EP 61 - Authenticity, Culture & Finding the Right Recruitment Business w/ Adam Holt
In this episode of The 1% Better Recruitment Podcast, I’m joined by Adam, Director at At Talent, a Rec2Rec specialist helping recruiters find the right businesses and leaders to build their careers with. We dig into Adam’s journey in recruitment and Rec2Rec, his belief that authenticity and being yourself is the real differentiator, and why too many recruiters put clients on a pedestal. From spotting the right recruitment business for you, to the truth about job hopping, KPIs, and culture, Adam shares lessons every recruiter and founder needs to hear. We also dive into how recruitment culture has shifted over the years, why 90% of recruiters give the industry a bad name, and how simply being a decent person can set you apart. This is a practical and unfiltered conversation about authenticity, resilience, and what it really takes to build a successful career in recruitment. We cover: ✅ Why authenticity matters more than scripts in recruitment ✅ How to find the right business (and leader) for you ✅ The truth about job hopping in 2025 ✅ Recruitment culture — why 90% of recruiters give the job a bad name ✅ Why KPIs are pointless without context ✅ The role of resilience & consistency in long-term success ✅ Why being nice is still the best differentiator in recruitment Whether you’re a trainee recruiter starting out or an experienced consultant looking for the right next move, this episode is packed with lessons you won’t hear in most recruitment podcasts. Timestamps: 00:00 – Intro & welcome 02:00 – Why authenticity is key in recruitment 08:00 – Finding your own style vs “telephone voice” 13:00 – Building rapport & asking better questions 20:00 – Being transparent as a new recruiter 27:00 – How to find the right recruitment business for you 33:00 – What recruiters really look for post-COVID 42:00 – Money, mindset & early career mistakes 48:00 – Job hopping: red flag or reflection of the times? 55:00 – LinkedIn, cold calling & authenticity online 01:02:00 – Remote work, culture & why office buzz matters 01:08:00 – Why recruiters get a bad name & fixing industry culture 01:13:00 – KPIs: too much vs none at all 01:20:00 – Adam’s 1% Better tip Connect with Adam 🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamattalent/ Connect with Charles Kyriakou 🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charleskyriakou1/ 🔗 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@charles.kyriakou 🔗 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/1-better-recruitment-podcast/id1775201502 🔗 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/46LjJfwLJ5MxzTQWqogOBN 🔗 LinkedIn Newsletter: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/7244346543967731712
