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:
✅ What separates a good recruiter from a good biller

✅ The importance of giving value before asking for information

✅ Why recruiters need to play the long game

✅ How to build a recruitment desk from scratch

✅ Developing genuine expertise within your chosen market

✅ Why curiosity can be more valuable than technical knowledge

✅ Why successful recruiters consistently execute the basics

✅ Setting daily non-negotiables and minimum expectations

✅ How top billers stay focused and manage their time

✅ Creating urgency and maintaining control of recruitment processes

✅ Using testimonials, recommendations and case studies in business development

✅ Building a personal brand without oversharing

✅ Managing inconsistent consultant performance

✅ Diagnosing the root cause of underperformance

✅ Helping recruiters rebuild confidence, motivation and momentum

⏱️ Timestamps: ⁠

00:00⁠ – Introduction & welcome

⁠00:45⁠ – Ryan’s journey from trainee to Sales Director ⁠

02:33⁠ – The scale of SThree and the Leeds office ⁠

04:34⁠ – What makes a genuinely good recruiter? ⁠

08:09⁠ – Giving value before asking candidates for information ⁠

10:26⁠ – The give-and-take approach to candidate conversations ⁠

13:39⁠ – Playing the long game with prospective clients ⁠

17:13⁠ – How to build a recruitment desk from scratch

⁠19:45⁠ – Curiosity, technical knowledge and removing your ego ⁠

23:52⁠ – Finding passion for your recruitment market ⁠

28:40⁠ – Immersing yourself in your industry ⁠

30:52⁠ – The impact recruiters can have on people’s lives ⁠

33:17⁠ – The difference between good recruiters and top billers ⁠

34:54⁠ – Consistency, focus and creating urgency ⁠

36:33⁠ – The boring habits behind extraordinary billings ⁠

38:27⁠ – Accountability, hard work and daily non-negotiables ⁠

41:21⁠ – Working longer hours versus working effectively ⁠

45:15⁠ – Protecting your focus and managing distractions ⁠

47:31⁠ – How leaders and founders can plan unpredictable days ⁠

48:23⁠ – The Ivy Lee Method and managing daily priorities ⁠

52:42⁠ – Using testimonials and proof in business development ⁠

56:20⁠ – Why recruiters should capture their success ⁠

59:35⁠ – Personal branding and humanising yourself online ⁠

01:03:58⁠ – Using shared interests to build stronger relationships ⁠

01:07:35⁠ – Managing inconsistent recruiter performance ⁠

01:08:16⁠ – Diagnosing the root cause of underperformance ⁠

01:11:03⁠ – Rebuilding passion, confidence and motivation ⁠

01:13:06⁠ – Holding consultants accountable for their activity ⁠

01:17:00⁠ – How recruiters can get 1% better ⁠

01:18:25⁠ – SThree hiring opportunities and Recutation ⁠

01:19:04⁠ – 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/⁠