuity Academy—an online course that gives job seekers an inside look at how recruiters think. With templates, interview prep, and real-world advice, it helps candidates stand out—and gives Jordana an additional income stream without trading time for money. About Jordana Matsos Jordana spent 15 years leading sales teams before founding Higher Equity in 2021. She now helps companies hire high-performing sales talent while running the HireQuity Academy to support job seekers. Tools & Resources Mentioned: Taplio | Otter.ai | Aspect | Cliff AI – now part of Quantive. Connect with Jordana: LinkedIn | Instagram | YouTube | HireQuity Academy | HireQuity Recruitment Connect with Mark Whitby: Free 30-Minute Strategy Call | LinkedIn | Instagram | Facebook Subscribe to The Resilient Recruiter and leave a review if you found value in this episode!
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  • How Contract and Perm Revenue Fueled Our £2.6M Growth in Two Years, with Stuart Barnes

    How Contract and Perm Revenue Fueled Our £2.6M Growth in Two Years, with Stuart Barnes
    Jun 6 2025
    What’s the most innovative way to scale a recruitment firm—especially in a fast-changing, competitive market? For Stuart Barnes, Co-Founder and Managing Director of Navitas Recruitment Group, the answer was combining quick-turn perm revenue with recurring contract income. That dual strategy helped Navitas grow from zero to over £2.6M in net fee income within just two years. In this episode, Stuart shares the real story behind launching a VC-backed recruitment firm in the renewable energy sector. He opens up about the early pressure, the emotional rollercoaster, and the systems that made rapid growth possible—from his blended revenue model to their structured approach to business development. You’ll also hear how Stuart returned to hands-on billing after years in leadership, personally generating over £100k in placements while laying the foundation for a high-performance culture. If you're a recruitment founder or team leader looking for real-world strategies that scale, this episode is packed with insights you can put into action. Episode Highlights: [01:43] How Stuart’s international experience shaped his mindset as a founder [06:22] From startup to £2.6M: how Navitas scaled in under 3 years [10:22] Why he chose renewables and what made it the right niche [13:41] Inside their aggressive 5-year growth plan [18:00] The “key ingredients” that powered their rapid start [29:24] Why BD should never stop—and how Navitas approaches it [37:57] The Channels they use for BD (and how Teams invites help book meetings) [46:09] Team structure and growth philosophy [53:40] Lessons from scaling too fast [55:52] Why KPIs should be meaningful, not just numbers [1:02:00] What’s next: expansion, strategy shifts, and Austin plans Key Takeaways: ✅ Balanced revenue model – Contract = recurring cash flow. Perm = speed. Together = sustainable growth. ✅ Structured BD system – The “3 buckets, 300 hiring managers, 1 hour daily” method that drives consistency. ✅ Hands-on leadership – Stuart led by example, returning to billing and setting the tone for scale. Connect with Stuart: 🔗 Stuart Barnes on LinkedIn 🌐 Navitas Recruitment Group People and Resources Mentioned Paul Taffe on LinkedIn Connect with Mark Whitby Get your FREE 30-minute strategy call Mark on LinkedIn Mark on Twitter: @MarkWhitby Mark on Facebook Mark on Instagram: @RecruitmentCoach Subscribe to The Resilient Recruiter
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  • How Exclusive Candidate Representation Drives an 87% Placement Rate, with Lysha Holmes

    How Exclusive Candidate Representation Drives an 87% Placement Rate, with Lysha Holmes
    May 28 2025
    What if you could place nearly every candidate you represent—and do it at premium fees, without racing to the bottom? In this episode of The Resilient Recruiter, Mark Whitby is joined by Lysha Holmes, founder of QUI Recruitment and host of The Recruiters Recruitment Podcast. With over 20 years in Rec2Rec, Lysha shares how she’s built a values-led, inbound-only business with zero cold calling. You’ll discover: Why Lysha insists on exclusive candidate representation How she consistently achieves a 1.15:1 interview-to-placement ratio The values behind QUI: Quality, Urgency, and Integrity Her approach to relationship-driven BD and building through referrals How sobriety and wellbeing became business superpowers Whether you're a recruitment agency owner or solo operator, this episode is a playbook for building a more sustainable, high-margin, and meaningful business. Episode Highlights [00:45] Why Lysha rejects cold calls and how she builds BD differently [02:32] Her journey from failing A-levels to founding QUI Recruitment [13:24] Building a solo business while raising children [16:18] How she kept placing during maternity leave [17:19] Why exclusivity is non-negotiable for candidate control [24:27] Origin of QUI’s core values and how they shape every decision [24:56] A 1.15 placement ratio—how it’s done [26:38] The win-win case for exclusive representation [34:01] Attracting premium clients with consistency and care [38:25] BD through conversations, not spam [46:11] Using referrals and warm intros to win business [50:54] What clients are actually using AI for (hint: it’s not automation) [59:03] How sobriety transformed her leadership and mindset [01:04:18] Going sugar-free and protecting health as a growth strategy 💡 Key Takeaways Candidate Exclusivity Works Lysha explains how exclusivity leads to calmer processes, stronger placements, and better outcomes for all parties. She makes the case for exclusivity as a differentiator that drives results and reduces risk. 1.15:1 Interview-to-Placement Ratio By focusing on quality and alignment, Lysha’s ratios are among the best in the industry. Candidates are carefully vetted, and most are introduced to just one or two clients. Personal Brand + Warm BD = Sustainable Growth QUI Recruitment runs 100% on inbound business via referrals, podcasting, and LinkedIn presence. Lysha treats every interaction as business development and never spams. 👤 About Lysha Holmes Lysha began her career in sales and marketing, then transitioned into recruitment in 1998. After working with top agencies and discovering Rec2Rec, she founded QUI Recruitment in 2005. She is also the host of The Recruiters Recruitment Podcast, a mental health advocate, and a leader in the Women in Recruitment Leadership movement. 🔗 Connect with Lysha LinkedIn: Lysha Holmes Website: QUI Recruitment Connect with Mark Whitby Free 30-Minute Strategy Call LinkedIn: Mark Whitby Instagram: @recruitmentcoach X: @MarkWhitby Subscribe to The Resilient Recruiter for weekly interviews with top-performing recruitment agency owners and thought leaders.
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  • How to Attract, Hire, and Keep Top Recruiters in a Competitive Market, with Andy Miller, Ep #260

    How to Attract, Hire, and Keep Top Recruiters in a Competitive Market, with Andy Miller, Ep #260
    May 21 2025
    Hiring great recruiters should be second nature for recruitment business owners—after all, it's what we do for clients daily. But when it comes to growing your own team, the stakes are higher, the risks are real, and the margin for error is razor-thin. In today’s episode, we dive into what it really takes to attract, hire, and retain high-performing recruiters—especially in a competitive market where top talent has options. You’ll hear the inside story of how one firm scaled from 7 to 50 people and 7X’d its revenue in just five years—not by chance but by building a values-driven hiring and retention strategy. Whether you're hiring your first or your fiftieth recruiter, this episode will give you the mindset, methods, and metrics to do it right. Episode Outline and Highlights [03:21] From psychology to recruitment - Andy shares how he started his recruitment career, leading to the foundation of Brainworks. [07:34] How making and learning from many mistakes are key to Andy’s success. [10:20] Factors that lead to growth and scaling. [20:05] What can help you decide when considering investing in a high-compensation recruiter joining your team? [26:17] Andy reveals their hiring process when recruiting a recruiter. [31:32] How to retain top recruitment talent. [35:49] Fostering a collaborative and supportive culture - Andy elaborates on their specific action points. [43:50] Thoughts on remote work and performance management. [48:34] What the next five years look like for Brainworks. [50:53] Andy shares their tech stack that paid off. Andy Miller Bio and Contact Info Andy Miller started BrainWorks in 1991 and continues to lead the Consumer Products practice, placing talent ranging from mid level to general management and presidents, with an eye for impacting the business regardless of the level or function. Andy’s client roster ranges from large Fortune 50 companies to smaller entrepreneurial organizations that are looking to grow and believe that finding the right talent makes a difference. Andy received a Master’s degree in Counseling Psychology and spent 3 years in social services settings. After transitioning to business, Andy spent 10 years in the Telecommunications field, winning numerous sales awards including 5 consecutive years in the Gold Club and Salesman of the Year in 1987 and 1988. His passion and experience from competitive sports in addition to his psychology background provides a unique blend of competitiveness and people skills which has influenced how he works with both clients and candidates. This background is the basis of his philosophy -- to help clients win the competitive wars for talent by assessing, training and developing people towards greater productivity. Andy on LinkedIn Brainworks website link DRM Foundation Pinnacle Society Connect with Mark Whitby Get your FREE 30-minute strategy call Mark on LinkedIn Mark on Twitter: @MarkWhitby Mark on Facebook Mark on Instagram: @RecruitmentCoach Subscribe to The Resilient Recruiter
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