The Difference Between Good Recruiters & Top Billers | Ryan Collett (EP 99)
What separates a good recruiter from a consistently great one?
Ryan shares the lessons he's learned over 16 years at SThree, from joining as a trainee after initially failing the recruitment process, to becoming a Sales Director responsible for building high-performing teams. We explore why consistency beats intensity, how the best recruiters build trust through genuine relationships, and why long-term success comes from mastering the fundamentals rather than chasing shortcuts.
Topics Discussed:
✅ Ryan's journey from trainee to Sales Director at SThree
✅ The habits that separate good recruiters from top performers
✅ Why consistency always beats motivation
✅ Building genuine relationships with clients and candidates
✅ How to add value beyond simply filling vacancies
✅ The importance of candidate care and long-term trust
✅ Coaching recruiters to improve every single day
✅ Why communication is the most underrated recruitment skill
✅ Balancing performance, culture and leadership
✅ How recruiters can build sustainable long-term success
⏱️ Timestamps:
00:00 – Introduction & welcome
01:45 – Ryan's journey into recruitment
05:40 – From trainee to Sales Director at SThree
10:30 – What separates great recruiters from everyone else
16:20 – Why consistency is the biggest competitive advantage
22:15 – Building genuine client relationships
28:10 – Candidate care and creating long-term value
34:40 – Coaching and developing recruitment consultants
41:30 – Leadership lessons from building high-performing teams
49:10 – The future of recruitment
55:45 – How recruiters can get 1% better
57:20 – Closing thoughts
🐋 Podcast Sponsor – SourceWhale
This episode is sponsored by SourceWhale, the multi-channel outreach platform I personally use and recommend to recruiters and founders. SourceWhale helps you combine email, LinkedIn, calls, and tasks into one structured, consistent BD workflow, without relying on spray-and-pray automation.
👉 Book a demo here: https://sourcewhale.com/book-demo/?utm_source=partner&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=&utm_term=charles_kyriakou&utm_content=book_a_demo
Mention The 1 Percent Better Recruitment Podcast or my name, Charles Kyriakou, when you book.
Connect with Ryan:💻 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryancollett/🖥️ Recutation: https://recutation.com/🌐 SThree: https://www.sthree.com/Connect with Me:
💻 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charleskyriakou1/
📲 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@charles.kyriakou
🌐 Coaching Website: https://www.inf1nitelearning.com/
🎙️ Podcast Website: https://www.the1percentbetterecruitmentpodcast.com/
🤖 MILO: https://ask-milo.com/