Welcome to the Recruiting Conversations Podcast, a conversation designed to help Recruiting Leaders who manage a team as well as recruit. Richard Milligan is a speaker, author, strategist, and recruiting coach who built 21 teams as a Recruiting Leader.
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Recruitingleader Podcasts

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Don’t Say There’s No One Left: The Market Isn’t Too Small. Your Strategy Is
9:12
9:12
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9:12Feel like you've already talked to everyone in your market? Think again. In this episode of Recruiting Conversations, I walk you through how to build a solid recruiting list even when your territory feels tapped out. You’ll learn how to segment by pain, not just production, and uncover five overlooked talent pools hiding in plain sight. Most leader…
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Don’t Drift, Design: A Framework for Creating the Outcomes You Actually Want
9:44
9:44
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9:44Too many leaders wake up one day successful on paper but disconnected from their purpose. In this episode of Recruiting Conversations, I walk you through how to reverse engineer your business and personal life to create outcomes that actually matter to you. This isn’t about hustle. It’s about building with clarity, protecting what matters, and crea…
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Rhythms That Win: How to Build a Perfect Week Plan for Struggling Team Members
11:06
11:06
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11:06Every leader has faced it. A team member is new, overwhelmed, or underperforming—and you don’t know what else to do. Motivation wears off fast. What they need isn’t more hype. What they need is structure. In this episode of Recruiting Conversations, I walk through how to build a Perfect Day and Perfect Week rhythm for any new or struggling team mem…
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Stop Being the Onboarding Department: Build a Process That Doesn’t Rely on You
9:10
9:10
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9:10If every new hire feels like it hijacks your entire month, this episode is for you. Today on Recruiting Conversations, I walk you through how to create a structured onboarding system that removes you from the center without removing your presence. Because if you're still doing 90 percent of the onboarding work yourself, you're not just overwhelmed.…
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Smart Market Expansion: Which Growth Blueprint Actually Scales?
11:35
11:35
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11:35One of the most common questions I get from recruiting leaders in growth mode is this: Should I open up a new market with one great LO, or should I wait and launch with a full team? In this episode of Recruiting Conversations, I walk you through the risks, rewards, and right strategy behind both approaches. Whether you're eyeing a “C” market with o…
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Stop Losing Talent to Big Checks: Build a Culture They Won’t Walk Away From
9:27
9:27
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9:27Big box lenders are writing big checks, but that’s not what’s costing you top producers. In this episode of Recruiting Conversations, I break down how to protect your team from being poached by creating an environment where no amount of money can compete with your leadership, vision, and culture. If you’ve ever been blindsided by a recruiter offeri…
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When Culture Is Off: How to Handle Early Misalignment Before It Becomes a Retention Risk
9:42
9:42
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9:42What happens when someone joins your team and you realize they may not be fully aligned? In this episode of Recruiting Conversations, I break down how to address early misalignment with clarity, courage, and care, before it turns into a long-term retention issue or damages your culture. Whether it’s attitude, communication, or trust, the earlier yo…
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How to Turn Internal Coaching Into External Recruiting Content
9:19
9:19
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9:19You’re already creating valuable content, you just haven’t captured it yet. In this episode of Recruiting Conversations, I break down how to repurpose your team meetings, trainings, and leadership insights into high-impact recruiting content that builds trust before the first call is even booked. You don’t need more hours. You need a system that do…
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How to Build a Recruiting System That Scales Without You
7:33
7:33
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7:33If your recruiting still depends on you doing everything—calls, follow-ups, research, messaging—you're not building a system. You're building burnout. In this episode of Recruiting Conversations, I break down how to structure a recruiting system that still reflects your voice and values but doesn't require you to do it all. Whether you're growing f…
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The 5 Pillars That Attract, Align, and Retain Top Talent
7:34
7:34
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7:34Most recruiting leaders talk about casting vision, but very few actually take the time to build one that’s real, clear, and worth following. In this episode of Recruiting Conversations, I walk through the five pillars of a meaningful vision, and how to develop each one in a way that moves people and magnetizes the right talent to your team. Your vi…
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Site Visits Aren’t Tours. They’re Trust Builders.
7:39
7:39
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7:39A site visit isn’t just a meet and greet. It’s a pivotal trust-building moment that can either move a recruit closer to joining or cause them to disengage entirely. In this episode of Recruiting Conversations, I walk through exactly how to plan and lead a site visit that feels intentional, authentic, and aligned with what top producers actually car…
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Success Framework: How to Turn Your System Into Something Recruits Can Actually See
7:32
7:32
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7:32You might have the right systems, the right process, even the right results, but if you can’t clearly show a recruit what success looks like on your team, you’re going to lose them. In this episode of Recruiting Conversations, I walk you through how to turn your advantage into a real, visible success framework that inspires confidence and creates b…
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Invisible Online? Here's How to Stay Consistent With Content Creation and Win Attention in 2025
7:39
7:39
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7:39You can be the best leader in the room, but if you’re not visible online, you’re missing recruits. In this episode of Recruiting Conversations, I break down how to create a simple, sustainable system that keeps your personal brand active—even when your calendar is full. I’ll show you how to remove the guesswork from content creation, stay consisten…
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Getting Ghosted? Build a Follow-Up Cadence That Converts Without Feeling Pushy
9:15
9:15
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9:15What do you do after a great message… and then silence? Most leaders lose momentum not because they don’t know who to call, but because they don’t know how to follow up when they don’t get a response. In this episode of Recruiting Conversations, I break down my 7x7 follow-up framework, seven meaningful touches over seven weeks, and how to build a s…
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Vision That Resonates: How to Cast a Message That Moves People
7:22
7:22
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7:22Most leaders are underselling their vision—not because they lack clarity, but because they’ve never taken time to connect it to meaning. In this episode of Recruiting Conversations, I walk you through how to create a vision that doesn’t just sound good—it moves people. The kind of vision that sticks in a recruit’s mind, shapes their decisions, and …
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How to Foster a Culture of Continuous Learning and Growth Within Your Recruiting Team
6:52
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6:52Let’s be honest, training can spark short-term results, but if you want long-term recruiting success, you need a team that lives in a growth mindset. In this episode of Recruiting Conversations, I break down how to create a learning culture that fuels consistency, creativity, and long-term momentum. This isn’t about more courses or another playbook…
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High-Touch at Scale: How to Guide Your Team to Personalize Value Adds Without Burning Out
6:42
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6:42If you're serious about building a high-trust, high-retention culture, personalization matters. But how do you scale those handwritten notes, thoughtful gifts, and one-on-one moments without burning yourself—or your team—out? In this episode of Recruiting Conversations, I walk through a step-by-step framework to institutionalize care inside your cu…
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Shifting From Producer to Recruiter: How to Flip Your Social Brand and Attract Top Talent
7:24
7:24
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7:24If you’re still posting like a top producer but expecting people to follow you like a top leader, it’s time for a shift. In this episode of Recruiting Conversations, I break down how to reframe your social media presence to attract talent, not just clients. Your digital brand is your recruiting reputation. I’ll walk you through a proven framework t…
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Navigating Non-Competes and Sensitive Transitions Without Losing the Recruit or Your Integrity
6:30
6:30
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6:30What do you do when a recruit suddenly brings up a non-compete, emotional loyalty, or fear around leaving their current role? This is one of the trickiest moments in recruiting, and how you handle it will either build trust or break it. In this episode of Recruiting Conversations, I walk through the posture, language, and mindset shifts that will h…
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How to Pre-Frame Follow-Ups With Value and Stop Feeling Like a Nuisance
6:39
6:39
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6:39We’ve all been there: the first meeting goes great, the recruit leans in, there’s chemistry... then silence. Suddenly, every follow-up feels like you’re annoying them. In this episode of Recruiting Conversations, I break down how to pre-frame your follow-ups with value, so you stop chasing and start leading. When done right, follow-up isn’t a disru…
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Using Masterminds and Events to Attract Top Talent Without Sounding Like a Recruiter
6:25
6:25
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6:25Let’s talk about one of the most powerful, and most underused, tools in recruiting: events and masterminds. Not the big splashy hotel-ballroom kind. I’m talking about strategic, intimate gatherings that position you as a leader, not a recruiter. In this episode of Recruiting Conversations, I walk you through how to host the kind of experience that …
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Boutique and Proud: How to Win Top Talent Without a Big Brand Behind You
7:11
7:11
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7:11Let’s flip the script. If you’re building a team inside a local or regional brand without the flashy pitch deck or name recognition, you’re not at a disadvantage—you’re in a position of power. In this episode of Recruiting Conversations, I break down how to position yourself not in spite of your size, but because of it. Top producers today aren’t j…
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How do I stay consistent with recruiting activity when frustrated with growth or team alignment?
6:35
6:35
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6:35Let’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 w…
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You’re Only in Town for 72 Hours? Here’s How to Maximize Every Recruiting Moment
6:50
6:50
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6:50If 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 o…
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Tired of the Check-In Call? Here’s How to Follow Up and Bring Real Value
5:57
5:57
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5:57In 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 b…
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How to Get Recruits to Feel What It’s Like to Work With You
6:44
6:44
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6:44In 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…
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How to Recruit in a Space with No Competition
21:14
21:14
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21:14In 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 …
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Most Recruiting Objections Are Just Smoke Screens
20:36
20:36
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20:36In 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 …
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Your Top Performers Are Being Recruited—Here’s How to Keep Them
20:42
20:42
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20:42In 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-te…
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If You Wouldn’t Respond to Your Own Recruiting, Change It
23:51
23:51
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23:51In 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 l…
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Why Your Recruiting Team Isn't Delivering—And How to Change That
11:45
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11:45In 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 compan…
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Why Your Recruiting Conversations Aren’t Working (And How to Fix Them)
9:52
9:52
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9:52In 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 recru…
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Recruiting Is Just Like Dating - Here’s Why
26:19
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26:19In this episode, I explore the surprising parallels between recruiting and dating. From first impressions to long-term commitments, the way we engage with recruits is similar to how we build relationships. If you approach recruiting like dating—by focusing on connection rather than selling—you’ll build stronger, more meaningful relationships that l…
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Recruiting Setbacks? Here’s How to Turn Them Into Wins
14:44
14:44
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14:44Losing a recruit can feel like a major setback, but it doesn’t have to be the end of the story. In this episode, I share six critical steps to take after losing a recruit—actions that will keep you relevant and increase your chances of eventually winning them over. If you want to build a system that ensures you never truly lose a great recruit, thi…
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They Said Yes But Never Started: How to Turn Post-Offer Silence Into Engagement
13:31
13:31
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13:31In this episode, I explore how to keep recruits engaged after they’ve accepted your offer but haven’t started yet. By focusing on value, energy, and connection, I’ll show you how to bridge the gap between the offer acceptance and their first day, ensuring they join your team. If you’ve struggled with recruits dropping off after saying yes, this epi…
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Frustrated with Retention? Become the Leader No One Wants to Leave
24:56
24:56
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24:56In this episode, I dive into what it means to be the kind of leader people never want to leave. By focusing on clarity, values, and vision, I’ll show you how to cultivate an environment that attracts and retains top talent. If you’re struggling with retention, this episode will help you become a leader worth following. Episode Breakdown [00:00] Int…
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Recruiting the Wrong Person Drops Production by 30%: Hire Right!
26:08
26:08
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26:08In this episode, I explore the significant impact of hiring decisions on team productivity. Drawing on research from the Kellogg School of Management, I discuss how hiring the wrong person can reduce production by 30%, while hiring top producers boosts team output by 15%. I share actionable strategies for setting hiring standards, aligning values, …
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Your Emails Are Costing You Recruits Subtitle: How 3 Small Email Shifts Landed A Big Recruit For One Leader
11:38
11:38
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11:38In this episode, I share a proven framework for crafting emails that close deals with hesitant recruits. Using a real-world success story, I reveal how moving from abstract promises to concrete specifics can make the difference between a signed offer and a lost opportunity. Episode Breakdown [00:00] Introduction - The challenge of closing recruits …
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How to Win at Recruiting When You Have 12 Other Responsibilities
19:32
19:32
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19:32In this special year-end episode, I challenge Recruiting Leaders to approach 2025 differently by rethinking how they manage their time. Drawing inspiration from unconventional success stories, like Rick Barry’s legendary underhand free throws, I encourage you to break free from cultural norms, focus on what truly matters, and double down on efforts…
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Turn ‘No Shows’ Into New Hires With This Framework
26:15
26:15
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26:15In this episode, I share a game-changing framework for recruiting leaders to transform "no shows" into enthusiastic new hires. By leveraging extravagant and ascending value, you can speed up the hiring process and build stronger connections with potential recruits. This strategy is ideal for leaders looking to make 2025 their best recruiting year y…
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Day One Leadership: Stay Curious, Stay Relevant
24:27
24:27
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24:27In this episode, I explore the "day one mindset" and why it’s essential for recruiting leaders to remain dynamic in a fast-changing world. By staying curious, adaptable, and committed to growth, you can position yourself as a leader who thrives in any environment. I share practical strategies, real-world examples, and actionable steps to help you e…
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In this episode, I share practical strategies for recruiting leaders to create a winning plan for the year ahead. From setting a vision to defining daily actions, I provide a framework to align goals with measurable outcomes. This episode will help you focus on personal growth, innovation, and accountability to elevate your recruiting efforts in th…
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How Recruiting Leaders Can Win Big on LinkedIn
21:03
21:03
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21:03In this episode, I dive into the essentials of building your leadership brand through social media content. As a recruiting leader, your ability to attract talent starts with how you represent yourself online. I share actionable tips, proven tools, and a content framework to help you create engaging daily posts that will establish you as a trusted …
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Why Every Recruiting Leader Needs a Real Break
18:54
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18:54In this Thanksgiving-inspired episode, I dive into the importance of restoration for recruiting leaders. With so many responsibilities pulling us in different directions, stepping back to recharge is critical for maintaining peak performance. I share personal stories, practical tips, and insights on how to fully unplug and return to your role with …
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Lost Your Drive? Here’s How to Get It Back
26:08
26:08
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26:08In this episode, I tackle one of the most overlooked yet crucial traits of great leaders: passion. Being passionate about your role as a recruiting leader isn’t optional—it’s essential. If you’re struggling to find alignment, lacking clarity, or feeling burned out, this episode will help you evaluate where you stand, reignite your energy, and find …
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In today’s episode, we dive into the power of your leadership brand on social media. With a practical approach to what I call “Social ID,” we’ll explore how you, as a leader, can use digital platforms to showcase your authentic values, connect more deeply, and ultimately become a leader worth following. If you’re growth-oriented and focused on buil…
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In 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 recruiti…
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Right-Brain vs. Left-Brain: Balancing Logic and Emotion in Recruiting
26:27
26:27
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26:27Today we're exploring a crucial shift in recruiting: moving from an emotional approach to a logical one. In this episode, I’ll explain how the recruiting landscape has evolved, why recruits are now making more data-driven decisions, and how you can adapt to this new reality. Episode Breakdown 00:00 - 01:30 - Richard opens with a recent trend: succe…
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How One Leader Is Winning at Recruiting, Week After Week
20:11
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20:11Welcome to Recruiting Conversations! I’m Richard Milligan, and today we’re diving into the strategy a successful recruiting leader is using to hire someone almost every week. This episode is for the one percenters—those who are ready to activate these tips and win at scale. Episode Breakdown 00:00 - 01:00 - Richard introduces the episode and explai…
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The Secret to Getting More Responses on Social Media
7:54
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7:54Welcome back to Recruiting Conversations! I'm Richard Milligan, and today we're talking about one simple shift you can make in your communication style—whether through social media, text, or email—that will drastically improve how people respond to you. This simple tweak will help you engage your recruits and audience more effectively. Episode Brea…
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