Changing How Recruitment Works: Tech, Trust and Human Impact with Nitin Sharma, Founder of Rectools

Welcome to the latest episode of the Recruitment Leadership Podcast, hosted by Alison Humphries.   What happens when a recruitment founder shuts down a 15-head agency and uses everything that went wrong to help others avoid the same fate?   In this episode, Alison Humphries is joined by Nitin Sharma, Founder of Rectools (and the Recruitment Curry Club), for a fast-paced conversation about what’s really changing in recruitment, and what business owners need to do now to stay viable in 2026.   Nitin shares the story behind his own recruitment business journey (from growth to overextension to closure), why “waiting for the market to come back” is a dangerous strategy, and how RecTools was built to solve a problem most owners know too well: finding the right suppliers, tech and support, without drowning in noise.   Together, they explore:   💡 Why 2026 could be a “change or fail” year for many agencies 💡 The difference between AI that helps and “harassment as a service” 💡 What candidates and clients now expect from tech-enabled processes 💡 Why recruitment needs to act like a professional service - not a sales machine 💡 Subscription/retainer models, packaged services, and why buying habits are shifting 💡 The biggest implementation mistake: buying shiny tools without involving the people who’ll use them 💡 Whether AI is real, hype, or both, and what happens when “AI” becomes the default, like smart TVs   If you’re reviewing your tech stack, questioning your delivery model, or feeling the pressure of “more activity” with less return - this episode will give you a sharper way to think about what needs to change (and how to make it stick).   Connect with Nitin Sharma on LinkedIn.   Want to discuss this topic further with Alison?    💬 Email her at [email protected].