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RecTalk Podcast - Explore Recruitment Insights
Nitin Sharma, founder of rectools.io
227 episodes
3 days ago
Welcome to RecTalk, the UK's biggest recruitment industry podcast on YouTube and a Top 15% Video Podcast on Spotify! Hear from trailblazers in the recruitment industry who want to have their say on all things recruitment - unbiased, unfiltered, unscripted.
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All content for RecTalk Podcast - Explore Recruitment Insights is the property of Nitin Sharma, founder of rectools.io and is served directly from their servers with no modification, redirects, or rehosting. The podcast is not affiliated with or endorsed by Podjoint in any way.
Welcome to RecTalk, the UK's biggest recruitment industry podcast on YouTube and a Top 15% Video Podcast on Spotify! Hear from trailblazers in the recruitment industry who want to have their say on all things recruitment - unbiased, unfiltered, unscripted.
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Business
Episodes (20/227)
RecTalk Podcast - Explore Recruitment Insights
Job Posting to Data-Driven Recruitment: Darren Brown on CRM Evolution & the Future of Job Boards

In this episode of RecTalk, Nitin Sharma sits down with one of the most behind-the-scenes operators in recruitment tech – Darren Brown, Co-Founder of LogicMelon.


LogicMelon has quietly been powering job distribution, candidate attraction and recruitment data insights for over a decade – and in this conversation, Darren lifts the lid on how the platform was built by recruiters, for recruiters, and why job posting alone is no longer enough to win in today’s market.


Darren shares the LogicMelon origin story, from spotting frustrations with early multiposters to building a highly customisable platform that now spans job distribution, ATS, CRM and analytics dashboards – all under one roof. The conversation dives deep into how recruitment agencies can make smarter, data-led decisions instead of “throwing darts in the dark”.


You’ll also hear Darren’s candid views on:

  • Why job boards are being used less – but aren’t going anywhere
  • The rise of cost-per-application (CPA) and cost-per-click (CPC) pricing models
  • Why more applications doesn’t equal better hiring outcomes
  • How agencies should think about candidate attraction vs candidate management
  • The real role AI should play in recruitment tech (and where it falls short)
  • Why SMB and sub-50-user agencies are underserved by bloated CRMs
  • How recruitment businesses should prepare for 2026 and beyond


This is a practical, honest conversation about what’s actually working in recruitment technology today – and what’s just noise.


🔗 Connect with the guest

Darren Brown: https://www.linkedin.com/in/darrenbrownuk/


Check out LogicMelon: https://www.rectools.io/product/logicmelon/


🔗 Connect with the host

Nitin Sharma: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nitin-rectools/


Discover recruitment tools and services: https://www.rectools.io/


New episodes of RecTalk, including Founder Diaries and Talking Talent, drop on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.


Look out for new episodes of The Mixed Grill — the official podcast of the Recruitment Curry Club — dropping on Thursday.

https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-recruitment-curry-club/


Listen on another platform: https://rectalk.co.uk/


#RecTalk #RecruitmentTechnology #LogicMelon #RecruitmentCRM #JobBoards #RecruitmentData #HiringTrends #AIinRecruitment #StaffingAgency #RecruitmentInsights #Rectools

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4 days ago
47 minutes 15 seconds

RecTalk Podcast - Explore Recruitment Insights
Recruitment Websites in the Age of AI: SEO, ChatGPT & Proving ROI with Will Astbury of SourceFlow

In this episode of RecTalk, Nitin Sharma sits down with Will Astbury, Global Head of Marketing at SourceFlow, to break down what a modern recruitment website really needs to do in 2026 and beyond.


This is not a conversation about “pretty websites”.


Will goes deep on how recruitment websites should act as growth engines – driving inbound candidates, client leads, SEO visibility, AI discoverability, and ultimately measurable revenue.


They explore how Google, ChatGPT, and AI search engines are fundamentally changing how candidates and clients find recruiters, why most agencies are already falling behind, and what recruitment leaders need to fix now if they want to stay competitive.


From AI-powered job matching and analytics, to SEO strategies built around real consultants (not generic AI blogs), to proving exactly how much revenue your website generates – this episode is packed with insights for founders, marketers, and recruiters alike.


🧠 Topics Covered in This Episode

  • What actually makes a great recruitment website (beyond design)
  • Why recruitment websites must be built for Google Jobs and AI search
  • How ChatGPT and AI “answer engines” are reshaping inbound recruitment leads
  • Why SEO is becoming harder – and more important – than ever
  • How recruitment agencies can appear in AI-generated search summaries
  • The danger of AI-generated content without real expertise
  • Building thought leadership through recruiters, not just marketing teams
  • Why salary surveys still work (and how to turn them into lead engines)
  • Using your website as the hub for inbound marketing campaigns
  • Tracking candidates, clients, and leads directly into your ATS
  • AI-powered CV matching and uncovering “hidden” high-quality candidates
  • Measuring website ROI: tracking placements and revenue back to your site
  • Why data-led decision making beats recruiter “gut feel”
  • The future of recruitment marketing analytics
  • Accessibility on recruitment websites – and why it’s a massive missed opportunity
  • Common marketing mistakes recruitment agencies keep repeating
  • Why tokenistic employer branding hurts more than it helps


🔗 Connect with the guest

Will Astbury: https://www.linkedin.com/in/willastbury/


Check out SourceFlow: https://www.rectools.io/product/sourceflow/


🔗 Connect with the host

Nitin Sharma: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nitin-rectools/


Discover recruitment tools and services: https://www.rectools.io/


New episodes of RecTalk, including Founder Diaries and Talking Talent, drop every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.


Look out for new episodes of The Mixed Grill — the official podcast of the Recruitment Curry Club — dropping on Thursdays.

https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-recruitment-curry-club/


Listen on another platform: https://rectalk.co.uk/


#RecTalk #RecruitmentMarketing #RecruitmentWebsites #SEOForRecruiters #AIInRecruitment #ChatGPT #InboundRecruitment #RecruitmentTechnology #ATS #RecruitmentAnalytics #SourceFlow #Rectools #RecruitmentLeadership

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6 days ago
51 minutes 20 seconds

RecTalk Podcast - Explore Recruitment Insights
Inside Tracker with Cam Brady – The All-In-One CRM, AI, and the Future of Recruitment Tech

In this episode of RecTalk, host Nitin Sharma is joined by Cam Brady, Business Development lead at Tracker – a recruitment CRM and ATS that quietly does a lot of heavy lifting without shouting about it.


Tracker has been around for over 20 years, and in this conversation we unpack why so many agencies stick with it, what makes their all-in-one approach genuinely different, and how they’re thinking about the real future of recruitment tech – beyond buzzwords and shiny AI marketing.


They talk openly about where CRMs fall down, why recruiters are drowning in admin, and how tech should be giving time back – not stealing it.


Cam shares how Tracker has evolved from a traditionally “clean” perm-focused system into a platform that now supports temp, high-volume, shift-based and complex recruitment models, all without bolting together dozens of third-party tools.


They also dig into:

  • Why Tracker isn’t a marketplace CRM – and why that matters
  • Native automation, CV formatting, note-taking, marketing, compliance, timesheets and back office
  • How recruiters can stop living in clicks and start having more conversations
  • Real talk on AI in recruitment (what’s hype vs what should be baseline)
  • Tracker’s upcoming conversational AI (“Eva”) and what a “Jarvis” style CRM actually looks like
  • LinkedIn Recruiter integrations done properly (no scraping, no nonsense)
  • Why change management is harder than selling tech
  • How agencies should really be looking at revenue data, not assumptions
  • Where Tracker fits in the market – SMB vs enterprise, pricing, modules, and scale
  • Why customer support and long-term product thinking still matter


This is an honest, practical conversation about building recruitment tech that recruiters actually want to use – and why letting the product do the talking often beats shouting the loudest.


🔗 Connect with the guest

Cam Brady: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cambradytrackerrms/


Check out Tracker: https://www.rectools.io/product/tracker/


🔗 Connect with the host

Nitin Sharma: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nitin-rectools/


Discover recruitment tools and services: https://www.rectools.io/


New episodes of RecTalk, including Founder Diaries and Talking Talent, drop every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.


Look out for new episodes of The Mixed Grill — the official podcast of the Recruitment Curry Club — dropping on Thursdays.

https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-recruitment-curry-club/


Listen on another platform: https://rectalk.co.uk/


#RecTalk #RecruitmentTechnology #RecruitmentCRM #ATS #RecruitmentAI #RecruitmentSoftware #StaffingTech #RecruitmentOps #Rectools #TrackerRMS

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1 week ago
40 minutes 1 second

RecTalk Podcast - Explore Recruitment Insights
FOUNDER DIARIES - Joel Dalton on Exits, Employee Ownership & Life After Scale

In this episode of Founder Diaries, Nitin Sharma sits down with Joel Dalton, exited founder of Clone, strategic advisor, and NED, to unpack what really happens after you scale a business — and what founders rarely prepare for.


Joel shares the unfiltered story of building Clone into a £7m marketing services business, navigating Covid, founder burnout, financial blind spots, and ultimately choosing an Employee Ownership Trust (EOT) as his exit path. This is a candid conversation about founder reliance, designing a business that can survive without you, and reclaiming time, energy, and purpose post-exit.


Together, Nitin and Joel dive into why so many founders accidentally build “well-paid jobs”, the warning signs of burnout, and how to create a business that gives you optionality — whether that’s scaling, stepping back, or exiting entirely.


What you’ll learn in this episode:

  • Why founder reliance kills exit value (and how to fix it)
  • What an Employee Ownership Trust (EOT) actually is — and why it’s misunderstood
  • How Covid forced a hard rethink on resilience and value creation
  • The financial blind spots most founders ignore until it’s too late
  • Scaling pains: hiring too fast, protecting culture, and bad hires
  • Why most founders don’t really have a “lifestyle business”
  • The emotional reality of stepping away from a company you built
  • Burnout, pressure, and unlearning hustle culture
  • How Joel now helps founders escape the owner-operator trap
  • Why having a “fractional co-founder” mindset can change everything


This episode is honest, reflective, and packed with lived experience — especially for founders questioning whether the business they built is still serving the life they want.


Who this episode is for:

  • Founders thinking about an exit (now or someday)
  • Business owners feeling stuck or overly relied upon
  • Entrepreneurs approaching burnout
  • Leaders scaling past the owner-operator stage
  • Anyone curious about alternative exit routes like EOTs
  • Founders who want freedom without burning everything down


🔗 Connect with the guest

Joel Dalton: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joel-dalton-02191421/


Clone: https://clone-media.co.uk/


🔗 Connect with the host

Nitin Sharma: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nitin-rectools/


Discover recruitment tools and services: https://www.rectools.io/


New episodes of RecTalk, including Founder Diaries and Talking Talent, drop every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.


Look out for new episodes of The Mixed Grill — the official podcast of the Recruitment Curry Club — dropping on Thursdays.

https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-recruitment-curry-club/


Listen on another platform: https://rectalk.co.uk/


#FounderDiaries #RecTalk #FounderExit #EmployeeOwnership #BusinessGrowth #FounderBurnout #EntrepreneurLife #ScalingBusinesses #FounderFreedom #LeadershipJourney

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1 week ago
52 minutes 54 seconds

RecTalk Podcast - Explore Recruitment Insights
RecTalk: The 2025 Wrap-Up – Real Talk, Real Growth, and Real Gratitude

As 2025 comes to a close, host Nitin Sharma takes a moment to reflect on a transformational year for RecTalk and the wider recruitment community. This isn’t just a highlight reel — it’s a heartfelt, behind-the-scenes look at the journey of building something from nothing, the power of community, and the resilience it takes to keep showing up.In this special end-of-year episode, you'll hear from former guests, recommended suppliers, clients, and friends of RecTalk who share their hopes, lessons, and game-changing advice for recruiters heading into 2026. From cracking 100K+ subscribers to launching new series like Founder Diaries and Talking Talent, from live podcasting at RecFest and IHR to helping build real conversations at industry events — this year has been all about showing up and staying real.Expect raw insights, personal gratitude, and some serious motivation to carry you into the new year.Who this episode is for:Recruiters reflecting on 2025 and planning for 2026Recruitment business owners looking for inspiration and real talkRecTalk community members who’ve been part of the journeyAnyone who just needs a reminder that progress doesn’t have to be perfectFeaturing voices from across the RecTalk ecosystem:Poonam Mawani (Azuki Accounts) on financial disciplineEmily at SourceWhale on using tech to streamline your jobRoss at Infinity Global Staff on simplifying successBen Felding (Quinset) on inbox engagementKan from Avensys Tech on getting your IT sortedAndy Dunn (TEAM) on doubling down on real connectionsRobert Woodford (The Marketing Junction) on getting the basics rightKris Holland (Kitto) on tripling your marketingMatt Fox (Exitus Advisory) on planning your exitAnd many more...Here’s to the RecTalk community — for showing up, sharing, and supporting. This episode is for you.#RecTalk #RecruitmentCommunity #2025Recap #RecruitmentPodcast #Rectools #HappyNewYear2026 #RecruitmentTips #FounderDiaries #TalkingTalent #RecruitmentTech #ResilienceInRecruitment

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1 week ago
30 minutes 1 second

RecTalk Podcast - Explore Recruitment Insights
Backdoor Fees, Restraints & Recruiter Myths — Barry Cullen of recLAW Tells It Like It Is

In this episode of RecTalk, Nitin Sharma sits down with the man many recruiters know as “Backdoor Barry” — Barry Cullen, Partner & Solicitor at recLAW, one of the UK’s leading specialist law firms serving the recruitment industry.


Barry lifts the lid on what recLAW really does (spoiler: it’s much more than just backdoor fee claims), how the firm has grown to a multi-lawyer practice, and why recruiters often misunderstand legal risk until it’s too late.


This is a straight-talking, myth-busting conversation covering everything from fee disputes and effective cause, to restrictive covenants that actually are enforceable, preventative legal strategies, and why recruiters need to stop relying on luck instead of systems.


What you’ll learn in this episode:

  • Why “we didn’t agree terms” and “you didn’t cause the engagement” are the most common fee dispute arguments
  • How to contract out of effective cause (and why it matters)
  • Practical steps recruiters can take to protect fees before disputes happen
  • The truth about restrictive covenants — and real cases where recruiters were fined heavily
  • Why restraints of trade aren’t “worthless” (despite what LinkedIn says)
  • How recLAW helps recruiters with disputes, employment law, corporate deals, and M&A
  • The danger of celebrating fees before the cash hits the bank
  • Why prevention is cheaper (and smarter) than firefighting legal problems
  • How recruitment businesses sabotage themselves by ignoring process, training, and documentation


Barry also shares candid views on recruiter reputation, ethical misconceptions about lawyers, and why recruiters should value their own expertise more confidently.


This episode is essential listening for any recruitment business owner who wants fewer disputes, stronger protection, and fewer nasty surprises.


🔗 Connect with the guest

Barry Cullen: https://www.linkedin.com/in/barrycullen/


Check out recLAW: https://www.rectools.io/product/reclaw/


🔗 Connect with the host

Nitin Sharma: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nitin-rectools/


Discover recruitment tools and services: https://www.rectools.io/


New episodes of RecTalk, including Founder Diaries and Talking Talent, drop every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.


Look out for new episodes of The Mixed Grill — the official podcast of the Recruitment Curry Club — dropping on Thursdays.

https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-recruitment-curry-club/


Listen on another platform: https://rectalk.co.uk/


#RecTalk #RecruitmentLaw #BackdoorFees #FeeDisputes #RestrictiveCovenants #RecruitmentAgency #RecruitmentBusiness #RecruiterProblems #recLAW #Rectools

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2 weeks ago
52 minutes 51 seconds

RecTalk Podcast - Explore Recruitment Insights
Why Recruitment Agencies Are Broken – And How JOBBA Is Fixing It (with Andrew Philipson)

In this episode of RecTalk, Nitin Sharma sits down with Andrew Philipson, Founder of JOBBA, to unpack one of the biggest problems in recruitment today: why businesses hate agencies, why great recruiters are getting punished, and what a fairer model actually looks like.


Andrew shares the real story behind building JOBBA — a platform designed to connect businesses directly with independent recruiters, cutting out bloated agency margins while increasing transparency, trust, and outcomes for everyone involved.


They dive deep into:

  • Why the UK recruitment market is flooded with “cowboy recruiters” and how that’s damaged trust
  • How JOBBA removes agencies entirely and empowers solo recruiters to earn more for their work
  • Why businesses can reduce fees by up to 80% without sacrificing quality
  • The difference between business development skills and true recruitment delivery
  • How JOBBA’s open market model gives hiring managers access to dozens of specialist recruiters instantly
  • The power of candidate verification to stop CV spamming and misrepresentation
  • Why candidates are becoming the real scarce commodity again
  • How JOBBA can act as a lifeline for out-of-work TA professionals, in-between gigs, on maternity leave, or going solo
  • What JOBBA Teams are, and how companies can build their own on-demand recruitment squads
  • Lessons learned from 18 months of MVP testing, fundraising struggles, and building a product recruiters actually want


Andrew also opens up about his personal “why” — frustration with seeing brilliant recruiters tarred by the same brush as bad actors — and his mission to create an ecosystem where good recruiters can finally thrive.


This episode is a must-listen if you’re questioning traditional agency models or thinking about what recruitment should look like in 2026 and beyond.


🔗 Connect with the guest

Andrew Philipson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewphilipson/


Check out JOBBA: https://www.rectools.io/product/jobba/


🔗 Connect with the host

Nitin Sharma: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nitin-rectools/


Discover recruitment tools and services: https://www.rectools.io/


New episodes of RecTalk, including Founder Diaries and Talking Talent, drop every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.


Look out for new episodes of The Mixed Grill — the official podcast of the Recruitment Curry Club — dropping on Thursdays.

https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-recruitment-curry-club/


Listen on another platform: https://rectalk.co.uk/


#RecTalk #RecruitmentPodcast #IndependentRecruiters #TalentAcquisition #HiringTech #RecruitmentInnovation #FutureOfWork #JOBBA #RecruitmentMarketplace #Rectools

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2 weeks ago
43 minutes 41 seconds

RecTalk Podcast - Explore Recruitment Insights
The Biggest Marketing Mistakes Recruitment Owners Make (and How to Fix Them)

In this episode of RecTalk, Nitin Sharma is joined at Kitto Towers by Kris Holland, Founder of Kitto, and Rich Evans, to unpack one of the most common (and costly) problems in recruitment businesses today: getting marketing completely wrong.


Together, they dive deep into why so many recruitment founders struggle with marketing, the outdated assumptions holding agencies back, and why treating marketing as a “tick-box” or junior hire almost always ends in disappointment.


From the dangers of hiring a single junior marketer and expecting them to be a graphic designer, copywriter, strategist, and CMO all in one, to the real reason recruiters still over-index on cold calling and outdated KPIs, this conversation challenges how recruitment businesses think about growth.


You’ll hear honest perspectives on:

  • Why recruitment owners undervalue marketing as a core business function
  • The false belief that marketing must show immediate, linear ROI
  • Why sales and marketing are no longer separate in modern recruitment
  • The shift from cold calling as a closing tool to a top-of-funnel activity
  • How marketing should exist to make sales easier (not harder)
  • When outsourcing, fractional support, or agencies make more sense than in-house hires
  • The role of personal brand, content, podcasts, and community in winning future work
  • Why recruiters are still running their businesses like it’s 2010
  • How better systems, tech stacks, and education change everything


This is a no-fluff, real-world conversation for recruitment leaders who know the market has changed—but aren’t quite sure how to adapt their go-to-market strategy.


🔗 Connect with the guests

Kris Holland: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kris-holland/

Rich Evans: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richarde1/


Check out Kitto: https://www.rectools.io/product/kitto/


🔗 Connect with the host

Nitin Sharma: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nitin-rectools/


Discover recruitment tools and services: https://www.rectools.io/


New episodes of RecTalk, including Founder Diaries and Talking Talent, drop every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.


Look out for new episodes of The Mixed Grill — the official podcast of the Recruitment Curry Club — dropping on Thursdays.

https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-recruitment-curry-club/


Listen on another platform: https://rectalk.co.uk/


#RecTalk #RecruitmentMarketing #AgencyGrowth #RecruitmentLeadership #GoToMarket #RecruitmentBusiness #B2BSales #RecruitmentFounders #MarketingStrategy #PersonalBrand

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2 weeks ago
36 minutes 55 seconds

RecTalk Podcast - Explore Recruitment Insights
TALKING TALENT - How to Fix Hiring with Transparency, Feedback & Human Touch with Gita Selli

Welcome back to Talking Talent, a RecTalk podcast, hosted by Nitin Sharma and Sean Kennedy.


In this episode, we’re joined by Gita Selli, an experienced in-house talent leader who brings real-world, no-BS insight into what’s going wrong with candidate experience — and what talent teams should be doing instead.


With candidate frustration at an all-time high, ghosting now “normalised”, and AI being used for convenience rather than value, this conversation digs deep into how recruitment has lost its human touch — and how to get it back.


What we cover in this episode:

  • Why candidate experience is at an all-time low and who’s really responsible
  • The damage caused by ghosting, overcomplicated hiring processes, and poor stakeholder management
  • How many interview stages is too many (and why 6-stage processes kill good candidates)
  • Why feedback matters, even when the answer is “no” — and how it impacts employer reputation
  • The right (and wrong) ways to use AI in recruitment
  • Why “auto-reject” and transactional tech is harming talent teams
  • The importance of transparent, honest rejection messaging
  • How smaller TA teams can outperform big brands by being human
  • Employer branding that actually works — no stock photos, no fake messaging
  • Using real employees and simple video to boost applications (at zero cost)
  • Why if your people won’t advocate for your company, the problem isn’t branding — it’s culture
  • Hiring for reality, not hype: “the holiday has to match the brochure”
  • Lessons from in-house vs agency recruitment
  • Personal career reflections, leadership honesty, and staying human in high-pressure TA roles


This episode is candid, funny, occasionally brutal, and packed with practical advice for anyone involved in hiring — whether you’re in TA, recruitment leadership, or building employer brand from scratch.


Who this episode is for:

  • Talent Acquisition professionals
  • Internal recruiters and in-house TA leaders
  • Recruitment leaders frustrated with broken hiring processes
  • Employer branding and EVP specialists
  • Hiring managers involved in interview design
  • Anyone who cares about treating candidates like humans


🔗 Connect with the guest

Gita Selli: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gita-selli/


Loadsmart: https://loadsmart.com/


🔗 Connect with the hosts

Sean Kennedy: https://www.linkedin.com/in/seanthetaguy/

Nitin Sharma: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nitin-rectools/


New episodes of RecTalk, plus Founder Diaries and Talking Talent, drop every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.


Look out for new episodes of The Mixed Grill — the official podcast of the Recruitment Curry Club — dropping on Thursday.

https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-recruitment-curry-club/


Listen on another platform: https://rectalk.co.uk/


🔗 Get in touch with these recommended suppliers

Ross Thompson — Infinity Staff Global: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rossnthompson/

Matt Fox — Exitus Advisory: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-fox-50b10311/

SourceFlow: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sourceflow/

Robert Woodford — The Marketing Junction: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marketing4recs/

Carl Jones — Konquest: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carl-jones-66093722/


#TalkingTalent #RecTalk #CandidateExperience #TalentAcquisition #Recruitment #EmployerBranding #Hiring #PeopleFirst #RecruitmentLeadership #TA #HumanRecruitment

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3 weeks ago
31 minutes 25 seconds

RecTalk Podcast - Explore Recruitment Insights
FOUNDER DIARIES - Kirsty Craig & Pauline Emmott-Royston on Why Your Hiring Process is Broken

In this powerful Founder Diaries episode of RecTalk, host Nitin Sharma, founder of the whole-of-market recruitment directory Rectools.io, sits down with two industry heavyweights:


Kirsty Craig (40 years in recruitment, founder of KCA People) and
Pauline Emmott-Royston (Founder of Neom Recruitment, 26 years in the game).


Together, they unpack why your hiring process — not recruitment itself — is actually broken.


This episode dives into real, unfiltered recruitment truths: how candidates think, why employer brand matters more than ever, why businesses struggle with retention, and why treating people like humans (not widgets on a conveyor belt) is the most underrated hiring advantage.


Expect honest stories, decades of experience, and straight-talking advice that every recruitment leader, HR team, founder, hiring manager and TA professional needs to hear.


🔗 Connect with the guests

Kirsty Craig: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kirstycraig/

Pauline Emmott-Royston: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pauline-emmott-royston-45261836/


🔗 Connect with the host

Nitin Sharma: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nitin-rectools/


Discover recruitment tools and services: https://www.rectools.io/


New episodes of RecTalk, plus Founder Diaries and Talking Talent, drop every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.


Look out for new episodes of The Mixed Grill — the official podcast of the Recruitment Curry Club — dropping on Thursday.

https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-recruitment-curry-club/


Listen on another platform: https://rectalk.co.uk/


🔗 Get in touch with these recommended suppliers

Ross Thompson — Infinity Staff Global: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rossnthompson/

Matt Fox — Exitus Advisory: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-fox-50b10311/

SourceFlow: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sourceflow/

Robert Woodford — The Marketing Junction: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marketing4recs/

Carl Jones — Konquest: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carl-jones-66093722/


#RecruitmentPodcast #FounderDiaries #RecTalk #EmployerBrand #HiringProcess #RecruitmentTruths #CandidateExperience #HRLeadership #TalentAcquisition #RecruitmentConsultancy #RetentionMatters #RecruitmentIndustry #NitinSharma #Rectools

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3 weeks ago
1 hour 11 minutes 49 seconds

RecTalk Podcast - Explore Recruitment Insights
THE MIXED GRILL - Cartel in Cars After Curry: Recruitment Real Talk & Ridiculousness

Welcome back to The Mixed Grill: After Dark Edition — a chaotic, curry-fuelled ride with your hosts Nitin Sharma and Bobby Banerjee. Just two recruitment misfits in a car, unpacking life, the industry, and everyone we love (and occasionally politely dislike) across the recruitment world.


In this episode, we cover everything from weight-loss journeys and personal style glow-ups… to why some consultants seem allergic to authenticity… to deep chats about vulnerability, mental health, and why the recruitment industry quietly holds more shared struggles than anyone admits.


You’ll hear:

  • How many people are actually on weight-loss meds — and why no one wants to say it out loud.
  • The ridiculousness of personal branding, accidental creepiness, and “dog vs cat energy” personalities in recruitment.
  • Why some advisors should chill with the day-rate sermons — and who in the industry is genuinely doing great things.
  • The people we really admire, want to spend more time with, or misjudged entirely before meeting.
  • A surprisingly emotional dive into depression, burnout, safe spaces, and the power of people who remind you who the f*** you are.
  • Ending with life advice: everyone’s in the shit; only the depth varies — so talk to someone.


It’s unfiltered, honest, hilarious, occasionally heartfelt, and absolutely everything the Recruitment Curry Club stands for: community, real talk, and helping each other through the madness.


👥 Who This Episode Is For

  • Recruiters who love unfiltered industry banter
  • Anyone who appreciates honesty about mental health and professional struggles
  • People curious about the behind-the-scenes dynamics of the recruitment world
  • Fans of Nitin and Bobby’s “say it on the mic or don’t say it at all” energy
  • Members and friends of the Recruitment Curry Club community


🔗 Connect with the hosts

Bobby Banerjee: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbybanerjee/

Nitin Sharma: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nitin-rectools/


Get your fill of curry, banter, and brilliant recruitment minds at The Recruitment Curry Club:

https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-recruitment-curry-club/


Look out for more episodes of The Mixed Grill dropping on Thursdays.


Listen on another platform: https://rectalk.co.uk/


#TheMixedGrill #RecruitmentCurryClub #RecruitmentPodcast #RecTalk #NitinSharma #BobbyBanerjee #RecruitmentLife #MentalHealthInRecruitment #AfterCurryChats #RealTalkRecruiting

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3 weeks ago
32 minutes 4 seconds

RecTalk Podcast - Explore Recruitment Insights
Human Over Hype: What Recruiters Really Think at the Paraform UK Gala

In this special episode from the Paraform UK Recruiter Gala at the stunning Hedsor House, Nitin is joined again by guest hosts Bobby Banerjee and Kat Kingshott for the last of a marathon of conversations featuring some of the brightest recruiters and Paraform insiders in the industry.


Across multiple mini-interviews, we hear from:

👉 Daniel Jones and Ryan Horne of Searchability

👉 Alexander Wen, Head of Marketing at Paraform

👉 Denis Goncharov-Carey, Founder of DGC Search

👉 Wayne Zhou, GM at Paraform


This wrap-up episode captures the real sentiment, the challenges, and the excitement of recruiters operating within Paraform’s marketplace — from concerns about client access to the unique “reward” model, to the cultural differences between UK and US recruiters.


What we dive into:

⭐ How recruiters really feel about control, client ownership, and transparency on the Paraform platform.

⭐ Why UK recruiters hesitate to contact hiring managers — and why Paraform wants them to.

⭐ The Lead Recruiter initiative and how Paraform is evolving client–recruiter dynamics.

⭐ AI hype vs. reality: why humans remain central to recruitment despite Silicon Valley noise.

⭐ How Paraform creates a sense of community and “movement” rather than just another SaaS tool.

⭐ Denis’ dating-app analogy for navigating hundreds of open roles.

⭐ Alexander’s powerful view on “human-first” mission-driven hiring and why recruiting will always be about people.

⭐ Wayne’s honest reflections on UK vs US recruiter behaviour, social signalling, and how to thrive in 2026.


The episode ends with an energetic closeout between Nitin, Bobby, Kat and Wayne, reflecting on what makes Paraform’s community feel genuinely collaborative — and why 2026 might be the breakthrough year for recruiters willing to adapt, stay hungry, and stay foolish.


Who This Episode Is For

✔ Recruiters curious about Paraform and its UK expansion

✔ Agency owners exploring new revenue streams

✔ US/UK recruiters wanting clarity on AI vs human impact

✔ Marketers and talent leaders interested in community-driven platforms

✔ Anyone who enjoys honest, human, slightly chaotic conversations about the recruitment world


Check out Paraform: https://www.paraform.com/


🔗 Connect with the guests

Daniel Jones: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danieljonessearchability/

Ryan Horne: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-horne-757a03272/

Alexander Wen: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexanderwen1/

Denis Goncharov-Carey: https://www.linkedin.com/in/denis-goncharov-carey-89461817/

Wayne Zhou: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wayne-y-zhou/


🔗 Connect with the hosts

Nitin Sharma: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nitin-rectools/

Bobby Banerjee: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbybanerjee/

Kat Kingshott: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katkingshott/


Discover recruitment tools and services: https://www.rectools.io/


New episodes of RecTalk, including Founder Diaries and Talking Talent, drop every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.


Look out for new episodes of The Mixed Grill — the official podcast of the Recruitment Curry Club — dropping on Thursday.

https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-recruitment-curry-club/


Listen on another platform: https://rectalk.co.uk/


🔗 Get in touch with these recommended suppliers

Ross Thompson — Infinity Staff Global: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rossnthompson/

Matt Fox — Exitus Advisory: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-fox-50b10311/

SourceFlow: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sourceflow/

Robert Woodford — The Marketing Junction: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marketing4recs/

Carl Jones — Konquest: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carl-jones-66093722/


#RecTalk #RecruitmentPodcast #Paraform #RecruitmentTech #UKRecruiters #HedsorHouse #AIInRecruitment #FutureOfHiring #RecruitmentCommunity #Rectools

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3 weeks ago
57 minutes 21 seconds

RecTalk Podcast - Explore Recruitment Insights
Live from the Paraform UK Recruiter Gala – Real Talk with Recruiters & the Paraform Team

In this special RecTalk episode, recorded live at the Paraform UK Recruiter Gala at Hedsor House, Nitin is joined again by guest hosts Bobby Banerjee and Kat Kingshott as they speak with more top-performing recruiters and members of the Paraform strategy & ops team. This episode continues from the previous Gala instalment.


Guests share unfiltered insights into the Paraform platform, the AI-driven recruitment landscape, and what it really takes to build a successful, modern recruiting business in 2025.


Jason Rumney kicks things off by discussing tech adoption challenges, convincing senior recruiters to embrace new tools, and why Paraform's velocity and client quality now often outperform traditional internal accounts.


Next, Rebaz Has discusses scaling a remote-first tech recruitment team, making 6–7 Paraform placements, driving £100–250k in added revenue, and how the platform frees up time for true business development.


Then Cam Farmer and Oliver Wheeler bring humour and honesty with stories from their earliest days on the platform through to hitting major revenue goals. They reveal what Paraform fixed from the early days (like candidate anonymity and recruiter load per role) and share their 2026 targets—ranging from £100k months to simply “doing better every year.”


To close the episode, Ethan Huang, Danielle Jing, and Enya Lu from Paraform’s Strategy & Ops team reveal what makes the platform truly different:

  • a mission to increase recruiter earnings, not reduce them
  • never optimising for margins
  • investing in recruiter education, partnerships, and client quality
  • breaking the mould of past platforms by encouraging direct recruiter–client relationships
  • transparency, network effects, and deep empathy for user


They also share the internal culture, their backgrounds in investment banking, product, design, and tech, and the mottos that drive their work.


Check out Paraform: https://www.paraform.com/


🔗 Connect with the guests

Jason Rumney: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonrumney/

Rebaz Has: https://www.linkedin.com/in/techyo/

Cam Farmer: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cameronfarmer/

Oliver Wheeler: https://www.linkedin.com/in/oliver-wheeler-a5592b113/


From Paraform:

Danielle Jing: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniellejing/

Ethan Huang: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ethanthuang/

Enya Lu: https://www.linkedin.com/in/enyalu1/


🔗 Connect with the hosts

Nitin Sharma: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nitin-rectools/

Bobby Banerjee: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbybanerjee/

Kat Kingshott: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katkingshott/


Discover recruitment tools and services: https://www.rectools.io/


New episodes of RecTalk, including Founder Diaries and Talking Talent, drop every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.


Look out for new episodes of The Mixed Grill — the official podcast of the Recruitment Curry Club — dropping on Thursday.

https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-recruitment-curry-club/


Listen on another platform: https://rectalk.co.uk/


🔗 Get in touch with these recommended suppliers

Ross Thompson — Infinity Staff Global: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rossnthompson/

Matt Fox — Exitus Advisory: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-fox-50b10311/

SourceFlow: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sourceflow/

Robert Woodford — The Marketing Junction: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marketing4recs/

Carl Jones — Konquest: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carl-jones-66093722/


#RecTalk #RecruitmentPodcast #Paraform #RecruitersOfLinkedIn #RecruitmentTech #AIRecruitment #HedsorHouse #Rectools #StaffingIndustry #TalentAcquisition #RecruitmentInsights #FutureOfRecruitment #AgencyOwnerLife #MarketplaceRecruitment #TechRecruitment #SaaSRecruitment #RecruitmentEvents #RecruitmentCommunity #StartupHiring #ScalingARecruitmentBusiness

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4 weeks ago
48 minutes 24 seconds

RecTalk Podcast - Explore Recruitment Insights
FOUNDER DIARIES - Taylor James on Mental Health, Starting Out, and the Truth About Podcasting

Welcome back to Founder Diaries, a RecTalk podcast hosted by Nitin Sharma, founder of Rectools.io — the only whole-of-market directory for recruitment suppliers.


This week, Nitin sits down with Taylor James — Co-Founder of Twentytwo Productions, award-winning podcast host, producer, and creator of The Waffle Shop. Taylor’s journey is anything but ordinary, and in this deeply real and refreshingly honest conversation, he opens up about:


🔥 What We Dive Into

  • How a darkest-hour moment became the catalyst for Taylor starting a podcast.
  • Nearly losing his mum, becoming a full-time carer overnight, and the emotional impact that shaped the next five years of his life.
  • Why creating The Waffle Shop became his therapy — and how it evolved into a platform with global guests and millions of downloads.
  • The truth behind podcast charts, vanity metrics, and the social-media illusion many creators fall into.
  • How podcasting helped him rediscover purpose, community, empowerment, and his personal voice.
  • Why he chose to step back from mental-health content despite its success — and what the next chapter looks like.
  • Advice for anyone thinking of starting a podcast: testing concepts, not chasing numbers, and understanding your why.
  • The emotional and psychological weight of becoming “the mental health guy” — and learning to protect your own wellbeing.
  • Empowerment, resilience, and the mindset shift needed to build a life on your own terms.


This episode is raw, inspiring, emotional, funny, and full of perspective. Whether you're at a crossroads or building something from scratch, Taylor’s story hits home.


🎯 Who This Episode Is For

  • Founders navigating tough transitions
  • Creators or entrepreneurs battling imposter syndrome
  • Anyone considering starting a podcast
  • People interested in resilience, mental health, and personal reinvention
  • Solo founders building from rock bottom
  • Anyone who wants a brutally honest look at what “success” really means


🔗 Connect with the guest

Taylor James: https://www.linkedin.com/in/taylorpattinson/


Twentytwo Productions: https://twentytwo.productions/

The Waffle Shop: https://open.spotify.com/show/60C1ePAB4tZJkwpBMAQCib


🔗 Connect with the host

Nitin Sharma: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nitin-rectools/


Discover recruitment tools and services: https://www.rectools.io/


New episodes of RecTalk, plus Founder Diaries and Talking Talent, drop every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.


New episodes of The Mixed Grill — the official podcast of the Recruitment Curry Club — drop on Thursday.

https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-recruitment-curry-club/


Listen on another platform: https://rectalk.co.uk/


🔗 Get in touch with these recommended suppliers

Ross Thompson — Infinity Staff Global: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rossnthompson/

Matt Fox — Exitus Advisory: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-fox-50b10311/

SourceFlow: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sourceflow/

Robert Woodford — The Marketing Junction: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marketing4recs/

Carl Jones — Konquest: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carl-jones-66093722/


#FounderDiaries #RecTalk #TaylorJames #TwentytwoProductions #TheWaffleShop #PodcastingTips #EntrepreneurJourney #MentalHealthMatters #Resilience #StartYourPodcast #ContentCreators #NitinSharma #Rectools #CreativeEntrepreneurship #RealConversations #EmpowermentJourney

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1 month ago
58 minutes 20 seconds

RecTalk Podcast - Explore Recruitment Insights
THE MIXED GRILL - Industry Icks, LinkedIn Chaos & Post-Curry Wisdom – Curry Club After Dark

Welcome back to The Mixed Grill, the official podcast of the Recruitment Curry Club hosted by Nitin Sharma and Bobby Banerjee — where recruitment chat meets curry-fuelled chaos.


Fresh out of a Diwali dinner in Northwest London, Nitin and Bobby jump into the car for a late-night debrief and dive head-first into the spicy stuff recruiters don’t usually say out loud.


Here’s what they dig into:

  • Recruitment “icks” — from junior recruiters’ cringe LinkedIn clichés to Wolf of Wall Street wannabe leaders still stuck in 2010.
  • TA vs Agency — who actually has the harder job? And why the conversation has more layers than a perfectly made biryani.
  • AI Nonsense & Cash-Grab Vendors — calling out the companies flogging AI as a magic silver bullet while selling solutions with a 6-month shelf life.
  • Mediocrity in Recruitment — shortcuts, quick wins, lazy posting, and why the industry deserves better.
  • LinkedIn Over-Personalisation — from “Hey, we both breathe air!” DMs to the awkward oversharing epidemic.
  • Future-Proofing Recruitment — 360 vs 180 models, skill gaps, operating models, and what the industry actually needs to survive to 2030 and beyond.
  • Diwali, family culture, tanning, old Facebook memories, hangovers (or lack of them) — and other wonderfully chaotic tangents that only a post-curry recording can deliver.


Fun, raw, opinionated — and very, very Mixed Grill.


Who This Episode Is For

  • Recruiters who love the industry but can’t stand its nonsense.
  • Talent Acquisition pros who want their seat at the table respected.
  • Founders and recruitment leaders trying to modernise their operating model.
  • Anyone confused (or exhausted) by the current AI hype cycle.
  • LinkedIn warriors who need a gentle nudge to stop oversharing.
  • Fans of casual, funny, no-BS chat after a good curry.


🔗 Connect with the hosts

Bobby Banerjee: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbybanerjee/

Nitin Sharma: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nitin-rectools/


Get your fill of curry, banter, and brilliant recruitment minds at The Recruitment Curry Club:

https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-recruitment-curry-club/


Look out for more episodes of The Mixed Grill dropping on Thursdays.


Listen on another platform: https://rectalk.co.uk/


#TheMixedGrill #RecTalk #RecruitmentCurryClub #RecruitmentPodcast #RecruitmentLife #TalentAcquisition #RecruitmentIcks #LinkedInFails #AIinRecruitment #FutureOfRecruitment #NitinSharma #BobbyBanerjee

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1 month ago
34 minutes 1 second

RecTalk Podcast - Explore Recruitment Insights
Inside the Paraform Revolution: Recruiter Stories, AI Breakthroughs & Marketplace Mastery

Inside the Paraform Revolution: Recruiter Stories, AI Breakthroughs & Marketplace Mastery — Live from Hedsor House


In this special live edition of RecTalk, hosts Nitin Sharma and Bobby Banerjee sit down with recruiters, founders, and the Paraform leadership team at the spectacular Paraform UK Recruiter Gala at Hedsor House.


Across the evening, they speak with marketplace veterans, top billers, brand-new joiners, and the Paraform team themselves — exploring how the platform has transformed earning potential, workflows, and the future of independent recruiting.


Featuring:

Wayne Zhou • Kat Kingshott • Marco Navarro • Neil Patel • Jeffrey Li • Sam Bracey • George Valentine • Tilly Dack • Jev Wray • Louise Ogilvy


🔥 What’s Inside


1. Paraform’s Origin, Pain Points & Breakthroughs

Wayne and Kat share how Paraform evolved from a basic referral tool into a high-growth recruiter marketplace — built through honest feedback, failed experiments, and learning from early mistakes.


2. When Recruiters Build Agencies Through Marketplaces

Marco & Neil of Inkorp reveal how they went from skepticism → first 3 placements → scaling to a four-person team in under a year thanks to volume, speed and Paraform support.


3. AI Matching, Talent Routing & Future Vision

Paraform CTO Jeffrey Li breaks down:

  • why almost half of hires now involve Paraform AI
  • how candidates can be cross-matched to multiple companies
  • the shift from quantity to quality-first recruiting
  • building an ATS-grade experience directly into the marketplace


4. Real Recruiter Stories: The Earnings, Challenges & Wins

  • Oakland Search discuss the learning curve for UK recruiters entering US markets and how Paraform accelerates junior development.
  • Louise Ogilvy shares why she left the platform years ago — then returned to bill ~$480k, with 60% coming from Paraform.
  • Jev Wray explains why he calls Paraform “a rocket ship” after billing 300k+ as a solo.


🎯 Who This Episode Is For

  • Recruiters curious about Paraform or marketplace models
  • Solo recruiters wanting to increase earnings without heavy BD
  • Agency owners scaling teams in the UK & US markets
  • RecTech fans interested in AI-driven hiring
  • Anyone exploring the future of decentralised recruitment


Check out Paraform: https://www.paraform.com/


🔗 Connect with the guests

Wayne Zhou: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wayne-y-zhou/

Kat Kingshott: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katkingshott/

Marco Navarro: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marco-navarro-b12689a3/

Neil Patel: https://www.linkedin.com/in/neilinkorp/

Jeffrey Li: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lijeffrey39/

Sam Bracey: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sambracey/

George Valentine: https://www.linkedin.com/in/george-valentine-aa3267171/

Tilly Dack: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tilly-dack-45605a2a9/

Jev Wray: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jev-wray/

Louise Ogilvy: https://www.linkedin.com/in/devtools-recruitment/


🔗 Connect with the hosts

Nitin Sharma: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nitin-rectools/

Bobby Banerjee: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbybanerjee/


Discover recruitment tools and services: https://www.rectools.io/


New episodes of RecTalk, including Founder Diaries and Talking Talent, drop every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.


Also look out for The Mixed Grill — the official podcast of the Recruitment Curry Club — dropping on a Thursday.

https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-recruitment-curry-club/


Listen on another platform: https://rectalk.co.uk/


🔗 Get in touch with these recommended suppliers

Ross Thompson — Infinity Staff Global: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rossnthompson/

Matt Fox — Exitus Advisory: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-fox-50b10311/

SourceFlow: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sourceflow/

Robert Woodford — The Marketing Junction: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marketing4recs/

Carl Jones — Konquest: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carl-jones-66093722/


#RecTalk #Paraform #RecruitmentMarketplace #RecruitmentPodcast #Rectech #AIRecruiting #AgencyOwners #RecruiterLife #HedsorHouse #FutureOfRecruitment

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1 month ago
1 hour 5 minutes 5 seconds

RecTalk Podcast - Explore Recruitment Insights
Paraform, UK Recruiters & Breaking Into the US Market: Real Talk with Wayne Zhou & Kat Kingshott

In this special on-location episode of RecTalk, recorded at the iconic Hedsor House ahead of the Paraform UK Recruiter Gala, Nitin Sharma and guest co-host Bobby Banerjee sit down with Wayne Zhou and Kat Kingshott to deep-dive into the realities of scaling recruitment across the US, UK, and global markets.

Wayne and Kat share the unfiltered story of Paraform — how the company began as a scrappy agency, discovered its true product-market fit through hard lessons, and evolved into a high-growth marketplace connecting elite recruiters with top US tech and healthcare companies.


Together, they unpack:

  • 🚀 The origin story of Paraform and why they pivoted from agency → referral model → today’s high-performance recruiter marketplace.
  • 🌍 Why UK recruiters are uniquely successful in the US — urgency, maturity, speed, and commercial sharpness.
  • 📉 The biggest challenges recruiters face when expanding into the US market (BD, legalities, niche specialisms, and client qualification).
  • 💰 How Paraform helps smaller agencies scale fast by providing vetted roles, support, AM teams, community, and fair marketplace dynamics.
  • 🧪 What “good” looks like: the behavioural traits and experience Paraform looks for when vetting recruiters.
  • 🛠️ Why the platform isn’t the “easy way to make money” — and why those who love the game can double revenue by specialising.
  • 📉 When it doesn’t work — transparency around missteps, early platform issues, and how they course-corrected.
  • 🧭 Future-proofing recruiting beyond the AI boom: healthcare, consulting, legal, gov-tech and other elastic-demand sectors.


This episode is an honest, energetic and hilarious look at the realities of building a recruiter marketplace, the differences between UK/US hiring cultures, and what it really takes to succeed as a specialist external recruiter today.


Who This Episode Is For

  • Recruiters considering expanding into the US tech or healthcare market
  • UK-based agencies wanting a BD engine without the legwork
  • Solo recruiters seeking community, support and higher-value roles
  • Founders exploring marketplace models or recruiter enablement tools
  • Anyone curious about how Paraform actually works behind the scenes


🔗 Connect with the guests

Wayne Zhou: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wayne-y-zhou/

Kat Kingshott: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katkingshott/


Check out Paraform: https://www.paraform.com/


🔗 Connect with the hosts

Nitin Sharma: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nitin-rectools/

Bobby Banerjee: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbybanerjee/


Discover recruitment tools and services: https://www.rectools.io/


New episodes of RecTalk, including Founder Diaries and Talking Talent, drop every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.


Also look out for The Mixed Grill — the official podcast of the Recruitment Curry Club — dropping on a Thursday.

https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-recruitment-curry-club/


Listen on another platform: https://rectalk.co.uk/


🔗 Get in touch with these recommended suppliers

Ross Thompson — Infinity Staff Global: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rossnthompson/

Matt Fox — Exitus Advisory: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-fox-50b10311/

SourceFlow: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sourceflow/

Robert Woodford — The Marketing Junction: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marketing4recs/

Carl Jones — Konquest: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carl-jones-66093722/


#RecTalk #RecruitmentPodcast #Paraform #USRecruitment #UKRecruiters #ScalingAgencies #RecruitmentTech #MarketplaceHiring #TalentAcquisition #HedsorHouse #RecruiterGala #Rectools

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1 month ago
54 minutes 9 seconds

RecTalk Podcast - Explore Recruitment Insights
FOUNDER DIARIES - Door-to-Door Sales to Multi-Business Investor: The Founder Mindset with Rich Evans

In this episode of Founder Diaries, host Nitin Sharma sits down with the brilliant and brutally honest Rich Evans — entrepreneur, investor, advisor, and the man with more pies than fingers.


Rich’s journey is anything but typical. From wanting to be a PE teacher… to knocking doors selling TV packages… to running recruitment teams… to building and exiting Bold Identities… and now advising and investing across B2B service businesses. His story is a masterclass in resilience, timing, people, and the real traits that matter in entrepreneurship.


🔥 In this episode, we dive into:

  • How Rich accidentally fell into sales, recruitment, entrepreneurship — and why “no master plan” can still win
  • The reality of building and exiting a service-led business (including when early offers aren’t enough)
  • How he used his exit to create long-term generational wealth
  • Why Rich backs founders, not products — and what traits he looks for before investing his own money and time
  • The importance of bias for action, resilience, resourcefulness, and “doing the basics well”
  • Why B2B service businesses win when they communicate better than everyone else
  • The future of recruitment tech, human vs. automated touchpoints, and why candidate care still sucks
  • Rich’s prediction for 2026 and the real impact of AI on business and employment
  • Founders’ psychology: mindset, positivity, ownership, controlling the controllables
  • His biggest lessons, biggest failures, and why showing up as a parent is his proudest achievement


This is one of the most honest deep-dives into what real founders actually experience — the pivots, the hits to the face, the doubts, the wins, the mindset shifts, and the relentless work behind the scenes.


🎧 Who This Episode Is For

  • Founders and early-stage entrepreneurs
  • Recruitment agency owners and service-based business leaders
  • Investors/advisors who want to understand founder psychology
  • Anyone navigating AI, market uncertainty, or big strategic decisions
  • People who need a mindset reset and some raw, real talk from someone who’s lived it


🔗 Connect with the guest

Rich Evans: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richarde1/


🔗 Connect with the host

Nitin Sharma: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nitin-rectools/


Discover recruitment tools and services: https://www.rectools.io/


New episodes of RecTalk, plus Founder Diaries and Talking Talent, drop every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.


New episodes of The Mixed Grill — the official podcast of the Recruitment Curry Club — dropping every Thursday.

https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-recruitment-curry-club/


Listen on another platform: https://rectalk.co.uk/


🔗 Get in touch with these recommended suppliers

Ross Thompson — Infinity Staff Global: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rossnthompson/

Matt Fox — Exitus Advisory: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-fox-50b10311/

SourceFlow: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sourceflow/

Robert Woodford — The Marketing Junction: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marketing4recs/

Carl Jones — Konquest: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carl-jones-66093722/


#FounderDiaries #RecTalk #Entrepreneurship #RecruitmentIndustry #ServiceBusiness #BusinessMindset #FounderJourney #B2BLeadership #Investing #RecruitmentTech #AIinRecruitment #MindsetMatters

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1 month ago
48 minutes 56 seconds

RecTalk Podcast - Explore Recruitment Insights
THE MIXED GRILL - Phone-In Special: Pebbling, Party Tricks & Recruitment Real Talk

Welcome back to The Mixed Grill, the official podcast of the Recruitment Curry Club, hosted by Nitin Sharma and Bobby Banerjee.


In this week’s episode, Nitin and Bobby dive into a hilarious and surprisingly insightful phone-in special (well… voice-note special because it’s 2025 and nobody wants a real phone-in on a Friday at 1:55pm). Expect unfiltered nonsense, actual recruitment wisdom, and more unsolicited life advice than anyone asked for.


From Mike’s morphine-fuelled messages, Sarah from NumberMill’s party trick interrogation, and mystery questions about makeup artists, to the genuinely thoughtful discussions on:

  • Why AI panic and AI hype are both missing the point
  • The “human premium” and why recruitment is splitting into two very distinct camps
  • KPI myths, the curse of 360 obsession, and why putting the right humans in the right roles fixes most problems
  • Why billing managers don’t work
  • Why recruiters should stop lying to themselves about “the good old days”
  • The biggest and most expensive mistakes recruitment owners make (hint: cars, offices, tax, and ego)
  • Cultural fit, sorting-hat recruitment, and why some great recruiters fail in the wrong environments
  • What movie best describes their careers (spoiler: The Goonies and Pulp Fiction both get a shout)


This episode is unfiltered and absolutely packed with the kind of fun, chaos, and surprisingly sharp recruitment conversation that makes the Recruitment Curry Club community what it is.


🔥 Who This Episode Is For

  • Recruiters who love the industry but refuse to take it too seriously
  • Recruitment founders wanting honest talk without LinkedIn fluff
  • L&D, enablement and ops folks who want to understand behavioural fit
  • Anyone curious about AI’s real impact on recruitment
  • Fans of chaotic humour, cultural references, and two blokes oversharing
  • Curry Club members who know exactly why this WhatsApp group is so special


🔗 Connect with the hosts

Bobby Banerjee: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbybanerjee/

Nitin Sharma: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nitin-rectools/


Get your fill of curry, banter, and brilliant recruitment minds at The Recruitment Curry Club:

https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-recruitment-curry-club/


New episodes of The Mixed Grill drop every Thursday.


Listen on another platform: https://rectalk.co.uk/


#MixedGrillPodcast #RecruitmentCurryClub #RecTalk #RecruitmentPodcast #RecruitmentLife #RecruitmentHumour #RecruiterCommunity #AIInRecruitment #RecruiterEnablement #WorkCulture #PeopleFirstRecruitment #Rectools #NitinSharma #BobbyBanerjee

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1 month ago
44 minutes 44 seconds

RecTalk Podcast - Explore Recruitment Insights
RecTalk Masterclass: Market Reality, Smart Scaling & Survival Skills for 2025

Welcome to a special roundtable masterclass edition of RecTalk, hosted by Nitin Sharma. Get ready for pure, unfiltered industry knowledge from five of the most respected brains in recruitment… and Bobby. 😉


In this honest (and hilarious) discussion, Nitin is joined by:

  • Keith Davidson – Recruitment Funding Solutions
  • Bobby Banerjee – Elev8 Learning
  • Stewart Roberts – Mayachi
  • Christian Mather – One Day Wealth
  • Kan Mallawathantri – Avensys Tech


This masterclass digs into what recruitment leaders are really facing in 2025 — from market nerves to founder burnout, tech chaos, and financial blind spots. Expect a perfect mix of insight, humour, real-life horror stories, and actionable advice.


Key Topics Include:

  • 📉 Is the market bad… or just back to normal? Why negativity is creeping in and what’s actually happening behind the scenes.
  • 🚀 The rise of new starts: Why top billers are leaving big agencies due to commission changes and choosing to build lifestyle-led micro-agencies.
  • 💸 Founders going bust: The hidden reasons agencies collapse — and what experienced suppliers are seeing every day.
  • 🧮 Accounting disasters: From directors misunderstanding VAT to accountants who don’t understand recruitment — and how it destroys businesses.
  • 🧪 1-to-1 vs 360 models, tech stacks, funding models: Why agency blueprints no longer exist — and how owners can choose the right structure.
  • 🤝 How to tell a good supplier from a terrible one: Social proof, reputation, referrals, and why “leaflet marketing logic” actually makes sense.
  • 🧠 Consultative selling > desperation selling: Why humans sniff out urgency — and why giving value first always wins.

And much more...


Packed with stories, strategies, and plenty of banter — this is one of the most comprehensive “state of the industry” conversations recruitment leaders will hear all year.


🙋 Who This Episode Is For:

  • Recruitment founders (new or seasoned)
  • Aspiring agency owners
  • Solo recruiters scaling for the first time
  • Ops, L&D, finance, and back-office leaders
  • Anyone trying to understand the real state of recruitment in 2025
  • Anyone tired of hype and wanting straight-talking advice


🔗 Connect with the panel


Keith Davidson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/keith-davidson-rfsqps/

Recruitment Funding Solutions: https://www.rectools.io/product/recruitment-funding-solutions-2/


Bobby Banerjee: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbybanerjee/

Elev8 Learning: https://www.rectools.io/product/elev8-learning/


Stewart Roberts: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stewartroberts78/

Mayachi: https://www.rectools.io/product/mayachi-ltd/


Christian Mather: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christianmather/

One Day Wealth: https://www.rectools.io/product/one-day-wealth/


Kan Mallawathantri: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kan-avensystech/

Avensys Tech: https://www.rectools.io/product/avensys-tech/


🔗 Connect with the host

Nitin Sharma: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nitin-rectools/


Discover recruitment tools and services: https://www.rectools.io/


New episodes of RecTalk, including Founder Diaries and Talking Talent, drop every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.


Also look out for The Mixed Grill — the official podcast of the Recruitment Curry Club — dropping on a Thursday.

https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-recruitment-curry-club/


Listen on another platform: https://rectalk.co.uk/


🔗 Get in touch with these recommended suppliers

Ross Thompson — Infinity Staff Global: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rossnthompson/

Matt Fox — Exitus Advisory: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-fox-50b10311/

SourceFlow: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sourceflow/

Robert Woodford — The Marketing Junction: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marketing4recs/

Carl Jones — Konquest: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carl-jones-66093722/


#Rectalk #RecruitmentPodcast #RecruitmentLeaders #RecruitmentTech #AgencyOwners #RecruitmentStartups #RecOps #RecruitmentFunding #L&D #ConsultativeSelling #AIinRecruitment #RecruitmentMarket #BDTips #RecruitmentTraining #HRTech #StaffingInsights #Rectools

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1 month ago
1 hour 21 minutes 29 seconds

RecTalk Podcast - Explore Recruitment Insights
Welcome to RecTalk, the UK's biggest recruitment industry podcast on YouTube and a Top 15% Video Podcast on Spotify! Hear from trailblazers in the recruitment industry who want to have their say on all things recruitment - unbiased, unfiltered, unscripted.