April 1, 2025 • 6 mins
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 depends on having a personal recruiting system that reflects your leadership.
- [01:00] What Is an Experiential Recruiting Model? – Creating an experience that gives recruits a preview of what it’s like to be on your team.
- [01:30] Evaluating Your Leadership Experience – Honest self-reflection: Are you a leader worth following?
- [02:00] Practical Ways to Create an Experience –
- Sending books that reflect your leadership style and values.
- Sharing valuable industry-related videos with personalized insights.
- Offering small, unexpected gestures that create a lasting impression.
- [03:00] The Power of Giving Value First – Why recruiting isn’t about “hacks” or sales tricks but about genuinely investing in people.
- [03:30] Creating Unique Branding in Recruiting – Creative ideas like buying a personalized domain name (e.g., RichardLovesLending.com) to surprise recruits.
- [04:00] Asking the Right Questions to Build Connection – How to use purpose-driven conversations to uncover recruits’ motivators.
- [05:00] The Retention Advantage – Why top producers change jobs every three years and how experiential recruiting can improve retention.
- [06:00] Final Thoughts & Actionable Takeaway – How to start applying the Experiential Recruiting Model today.
Key Takeaways
- You Are the Product – Recruits aren’t just joining a company; they’re joining YOU as a leader.
- Give Value Before You Recruit – Thoughtful gestures like books, resources, and meaningful engagement build trust.
- Experiences Matter More Than Pitches – The best recruits are drawn to a real, value-driven approach, not a rehearsed pitch.
- Know Your Leadership Brand – Small, thoughtful touches (like a personalized website) create a lasting impression.
- Retention Starts in Recruiting – An experiential approach attracts and keeps top talent in a competitive market.
Recruiting isn’t about persuasion—it’s about creating an experience that allows recruits to see the real value of your leadership. By incorporating an Experiential Recruiting Model, you’ll not only attract better talent but also build deeper relationships that lead to long-term retention.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:01):
So the big question is this, how dorecruiting leaders like us who have
12 to 15 other job responsibilitieswin at this game of recruiting?
How do we build a system that allowsus to recruit effectively in a minimal
amount of time while motivatingrecruits towards meaningful change?
That is the question and thispodcast will give you the answers.
My name is Richard Milligan andwelcome to Recruiting Conversations.
(00:26):
Hey everybody, it's Richard Milligan,your host for Recruiting Conversations.
We're back again with you today.
The sun is shining as far as Iknow, I think I'm cutting this
while the sun is still shining.
I'm not sure.
I'm in a podcast studio wherethere are no windows, so hopefully
the sun is shining where you arewhile you're listening to this.
I want to come to you with an ideathat I think will bring you some value.
(00:48):
It recently brought acoaching client of mine value.
And the idea is this, is that when we'rerecruiting, as we rebuild, as we build
our personal recruiting system, I dothink that everyone that listens to this.
Should have their own unique personalrecruiting system because you're
recruiting to you the leader.
(01:08):
You are the product.
That's an entire podcast in itselfthat you, the leader, are the
product that you're actually sellingwhen you're recruiting someone.
Now, in that, in your personal recruitingmodel, you should have what I would
call an experiential recruiting model.
Now, what does that mean?
What does experientialrecruiting model mean?
It means that you're ultimatelycreating an experience for someone
(01:31):
for what it's like to be on your team.
Okay, if you're the leaderand you're the product.
And you're trying to create anexperiential recruiting model.
I'm going to look at myleadership, and that may be hard.
There's been seasons where that's hardfor me to look at my leadership and say,
What am I creating as an experience?
And I've had to change my styleof leadership and the amount of
(01:54):
value that I brought to my teamjust so that I could say I was an
attractive leader worth recruiting to.
That's a hard conversation to have,but if you are that leader already,
What's that experience look like?
I can tell you this on my teampretty regularly that you would get
a book from me I'm in the personalgrowth personal development.
Imagine that okay, that's true If youtalk to my team, they regularly get
(02:16):
a book for me So if I was going tocreate an experiential and experience
of what it's like to be in myleadership I would send you a book if
you were a top recruit in my market.
I would send you a book Okay, greatbook to send someone around this time
of the year, around the end of the year,is a book by John Gordon, One Word.
It's a 55 minute read, most people willread it, they will get something out
(02:37):
of that, they'll have their one wordwhen they get through reading the book.
There's an experience there.
So, that for me was a greatway to recruit people.
I'm into Uh, finding inspiration,motivation, gleaning knowledge.
So, I'd go to YouTube, and I wouldfind something that's industry
related, that is of significantvalue, and I would send it to people.
(03:00):
And I would say, hey, I thoughtof you when I came across this.
Hope this brings you some value.
Check out the 13 minute mark.
There's something there for you to use.
Okay, that's an experiential recruitingmodel leaders who come from a place of
value when they're recruiting must givevalue We're not trying to hack being
(03:20):
a salesperson in LinkedIn Messagingwe're not trying to hack scripting
necessarily over the phone except toget into building a relationship with
people so if you so you got to thinkwhat is my leadership experience like
And how do I deliver that experience tosomeone that I'm actually recruiting?
(03:40):
Because if you can connect the dotson this, that experience that you
deliver while you're recruitingpeople, will get people to you.
So take this framework, ExperientialRecruiting Model, and see what you can
do, just in self reflection, to hack this.
Tons of ideas in some of theprior podcasts that I've done that
(04:01):
will help you in some of this.
One of the things that I woulddo is buy websites like Richard.
Uh, I came, I came from the mortgageindustry, spent 15 years there, and so I
could go buy Richard Loves lending.com.
If you're in real estate, Richardloves realestate.com and I'm all
about giving value to people.
I. Website would cost me that urlwill cost me three or four bucks and
I could give that to you and say heyI thought of you when I saw this.
(04:23):
I just had to get this for youI'm, not sure if you'll be able
to use it or want to use it or notBut um wanted to get it for you.
Anyways, that's an experience.
I'm giving people an experience Okay,I'm a leader that likes to focus
on Why this idea that there's thispurpose cause or belief that inspires
someone to become more so I askedmy team that question What is it?
(04:44):
What's your biggest motivator?
What are some of your biggest drivers?
Like I try to get to this place wherethat where I understand what those
things are Same thing happens inrecruiting, because that's who I am.
It's an experience that isrelative to my leadership.
And so I ask that questionwhen I'm recruiting people.
What is your, what'syour largest motivator?
What's your why?
What is that purpose, cause, or beliefthat inspires you to become more?
(05:06):
Okay, so think experientialrecruiting model.
If you do this You have a betterexperience for the recruit, the
recruit will want to be on your team.
Okay, it's in the data, if you look at it,the normal top producer in any industry
has worked for between 4 and 6 employers.
Okay, at the place of maturity aroundthat 12 to 15 window mark in their
(05:27):
career, they worked for 4 to 6 employers.
When you start to break that down,that means that most of them are
transitioning about every 3 years.
I think there's reasons for that.
I think we're recruiting people wrong.
I don't think that we're leadingwell enough to retain our people.
I think as organizations, we'removing out of stage four, which is the
stage where we really have made it.
We move into stage five, which iswhere we become the institution.
(05:48):
It becomes more process andpolicy, and that turns people off.
So I think there's a lot ofreasons why that happens.
But as a leader, What you have tounderstand is that these even top
producers are in play if you can givethem an experience when you recruit
them of what it's like to be led by you.
Okay?
There's some very practical thingshere that you can take away and
apply to your recruiting methodology.
(06:09):
There you go.
That's the podcast for today.
Take something, apply it.
That's the only way thesethings are worth my time doing.
I hope you have a great week, everybody.
I hope there's something here of valuefor you, and we'll talk to you soon here
on another Recruiting Conversations.
Want more Recruiting Conversations?
You can register for myweekly email at 4crecruiting.
(06:32):
com.
If you need help creating your ownunique recruiting system, you can
book a time with me at bookrichardnow.
com.
So the big question is this, how dorecruiting leaders like us who have
12 to 15 other job responsibilitieswin at this game of recruiting?
How do we build a system that allowsus to recruit effectively in a minimal
amount of time while motivatingrecruits towards meaningful change?
That is the question and thispodcast will give you the answers.
My name is Richard Milligan andwelcome to Recruiting Conversations.
(00:26):
Hey everybody, it's Richard Milligan,your host for Recruiting Conversations.
We're back again with you today.
The sun is shining as far as Iknow, I think I'm cutting this
while the sun is still shining.
I'm not sure.
I'm in a podcast studio wherethere are no windows, so hopefully
the sun is shining where you arewhile you're listening to this.
I want to come to you with an ideathat I think will bring you some value.
(00:48):
It recently brought acoaching client of mine value.
And the idea is this, is that when we'rerecruiting, as we rebuild, as we build
our personal recruiting system, I dothink that everyone that listens to this.
Should have their own unique personalrecruiting system because you're
recruiting to you the leader.
(01:08):
You are the product.
That's an entire podcast in itselfthat you, the leader, are the
product that you're actually sellingwhen you're recruiting someone.
Now, in that, in your personal recruitingmodel, you should have what I would
call an experiential recruiting model.
Now, what does that mean?
What does experientialrecruiting model mean?
It means that you're ultimatelycreating an experience for someone
(01:31):
for what it's like to be on your team.
Okay, if you're the leaderand you're the product.
And you're trying to create anexperiential recruiting model.
I'm going to look at myleadership, and that may be hard.
There's been seasons where that's hardfor me to look at my leadership and say,
What am I creating as an experience?
And I've had to change my styleof leadership and the amount of
(01:54):
value that I brought to my teamjust so that I could say I was an
attractive leader worth recruiting to.
That's a hard conversation to have,but if you are that leader already,
What's that experience look like?
I can tell you this on my teampretty regularly that you would get
a book from me I'm in the personalgrowth personal development.
Imagine that okay, that's true If youtalk to my team, they regularly get
(02:16):
a book for me So if I was going tocreate an experiential and experience
of what it's like to be in myleadership I would send you a book if
you were a top recruit in my market.
I would send you a book Okay, greatbook to send someone around this time
of the year, around the end of the year,is a book by John Gordon, One Word.
It's a 55 minute read, most people willread it, they will get something out
(02:37):
of that, they'll have their one wordwhen they get through reading the book.
There's an experience there.
So, that for me was a greatway to recruit people.
I'm into Uh, finding inspiration,motivation, gleaning knowledge.
So, I'd go to YouTube, and I wouldfind something that's industry
related, that is of significantvalue, and I would send it to people.
(03:00):
And I would say, hey, I thoughtof you when I came across this.
Hope this brings you some value.
Check out the 13 minute mark.
There's something there for you to use.
Okay, that's an experiential recruitingmodel leaders who come from a place of
value when they're recruiting must givevalue We're not trying to hack being
(03:20):
a salesperson in LinkedIn Messagingwe're not trying to hack scripting
necessarily over the phone except toget into building a relationship with
people so if you so you got to thinkwhat is my leadership experience like
And how do I deliver that experience tosomeone that I'm actually recruiting?
(03:40):
Because if you can connect the dotson this, that experience that you
deliver while you're recruitingpeople, will get people to you.
So take this framework, ExperientialRecruiting Model, and see what you can
do, just in self reflection, to hack this.
Tons of ideas in some of theprior podcasts that I've done that
(04:01):
will help you in some of this.
One of the things that I woulddo is buy websites like Richard.
Uh, I came, I came from the mortgageindustry, spent 15 years there, and so I
could go buy Richard Loves lending.com.
If you're in real estate, Richardloves realestate.com and I'm all
about giving value to people.
I. Website would cost me that urlwill cost me three or four bucks and
I could give that to you and say heyI thought of you when I saw this.
(04:23):
I just had to get this for youI'm, not sure if you'll be able
to use it or want to use it or notBut um wanted to get it for you.
Anyways, that's an experience.
I'm giving people an experience Okay,I'm a leader that likes to focus
on Why this idea that there's thispurpose cause or belief that inspires
someone to become more so I askedmy team that question What is it?
(04:44):
What's your biggest motivator?
What are some of your biggest drivers?
Like I try to get to this place wherethat where I understand what those
things are Same thing happens inrecruiting, because that's who I am.
It's an experience that isrelative to my leadership.
And so I ask that questionwhen I'm recruiting people.
What is your, what'syour largest motivator?
What's your why?
What is that purpose, cause, or beliefthat inspires you to become more?
(05:06):
Okay, so think experientialrecruiting model.
If you do this You have a betterexperience for the recruit, the
recruit will want to be on your team.
Okay, it's in the data, if you look at it,the normal top producer in any industry
has worked for between 4 and 6 employers.
Okay, at the place of maturity aroundthat 12 to 15 window mark in their
(05:27):
career, they worked for 4 to 6 employers.
When you start to break that down,that means that most of them are
transitioning about every 3 years.
I think there's reasons for that.
I think we're recruiting people wrong.
I don't think that we're leadingwell enough to retain our people.
I think as organizations, we'removing out of stage four, which is the
stage where we really have made it.
We move into stage five, which iswhere we become the institution.
(05:48):
It becomes more process andpolicy, and that turns people off.
So I think there's a lot ofreasons why that happens.
But as a leader, What you have tounderstand is that these even top
producers are in play if you can givethem an experience when you recruit
them of what it's like to be led by you.
Okay?
There's some very practical thingshere that you can take away and
apply to your recruiting methodology.
(06:09):
There you go.
That's the podcast for today.
Take something, apply it.
That's the only way thesethings are worth my time doing.
I hope you have a great week, everybody.
I hope there's something here of valuefor you, and we'll talk to you soon here
on another Recruiting Conversations.
Want more Recruiting Conversations?
You can register for myweekly email at 4crecruiting.
(06:32):
com.
If you need help creating your ownunique recruiting system, you can
book a time with me at bookrichardnow.
com.
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