1% Better Recruitment Podcast30 Sep 2025

EP 60 - Creative Outreach, Polite Persistence & Mastering Long-term Relationships w/Frazer Graham

What if the best way to grow in recruitment wasn’t by chasing quick wins, but by mastering long-term relationships and persistence?

In this episode, I’m joined by Fraser Graham, Founder of Nautic, a Rec2Rec business specialising in placing recruiters from consultant to director level across Manchester and the Northwest.

We dive into Fraser’s journey from leaving football and sport behind at 18, to jumping into recruitment during the post-lockdown boom, and now launching his own agency. From the brutal realities of Rec2Rec and why recruiters have such a bad reputation, to selling to salespeople, creative BD tactics, and the challenges of starting solo, Fraser shares the lessons that shaped his career.

This is a practical and honest conversation about resilience, creativity, and why polite persistence is the real key to recruitment success.

We explore:
✅ Why recruiters get a bad reputation (and how to fix it)
✅ Polite persistence & multiple touchpoints in Rec2Rec
✅ Creative outreach ideas that actually get replies
✅ The reality of starting a recruitment business solo
✅ How to sell to salespeople without “selling”
✅ AI, automation & the future of recruitment
✅ Why empathy and listening make great recruiters
✅ The role of mentors in taking the leap to founder

If you want to understand what it really takes to succeed in Rec2Rec, build relationships that last, and make the jump to running your own agency, this episode is a must-listen.

⏱ Timestamps:
00:00, Intro & welcome
02:00, Fraser’s background & why he started Nautic
05:30, Breaking into Rec2Rec at 18 during a booming market
09:00, Why recruiters get such a bad reputation
12:30, Polite persistence & creative candidate touchpoints
18:00, Calls vs LinkedIn — finding the right BD balance
21:00, Selling to salespeople without being “salesy”
27:00, The leap to starting Nautic & early challenges
32:00, AI, automation & the future of recruitment
40:00, Personality fit & finding your recruitment niche
54:00, Why empathy is a recruiter’s secret weapon
58:00, Fraser’s 1% Better tip

🔗 Connect with Fraser
LinkedIn: ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/frazer-graham-9a4915209/⁠⁠

🔗 Connect with Charles Kyriakou
LinkedIn: ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/charleskyriakou1/⁠⁠
TikTok: ⁠⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@charles.kyriakou⁠⁠
Apple Podcasts: ⁠⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/1-better-recruitment-podcast/id1775201502⁠⁠
YouTube: ⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@charleskyriakou⁠⁠
LinkedIn Newsletter: ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/7244346543967731712⁠

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