How do I stay consistent with recruiting activity when frustrated with growth or team alignment?
Recruiting Conversations
Let’s be real—there are seasons in leadership where things just don’t click. You’ve been putting in the work, the systems are in place, but the results are slow. Or maybe your team isn’t rowing in the same direction. It’s frustrating, and it can mess with your motivation to keep recruiting. In this episode of Recruiting Conversations, I dive into what it takes to stay consistent even when growth feels stagnant or your team isn’t aligned. This isn’t about hype—it’s about discipline, clarity, and belief. I’ll share strategies to detach from your emotional state, lead...
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You’re Only in Town for 72 Hours? Here’s How to Maximize Every Recruiting Moment
Recruiting Conversations
If you’ve ever traveled for a leadership meeting or a branch visit and found yourself thinking, “I should’ve made more of that trip,” this episode is for you. I’m breaking down the five-step playbook I coach to leaders who want to turn quick trips into serious recruiting momentum. When you're only in town for 24, 48, or 72 hours, it's easy to let opportunity slip by. But with the right system in place, you can walk away with conversations that move the needle—and position you as a leader worth following. Episode Breakdown [00:00] Introduction – Why most leaders miss recruiting...
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Tired of the Check-In Call? Here’s How to Follow Up and Bring Real Value
Recruiting Conversations
In this episode of Recruiting Conversations, I'm breaking down one of the biggest pain points in recruiting: what do you say when a recruit isn’t ready to move, and you’re stuck between disappearing or sounding like “just checking in”? The answer: show up with value. Here's how to pivot from awkward follow-up calls to intentional touchpoints that build real trust—and how to do it without creating content from scratch. You’ll learn how to become “the journalist,” how to lead with curiosity, and how to stand out in a sea of recruiters who are all saying the same thing. Episode...
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How to Get Recruits to Feel What It’s Like to Work With You
Recruiting Conversations
In this episode, I'm diving into the concept of an Experiential Recruiting Model—a strategy that allows recruits to get a firsthand experience of what it’s like to be on your team before they ever make the decision to join. I’ll break down why this approach works, how to create experiences that showcase your leadership, and simple yet powerful ways to differentiate yourself in a competitive recruiting environment. Episode Breakdown [00:00] Introduction – The challenge of recruiting while balancing multiple job responsibilities. [00:30] You Are the Product – Why recruiting success...
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How to Recruit in a Space with No Competition
Recruiting Conversations
In this episode, I challenge the traditional recruiting mindset and explain why cold leads are actually your greatest opportunity for long-term success. Too many recruiters focus solely on warm or hot leads—people actively looking for a job—when the real wins come from building relationships with cold leads before they’re ready to move. I’ll share why this approach works, how to develop a system for engaging cold leads, and the mindset shift needed to dominate recruiting. Episode Breakdown [00:00] Introduction – Why cold leads are an overlooked advantage in recruiting. [01:30] The...
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Most Recruiting Objections Are Just Smoke Screens
Recruiting Conversations
In this episode, I tackle one of the toughest parts of recruiting—handling objections and overcoming rejection. Every recruiting leader faces resistance, whether it’s on phone calls, emails, or social media outreach. But the best recruiters know that objections are just smoke screens. I’ll share the proven frameworks and mindset shifts you need to push past objections and build stronger relationships with recruits. Episode Breakdown [00:00] Introduction – Why overcoming objections is one of the most critical skills in recruiting. [01:00] Why Rejection Is Inevitable – Every recruiter...
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Your Top Performers Are Being Recruited—Here’s How to Keep Them
Recruiting Conversations
In this episode, I share one of the most powerful strategies for retaining your best people—reverse recruiting. If you want to keep top talent, you need to know their dreams and consistently help them move toward those goals. I’ll walk you through a framework to uncover what truly matters to your team and how to use that knowledge to create long-term retention. Episode Breakdown [00:00] Introduction – The concept of reverse recruiting and why retention starts with leadership. [01:00] Why Top Performers Are Hard to Keep – The best talent is always being recruited, and they won’t stay...
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If You Wouldn’t Respond to Your Own Recruiting, Change It
Recruiting Conversations
In this episode, I address a growing problem in recruiting—lazy, spam-driven outreach that damages your brand and repels top talent. Too many recruiters and recruiting leaders rely on generic, mass-messaging tactics, thinking they’re taking a shortcut to success. Instead, they’re burning bridges, losing credibility, and making it harder for great leaders to reach the right recruits. If you want to recruit effectively in today’s world, you need a better strategy. Episode Breakdown [00:00] Introduction – The problem with spam recruiting messages and why they don’t work. [01:30] The...
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Why Your Recruiting Team Isn't Delivering—And How to Change That
Recruiting Conversations
In this episode, I tackle a controversial topic—how recruiting leaders, internal recruiters, and external recruiters should (and shouldn’t) work together. Many recruiting leaders struggle with hiring support that truly works for their team. I break down why external recruiters often miss the mark, why internal recruiters tend to focus on the company over the leader, and the best way to structure a recruiting system that actually delivers results. Episode Breakdown [00:00] Introduction – Addressing the common challenges leaders face when working with recruiters. [01:00] The Role of...
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Why Your Recruiting Conversations Aren’t Working (And How to Fix Them)
Recruiting Conversations
In this episode, I break down a powerful framework from Charles Duhigg’s book Super Communicators and apply it directly to recruiting. The best recruiters don’t lead with a sales pitch—they follow a natural flow of conversation: social, emotional, and decision-making. Understanding these three types of conversations will help you connect with recruits, build trust, and close more deals. Episode Breakdown [00:00] Introduction – Why communication is the #1 skill recruiting leaders need to master. [01:00] The Three Types of Conversations – Social, emotional, and...
info_outlineIn this episode, Richard Milligan explores the traits that distinguish average, good, and great recruiters. He discusses essential strategies for building lasting relationships, setting a vision, and aligning with candidates' deeper motivations. This episode draws from a recent mastermind session with recruitment leaders and highlights how recruiting success requires focusing on relationship-building and purposeful, growth-centered recruiting.
Episode Breakdown
- [00:00] Introduction - The challenge of recruiting for leaders with multiple responsibilities.
- [03:00] Understanding the Recruiting Leader's Role - Defining the recruiting leader and the extensive hats they wear within an organization.
- [07:30] The Average Recruiter - Characteristics of average recruiters: leading with company value, solving surface-level problems, and focusing on numbers.
- [13:00] Moving from Average to Good - Key shifts to become a good recruiter, including relationship-building, focusing on core values, and asking deeper questions.
- [20:00] The Traits of Great Recruiters - Great recruiters cultivate relationship capital, dig beyond the surface “why,” and connect with recruits’ core motivations.
- [27:00] Building Vision and Motivation - Casting a big vision to inspire recruits and motivate them through aligning with long-term goals.
- [34:00] The Power of Epiphany Bridges - Using reframing techniques and clear vision statements to create “aha” moments for recruits.
- [40:00] Dreaming Big with Recruits - Inspiring recruits to imagine achieving significant, long-term goals and making this part of your regular interactions.
- [46:00] Closing Thoughts - Importance of vision, systems, and integrity in becoming an effective, relationship-oriented recruiting leader.
Key Takeaways
- Relationship First - Average recruiters focus on numbers; great recruiters build lasting relationships.
- Dig Deeper - Understanding a recruit’s core motivations leads to a more fulfilling and effective recruiting experience.
- Align with Vision - Casting a shared, larger vision helps motivate recruits and fosters long-term growth.
- Systematic Approach - Having a structured system for consistent follow-up can create a strong and sustainable recruiting model.
Recruiting is about more than filling positions; it’s about connecting with people’s deeper motivations and aligning them with a meaningful vision. By focusing on right-brain recruiting techniques, leaders can build teams that are not only skilled but aligned with their core values and purpose.
Stay ahead in recruiting by registering for my weekly email at 4crecruiting.com or schedule a session with me at bookrichardnow.com.
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