EP 65 – The Death Of Sh*t-House Recruitment w/ Sheldon Clottey
In this episode of The 1% Better Recruitment Podcast, I’m joined by Sheldon Clottey — Founder of Charles & Charles Recruitment, who’s built a global business spanning London, Dubai, and the US construction market. This episode was recorded several months ago. We go deep on what great recruitment actually looks like — and why so many people in the industry have lost the fundamentals. From data-driven BD and candidate marketing to automation, AI, and human connection, Sheldon breaks down what it takes to build a successful desk in 2025 and beyond. This episode is raw, unfiltered, and packed with practical lessons for recruiters, founders, and leaders who want to raise their game and get 1% better every single day. We cover: ✅ How to build a US recruitment desk from scratch ✅ The biggest mindset difference between UK and US markets ✅ Data, targeting & email marketing that actually works ✅ Why most recruiters don’t know how to work a job properly ✅ The problem with lazy “spec emails” and weak candidate calls ✅ How to protect your time and work only with committed clients ✅ Interview slots, exclusivity & control in the process ✅ Why PSLs can be a waste of time (and how to say no) ✅ The rise of automation & AI in recruitment ✅ Why real recruiters will always have the edge Timestamps: 00:00 – Welcome & intro 02:00 – Sheldon’s background & building Charles & Charles 06:00 – How recruitment has changed since 2012 10:00 – Meeting candidates vs Zoom culture 14:00 – The mindset difference between UK & US clients 19:00 – Why US recruitment offers bigger opportunities 22:00 – How to set up a US desk from scratch 26:00 – Data, email strategy & working candidates properly 31:00 – Why recruiters fail with eShots 37:00 – How to spec candidates the right way 44:00 – The rise of lazy recruitment 50:00 – Interview slots, client control & saying no 56:00 – PSLs, time-wasters & the power of walking away 59:00 – AI, automation & the return of real recruiters 01:08:00 – Sheldon’s 1% Better tip Connect with Sheldon Clottey 🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sheldon-clottey-723b6555/ 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/46LjJfwiwqD8xY0FjQW5Wy 📰 LinkedIn Newsletter: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/7244346543967731712 👇 Enjoyed this? Like, comment & subscribe — and share it with someone who needs to hear it.
