Most recruitment agencies believe they’re different — but in a crowded market, many still look, sound, and operate the same.

In this episode of Talent Matters, Dave Jenkins is joined by Ksenia Molodych, Founder of XOO, to explore what really makes recruitment businesses stand out. Drawing on experience across SaaS, marketing, and revenue operations, Ksenia explains why recruitment often takes inspiration only from itself — and why that holds agencies back.

They unpack the role of brand and customer experience in long-term growth, the tension between short-term sales and long-term marketing, and how alignment across sales, marketing, and operations changes everything. The conversation also tackles AI — separating hype from reality, and why AI won’t fix broken fundamentals but can accelerate growth when used properly.

We cover:

• Why recruitment agencies struggle to differentiate in a crowded market
• The myth of “our people make us different”
• What recruitment can learn from SaaS and other industries
• Brand and customer experience as revenue drivers
• Sales and marketing alignment through RevOps
• Where AI genuinely adds value — and where it goes wrong

If you're a recruitment agency owner, leader, or marketer trying to stand out, build a stronger brand, and use AI without losing the human touch, this one’s for you.

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🎧 Listen to Talent Matters for honest conversations with recruitment leaders, tech experts, and marketers helping agencies grow.

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🔗 Discover more episodes at

https://wave-rs.co.uk/resources/podcasts/talent-matters

Most recruitment agencies are using just a fraction of the tech they’re already paying for—and many are being upsold by MSPs (Managed Service Providers) on tools they don’t need.

In this episode of Talent Matters, we’re joined by Kan Mallawathantri, Founder of Avensys Tech and former in-house IT leader for recruitment businesses like MSI and DRC. Kan breaks down what most MSPs don’t tell you, the hidden tools inside Microsoft 365 that recruiters overlook, and how to stay lean, secure, and efficient without bloating your tech stack.

We cover:

• Why most recruitment agencies only use 30% of Microsoft 365

• The tools already in your licence that can replace Calendly, Dropbox, Slack, and more

• How to automate onboarding, offboarding and compliance

• Shadow IT and how it puts your agency at risk

• What to ask when choosing an MSP—and what to avoid

• Why Microsoft Copilot could change the way recruiters work

If you're a recruitment agency owner, ops lead, or marketer trying to cut costs while scaling your business, this one’s for you.

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🎧 Listen to Talent Matters for honest conversations with recruitment leaders, tech experts, and marketers helping agencies grow.

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🔗 Discover more episodes at wave-rs.co.uk/resources/podcasts/talent-matters

In this episode of Talent Matters, Rupert McSheehy, Director at RMG Digital, shares how his journey from billing recruiter to agency founder shaped a new way of working — one that prioritises trust, autonomy, and long-term value over old-school sales culture and vanity metrics.

Rupert reflects on the lessons he took from his time at S3, what he kept and what he left behind, and how he's built a lean, profitable agency focused on enabling his team and delivering meaningful impact for clients and candidates alike. He also shares how Fireside with Founders, his podcast, has become a powerful tool for business development and brand building.

We talk about:

• Letting go of control and trusting your team
• Why headcount doesn’t equal success
• How smaller agencies can do more with less
• Moving from transactional to strategic recruitment
• Using content to engage candidates and clients alike

If you’re a recruitment agency owner, aspiring founder, or someone rethinking how an agency should run, this one’s for you.

// ABOUT RUPERT McSHEEHY

Rupert McSheehy is Director of RMG Digital, a recruitment agency specialising in Design, Product, and Software Engineering roles across the UK, Europe, and the US. With over 17 years in recruitment, Rupert co-founded RMG to build a lean, values-led agency focused on people, performance, and purpose. He also hosts Fireside with Founders, a podcast that explores the stories behind high-growth tech companies.

// ABOUT WAVE⁠⁠

Wave is the candidate attraction solution for recruitment agencies. Source high-calibre candidates faster and hassle-free. Build and grow a high-performing recruitment website. Buy and manage your job board contracts with ease.