RecTalk Podcast - Explore Recruitment Insights

Nitin Sharma, founder of rectools.io

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.

  1. 14h ago

    Living With Voices In My Head: How I Built A Career With Psychosis | Jed Shaw

    What does it feel like to hear voices every day? Recorded live at IHR Live Manchester, Sean Kennedy and Nitin Sharma sit down with talent acquisition leader Jed Shaw for one of the most honest conversations we've ever had on the podcast. Jed shares his experience living with psychosis, including auditory hallucinations, a mental health crisis that led to hospitalisation, and how he rebuilt his life and career afterwards. Despite hearing multiple voices every day, Jed has gone on to become a respected leader, speaker and advocate for neurodiversity in the workplace. This episode also explores: ✅ Living with psychosis and auditory hallucinations✅ Neurodiversity in the workplace✅ Mental health recovery and resilience✅ How employers can better support neurodivergent employees✅ Why sharing your story matters✅ Automation vs AI in talent acquisition✅ Building a successful career despite adversity Jed's story is a powerful reminder that people are capable of far more than a diagnosis, and that understanding creates opportunities for everyone. If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health challenges, please remember that support is available and reaching out is a sign of strength. #MentalHealth #Psychosis #Neurodiversity #Recruitment #TalentAcquisition #WorkplaceWellbeing #IHRLive #RecTalk #TalkingTalent

    23 min

  2. 4d ago

    Beyond Deliverability: Why Your Recruitment Emails Aren’t Getting Replies with Ben Fielding

    For years, recruiters have focused on email deliverability—getting SPF, DKIM, DMARC, domain reputation, and technical compliance right. But what happens when your emails are landing in the inbox and you're still not getting replies? In this episode of RecTalk, Nitin Sharma sits down with Ben Fielding, founder of Quinset and one of the recruitment industry's leading experts on email deliverability and outreach strategy, to explore the next evolution of business development in recruitment. Together they unpack why many traditional recruitment outreach tactics no longer work, why recruiters are struggling to generate engagement despite having the right technology in place, and how the modern market demands a completely different approach to building relationships with clients. Ben explains why deliverability is only one layer of the challenge. Once your email reaches the inbox, your messaging, positioning, relevance, credibility, and understanding of the prospect's world become the deciding factors in whether somebody responds. The conversation dives deep into: Why mass spec CV campaigns are becoming less effectiveThe shift from transactional outreach to relationship-led business developmentHow recruiters can become memorable and stay front-of-mind when hiring needs eventually ariseThe psychology behind prospect engagement and "critical filters"Why most recruitment marketing makes the recruiter the hero instead of the clientStorytelling techniques that increase response ratesHyper-personalisation versus mass outreachThe importance of demonstrating outcomes rather than simply selling recruitment servicesWhy engagement rates now directly impact email performance and domain reputationThe mistakes recruiters make when trying to scale outreach through volume aloneHow branding, trust signals and familiarity influence open rates and responsesPractical ways to improve candidate and client engagement without sending more emails One of the biggest takeaways from this episode is that recruiters need to stop focusing solely on getting emails delivered and start focusing on giving recipients a compelling reason to respond. If you've ever wondered why your outreach isn't generating conversations despite having the right tech stack, this episode is packed with practical insights you can implement immediately. 🔗 Connect with the guest Ben Fielding: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benfielding/ Learn more about Quinset: https://www.rectools.io/product/quinset-powermail/ 🔗 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) drop regularly on Wednesday and Friday. Also look out for new episodes of Talking Talent and The Mixed Grill (the official podcast of the Recruitment Curry Club). https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-recruitment-curry-club/ Watch or listen on another platform: https://rectalk.co.uk/ #Recruitment #RecruitmentAgency #BusinessDevelopment #ColdOutreach #EmailMarketing #EmailDeliverability #RecruitmentSales #RecruitmentMarketing #ExecutiveSearch #TalentAcquisition #StaffingIndustry #RecruiterLife #RecTech #SalesPsychology #B2BSales #RecTalk #Rectools #Quinset #BenFielding #NitinSharma

    48 min

  3. 6d ago

    RecTalk x Talking Talent x Mixed Grill: Agency vs TA, RecFest, AI & The Future of Recruitment

    Look out for RecTalk podcast at RecFest in Knebworth, 2 July 2026 Use code RECTALK30RF for 30% off tickets: https://recfest.com/uk/tickets/?&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=tickets&utm_campaign=rectalk In this special crossover episode of RecTalk, Talking Talent and Mixed Grill, Nitin Sharma is joined by two familiar faces from the recruitment community: Sean Kennedy and Bobby Banerjee. Filmed at the incredible Full Swing Europe HQ (https://fullswingsports.eu/), the trio dive into one of the biggest conversations happening in recruitment right now: the evolving relationship between agency recruiters and talent acquisition teams. From the realities of working in TA versus agency recruitment, to the future impact of AI on talent functions, this episode is packed with honest opinions, industry debate, plenty of laughs, and a few controversial takes along the way. The conversation also explores the upcoming RecFest, why events matter more than ever, how recruiters can build stronger relationships with TA leaders, and whether talent acquisition belongs inside HR at all. Expect discussions around: RecFest and why it's become one of recruitment's most anticipated eventsWhy agency recruiters and TA teams often misunderstand each otherSean's experience moving into a fractional Talent Acquisition roleThe biggest differences between agency recruitment and internal hiringStakeholder management, hiring managers and candidate experienceWhen businesses should use agencies (and when they shouldn't)The changing role of Talent Acquisition in a world increasingly influenced by AIJeremy Snell's prediction that TA has less than 18 months left in its current formWhether Talent Acquisition should sit within HR, RevOps, Sales or People OperationsWhy relationship-building beats transactional recruiting every timeCommunity, networking and the power of events like RecFest, TA hikes and industry meetupsRecruitment leadership, promotion mistakes and the challenges of building great teams One of the standout themes throughout the episode is empathy — understanding the challenges faced by clients, candidates, hiring managers and talent teams in order to become a more effective recruiter and business partner. Who This Episode Is For: Agency RecruitersTalent Acquisition ProfessionalsHeads of TalentRecruitment LeadersRecruitment Business OwnersHR ProfessionalsRecruitment Technology VendorsStaffing EntrepreneursAnyone interested in the future of hiring, recruitment and workforce planning 🔗 Connect with the hosts Bobby Banerjee: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbybanerjee/ Sean Kennedy: https://www.linkedin.com/in/seanthetaguy/ 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) drop regularly on Wednesday and Friday. Also look out for new episodes of Talking Talent and The Mixed Grill (the official podcast of the Recruitment Curry Club). https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-recruitment-curry-club/ Listen on another platform: https://rectalk.co.uk/ #RecTalk #TalkingTalent #MixedGrill #Recruitment #TalentAcquisition #RecFest #AgencyRecruitment #RecruitmentLeadership #Hiring #RecruitmentIndustry #HRTech #FutureOfWork #PeopleOps #EmployerBranding #RecruitmentMarketing #TalentStrategy #SeanKennedy #BobbyBanerjee #NitinSharma

    1h 2m

  4. Jun 9

    The Future of Work: AI, Remote Working & The Human Factor | IHR Live Manchester

    Is remote work dying? Is AI making content better or worse? And what do candidates, employers and recruiters need to do to adapt?Recorded live at IHR Live Manchester, Nitin Sharma and Sean Kennedy sit down with Michelle Coulson and Victoria Dawe to discuss some of the biggest workplace trends shaping recruitment, talent acquisition and employer branding today.From the growing push to bring employees back into the office to the rise of AI-generated content, this episode explores what happens when technology, culture and human behaviour collide.🎙️ In this episode:✅ Why companies are forcing staff back into the office✅ The truth about remote working and productivity✅ Why trust is at the heart of the return-to-office debate✅ How candidates can stay competitive in a shrinking remote job market✅ Whether AI is helping or hurting content creation✅ Why authenticity still matters in marketing and employer branding✅ How businesses can create content people actually connect with✅ What the future of work could look like over the next decadeFeaturing:🎤 Michelle Coulson – Remote hiring specialist🎤 Victoria Dawe – Content strategist and photojournalistWhether you're a recruiter, TA leader, founder, marketer or business owner, this conversation offers practical insights into the changing world of work and the skills that will matter most moving forward.🎧 Subscribe for weekly conversations with recruitment leaders, founders, marketers and innovators.#futureofwork #aiinrecruitment #remotework #employerbranding #recruitment #talentacquisition #leadership #contentmarketing #hiring #RecTalk

    33 min

  5. Jun 5

    Recruitment Myths & Farm Wisdom: What Actually Wins Business With Jeremy Snell

    In this episode of RecTalk, Nitin Sharma sits down with recruitment sales trainer Jeremy Snell, founder of Your People Engine, for a thought-provoking discussion on one of recruitment's longest-running debates: sales versus marketing. Recorded on Jeremy's farm (with a few unexpected guest appearances from lambs Judy and Erica), this conversation explores what really drives buying decisions, how recruiters should approach business development in today's market, and why many agencies may be focusing on the wrong metrics altogether. Topics covered include: Do people buy from people they like, or from people who understand their problems?Why trust matters more than likability in recruitment sales.The difference between "wants" and "needs" when selling recruitment services.Why Jeremy believes sales is simply finding out what somebody wants and helping them get it.The evolution from B2B to Human-to-Human selling.Why data alone doesn't win business without emotional context.The growing importance of combining sales and marketing into a true revenue-generating function.Why recruitment marketing teams should have greater visibility of CRM data and customer conversations.The future of business development as cold outreach becomes more challenging.How recruiters can build attention, trust and familiarity across multiple channels.Why nurturing prospects remains critical even when immediate opportunities aren't available.Jeremy's predictions for recruitment over the next 6-12 months.The continued contraction of the recruitment market and what successful agencies will do differently.Why Jeremy believes Talent Acquisition will continue to evolve beyond traditional hiring functions.Nitin's view on the future relationship between Talent Acquisition, Revenue Operations and HR. One of the standout discussions focuses on the misconception that business development is "broken." Jeremy argues that people still answer the phone, still respond to outreach, and still buy—but only when businesses create enough trust and attention over time. The conversation dives into how modern recruiters should balance immediate revenue generation with longer-term relationship building to create sustainable growth. 🔗 Connect with the guest Jeremy Snell: https://www.linkedin.com/in/recruitmentsalestraining/ Learn more about Your People Engine: https://yourpeopleengine.com/ 🔗 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 regularly on Wednesday and Friday. Also look out for new episodes of The Mixed Grill — the official podcast of the Recruitment Curry Club: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-recruitment-curry-club/ Listen on another platform: https://rectalk.co.uk/ 🔗 Get in touch with these recommended suppliers CoRecruit: https://corecruit.com/ Ascen: https://www.ascen.com/ Your People Engine: https://yourpeopleengine.com/ Recruiterflow: https://recruiterflow.short.gy/rectalk-recommendations SourceWhale: https://sourcewhale.com/ #Recruitment #RecruitmentSales #BusinessDevelopment #Marketing #SalesTraining #RecruitmentMarketing #RevOps #TalentAcquisition #YourPeopleEngine #JeremySnell #RecTalk #RecruitmentIndustry #Hiring #AgencyRecruitment #NitinSharma

    55 min

  6. Jun 4

    BONUS EPISODE: RecTalk x Talking Talent: Is Talent Acquisition Dead in 18 Months?

    What if one of the most recognised voices in talent acquisition is right?A few weeks before recording this episode, Jeremy Snell made a bold prediction: Talent Acquisition as we know it won't exist in 18 months.Live from IHR Manchester, Nitin Sharma is joined by Sean Kennedy, co-host of Talking Talent and RecTalk contributor, to unpack one of the most controversial topics currently facing the recruitment and HR industry.Will AI replace Talent Acquisition teams? Is the traditional TA function becoming obsolete? Or are we simply witnessing the next evolution of the profession?Drawing on Sean's experience across agency recruitment, embedded hiring and talent acquisition leadership, the pair explore what the future could look like for TA professionals, how hiring teams are changing, and why the role may become far more strategic than many organisations currently allow.Topics discussed include:• Jeremy Snell's prediction that Talent Acquisition won't exist in 18 months• How AI is changing sourcing, assessment and recruitment workflows• Why Talent Acquisition must evolve beyond simply filling vacancies• The growing importance of employer branding and candidate experience• The differences between UK and North American hiring models• Why agencies are viewed differently in the US compared to the UK• The relationship between Talent Acquisition, HR and People Operations• Whether TA professionals should be worried about disruption• Why stakeholder management is often harder than recruitment itself• The future skills today's Talent Acquisition professionals need to developKey Takeaways:Sean argues that Talent Acquisition isn't disappearing — it's evolving. As AI automates more administrative and repetitive recruitment tasks, the value of TA professionals will increasingly come from stakeholder management, workforce planning, talent strategy, employer branding, candidate experience and business partnership. The job title may change, but the need for great talent professionals isn't going away anytime soon.Who This Episode Is For:• Talent Acquisition professionals• Internal recruiters• HR Business Partners• Heads of People• Recruitment leaders• Agency recruiters considering a move in-house• Recruitment technology providers• Anyone interested in the future of hiring and AIAbout Sean Kennedy:Sean Kennedy is the co-host of Talking Talent, a RecTalk podcast dedicated to exploring the realities of modern Talent Acquisition, recruitment leadership and the future of hiring. With experience spanning agency recruitment, embedded hiring and internal TA functions, Sean brings a practical and candid perspective to the industry's biggest challenges.What do you think?Will Talent Acquisition still exist in 18 months, or is the industry heading for its biggest transformation yet?Let us know your thoughts in the comments.#RecTalk #TalkingTalent #talentacquisition #recruitment #HRTech #futureofwork #Hiring #recruitmentindustry #PeopleOps #EmployerBranding #ArtificialIntelligence #HRLeadership #IHRManchester #TalentStrategy #RecruitmentTechnology

    12 min

  7. Jun 3

    Recruitment Masterclass: Financial Literacy, Community Building & The Future of Recruitment

    Welcome to a special RecTalk Masterclass, recorded live at The Peg & Grill in Birmingham ahead of a Recruitment Curry Club event. In this roundtable discussion, Nitin Sharma is joined by an exceptional panel of recruitment industry leaders and specialists: Jeremy Snell – Founder of Your People EngineJo Elwell – Co-Founder of Contractor FinancialBobby Banerjee – Founder of the HAPI Test and The Recruitment Curry ClubBillie Davoile – Co-Founder of Contractor FinancialKeith Davidson – Business Development Director at Recruitment Funding Solutions Together, they dive deep into the challenges and opportunities facing recruitment businesses in today's market, sharing practical lessons from recruitment, financial services, funding, training, business ownership and community building. The discussion explores why so many recruiters become business owners without understanding finance, why recruitment firms struggle with profitability despite healthy revenues, and how better commercial awareness can transform performance. The panel also examines the growing importance of financial literacy, employee benefits, contractor support, business protection and transparency with teams. Key topics discussed include: Why recruitment business owners often lack financial educationThe difference between turnover, profit and cash flowThe hidden costs of technology subscriptions and operational overheadsContractor financial wellbeing and mortgage challengesWhy specialist recruitment advisors matterThe impact of economic and market changes on recruitment businessesEmployee retention, benefits and long-term staff engagementCommercial awareness and educating recruiters on business performanceOpen-book management and business transparencyProtecting recruitment businesses from unexpected risksThe rise of community-led recruitment businessesWhy networking and relationship-building are outperforming traditional sales approachesThe evolution of outbound sales, referrals and business developmentHow recruiters can create more value beyond simply filling vacanciesThe concept of the "zombie recruitment business" and how to avoid becoming one Whether you're launching a recruitment business, scaling an established agency, supporting contractors, or simply trying to become a more commercially aware recruiter, this episode is packed with actionable insights from people operating at the heart of the recruitment ecosystem. 🔗 Connect with the guests Jeremy Snell: https://www.linkedin.com/in/recruitmentsalestraining/ Jo Elwell: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jo-elwell-09679b3a/ Bobby Banerjee: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbybanerjee/ Billie Davoile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/billie-davoile-1327a1107/ Keith Davidson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/keith-davidson-rfsqps/ 🔗 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 regularly on Wednesday and Friday. Also look out for new episodes of The Mixed Grill — the official podcast of the Recruitment Curry Club: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-recruitment-curry-club/ Listen on another platform: https://rectalk.co.uk/ 🔗 Get in touch with these recommended suppliers CoRecruit: https://corecruit.com/ Ascen: https://www.ascen.com/ Your People Engine: https://yourpeopleengine.com/ Recruiterflow: https://recruiterflow.short.gy/rectalk-recommendations SourceWhale: https://sourcewhale.com/ #RecTalk #RecruitmentPodcast #RecruitmentIndustry #RecruitmentBusiness #StaffingIndustry #RecruitmentLeadership #AgencyGrowth #RecruitmentFounder #ContractorRecruitment #FinancialLiteracy #RecruitmentTraining #BusinessGrowth #RecruitmentCommunity #RecruitmentFunding #ContractorFinancial #RecruitmentSales #RecruitmentMarketing #RecruitmentTechnology #RecruitmentInsights #NitinSharma

    53 min

  8. Jun 2

    Merch Review Live from IHR In-House Recruitment Manchester 2026

    Recorded live from IHR Manchester, Nitin and the team took on one of the most important challenges facing the recruitment industry today... reviewing conference merch.After spending half an hour collecting giveaways from exhibitors across the event, they put every item through a brutally honest RecTalk rating system. From Stanley-style cups and branded hats to blue-light glasses, AI-powered gadgets, custom playing cards, plush toys, seed pencils and more, nothing escaped scrutiny.The verdict? Water bottles and notepads may finally have reached the end of their conference lifecycle, while a handful of suppliers showed exactly how creative merch can leave a lasting impression.Highlights include:• The best and worst conference giveaways at IHR Manchester• Why standard bottles and notebooks are losing their appeal• The exhibitors who stood out with genuinely memorable merch• Marketing lessons for recruitment and HR vendors• What conference attendees actually want to take home• The surprise winner of the dayWho This Episode Is For:• Recruitment business leaders• HR technology vendors• Employer branding professionals• Marketing teams attending industry events• Conference organisers• Anyone who loves judging conference swagTop Rated Merch:🥇 Screenloop – 5/5🥈 Crew – 4.5/5🥉 First Advantage & Canditech – 4/5Biggest Takeaway:If you're exhibiting at recruitment and HR events in 2025 and beyond, stop ordering generic water bottles and basic notebooks. Creativity, practicality and a little bit of fun win every time.#RecTalk #IHRManchester #recruitmenttechnology #hrtech #recruitmentmarketing #employerbranding #ConferenceMarketing #RecruitmentIndustry #HRCommunity #EventMarketing

    21 min
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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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