Confessions of a Recruiter

xrecruiter.io

Confessions of a Recruiter is a podcast built for recruiters who want more than surface-level stories.We’ve stepped into a new era with a sharper look and a stronger voice. This rebrand isn’t just about a new logo. It reflects our commitment to real conversations, genuine insight, and a brand that matches the impact we’re making in the recruitment industry.If you're keen to be part of the journey, email us at info@confessionspod.com

  1. Rav Prasad | From Selling Gym Memberships to Founding His Own Agency | COAR S3 E2

    2 days ago

    Rav Prasad | From Selling Gym Memberships to Founding His Own Agency | COAR S3 E2

    Send us Fan Mail A recruiter who still loves picking up the phone after 16 years is either wired differently or has figured out something most people miss. Rav Prasad joins us to unpack how he went from selling gym memberships to thriving inside major agencies, then stepping out on his own and building Humanistics in Brisbane. Along the way we get into what the Michael Page environment demands, why standards and internal reputation can shape your career, and how those early years harden the skills that matter when markets turn.  We compare agency cultures and recruitment KPIs in real terms, including what the Robert Half contracting engine feels like, why activity and connected calls change everything, and the downside of being siloed when you spot a great lead. Rav breaks down why he stayed in accounting and finance recruitment, how Brisbane has become more transactional, and why human connection is still the edge when everyone is moving fast. If you care about candidate experience, client trust, and doing business development without burning out, there are plenty of practical cues you can steal.  We also go deeper on leadership and building a recruitment business. Rav shares the mistakes he regrets, why focusing on titles can pull you off track, and what “consistency” looks like day to day when you run your own desk. Then we look forward: AI in recruitment, where automation genuinely helps (admin), where it falls short (context), and why meeting people face to face still gives you information you cannot get on Teams.  If you enjoyed the chat, subscribe, share it with a recruiter mate, and leave us a review so more people can find the show.  Support the show · Our Website is: xrecruiter.io

    37 min
  2. Darren Buchanan | The Man Behind Hays Queensland’s Rise to #1 | COAR S3 E1

    16 June

    Darren Buchanan | The Man Behind Hays Queensland’s Rise to #1 | COAR S3 E1

    Send us Fan Mail You don’t often get to hear from someone who’s spent 32 years inside one of the world’s biggest recruitment agencies and still has a clear view of what matters. Darren joins us to share how he “fell into recruitment” in early 90s London, survived the boiler room pace, and eventually helped build Hays into a powerhouse across Queensland. We dig into the real differences between UK recruitment and Australian recruitment culture, especially in Brisbane and regional Queensland. London can be transactional and outcome-first, while Queensland recruiting often rewards relationships, trust and showing up in person. Darren explains how the same recruitment methodology can land very differently depending on the market, and what that means for client management and candidate experience. We also get practical on systems and leadership: why CRM and ATS rollouts are so hard in big agencies, how to win buy-in (including pulling sceptics closer), and how to manage KPIs when your most experienced recruiters operate on instinct and deep networks. Darren shares why compliance and customer service can’t be an afterthought, plus what the GFC taught him about redundancies, humanity and leading when it hurts. If you’re building a recruitment agency, running a team, or trying to stay sane while chasing targets, this one is packed with grounded lessons. Subscribe, share it with a recruiter mate, leave us a review, and tell us: what’s the hardest change you’ve had to lead in your business? Support the show · Our Website is: xrecruiter.io

    48 min
  3. Mastering Candidate Experience: Blue Collar Recruitment | COAR S2-E6

    10 May

    Mastering Candidate Experience: Blue Collar Recruitment | COAR S2-E6

    Send us Fan Mail We sit down with Theo Elliott from Rover Recruitment to unpack the real first-year story behind a fast-growing labour hire desk in Brisbane and the Gold Coast, including the ugly parts recruiters don’t post about: rejection, cashflow stress, and learning suburbs on the fly while still trying to win work.  We get practical about what moved the needle early. Theo shares why he doubled down on manufacturing, warehousing and logistics recruitment, how he approached market mapping, and what it took to do 1,000 business development calls in two weeks. We also dig into the quality versus quantity debate, why activity creates better outcomes over time, and how speed-to-market affects candidate attraction in blue-collar hiring where applicants disappear fast.  Then we go deeper into operations and risk. Theo breaks down how he runs a lean 360 model, when he hired support, and how remote recruitment professionals help with sourcing, screening and contractor flow while he stays focused on client acquisition and account management. We also talk bad debt and liquidation risk, the warning signs he wishes he acted on earlier, and the lesson he wants every recruiter to take away: get on site, understand the culture, and manage expectations with clients before you promise anything.  If you’re building a recruitment agency, scaling a labour hire desk, or trying to improve candidate attraction and temp-to-perm outcomes, this one will sharpen your thinking.  Support the show · Our Website is: xrecruiter.io

    56 min
  4. Defence, Intelligence & Space : Dan Newberry, Shadow Gate Partners | COAR S2 Special

    14 Apr

    Defence, Intelligence & Space : Dan Newberry, Shadow Gate Partners | COAR S2 Special

    Send us Fan Mail The defence industry is hard enough. Now try recruiting for intelligence missions where the best candidates cannot be found on job boards, some people barely exist online, and you are not even allowed to talk about certain details in public. In this special episode we are joined by Daniel Newberry, founder of Shadowgate Partners, to get a rare look at what modern intelligence recruitment and space-related hiring actually involves. We talk through Daniel’s path from internal talent acquisition at major defence primes to launching his own specialist recruitment agency, then deliberately niching down into signals intelligence and space capability. He explains the early credibility problem, what it is like trying to navigate defence procurement. If you have ever wondered how recruiters source “cleared” talent when LinkedIn is not enough, this is the playbook: internal sourcing, program mapping, and relationship-led headhunting. Daniel also shares why Shadowgate runs retained search instead of contingent recruitment, why some clients only want to see one CV, and what “delivery” looks like when relocations, family impact, and mission outcomes are on the line. We finish with founder-level lessons on picking a niche, not scaling too fast, and building a process that earns trust in the intelligence and defence space. If you enjoy conversations about defence recruitment, security clearance hiring, signals intelligence, Australia’s space industry, and building a recruitment agency that can operate across Australia and the US, press play. Support the show · Our Website is: xrecruiter.io

    37 min

Trailers

4.7
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About

Confessions of a Recruiter is a podcast built for recruiters who want more than surface-level stories.We’ve stepped into a new era with a sharper look and a stronger voice. This rebrand isn’t just about a new logo. It reflects our commitment to real conversations, genuine insight, and a brand that matches the impact we’re making in the recruitment industry.If you're keen to be part of the journey, email us at info@confessionspod.com

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