The Difference Between Great Recruiters and Great Leaders | Lily Savage (EP 103)

<p><em><strong>What separates a great recruiter from a great leader?</strong></em></p><p>In this episode of The 1% Better Recruitment Podcast, I&#39;m joined by Lily Savage, Managing Director for Europe Perm Recruitment at Discover International.</p><p>Lily has spent the last 10 years at Discover, joining as employee number six and starting her recruitment career as a trainee before progressing through the ranks to become MD of the European Perm division. We discuss her journey from successful biller to leader, what separates great recruiters from great leaders, and how to build a high-performing recruitment team without losing individuality, culture or accountability.We also get into the changing world of recruitment, from the decline of cold calling and the rise of hybrid working to why picking up the phone and maintaining genuine human relationships could become even more important as technology and AI continue to develop.Topics Discussed:✅ The difference between great recruiters and great leaders✅ Making the transition from top biller to effective leader✅ Building a consistent recruitment process without taking away individuality✅ Why cold calling and human connection still matter in modern recruitment✅ Developing and motivating the next generation of recruiters✅ The mindset, discipline, and belief behind top billers✅ How recruitment leaders can build high-performing, accountable teams⏱️ Timestamps:<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GuswxIoLgwE">00:00</a> – Introduction &amp; welcome<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GuswxIoLgwE&t=149s">02:29</a> – Lily&#39;s 10-year journey at Discover International<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GuswxIoLgwE&t=201s">03:21</a> – Growing from employee #6 to 100+ people globally<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GuswxIoLgwE&t=255s">04:15</a> – What makes a great recruiter?<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GuswxIoLgwE&t=381s">06:21</a> – The transition from recruiter to leader<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GuswxIoLgwE&t=513s">08:33</a> – Great recruiter vs great leader<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GuswxIoLgwE&t=610s">10:10</a> – The mindset shift from biller to leader<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GuswxIoLgwE&t=725s">12:05</a> – Knowing when to get into the weeds<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GuswxIoLgwE&t=885s">14:45</a> – Managing friends and switching between different leadership hats<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GuswxIoLgwE&t=968s">16:08</a> – Why leadership intent matters<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GuswxIoLgwE&t=1096s">18:16</a> – Creating a scalable recruitment process<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GuswxIoLgwE&t=1227s">20:27</a> – Building a consistent operating model across different offices<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GuswxIoLgwE&t=1338s">22:18</a> – Why Discover doesn&#39;t use scripts<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GuswxIoLgwE&t=1442s">24:02</a> – Giving experienced recruiters freedom to try new things<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GuswxIoLgwE&t=1597s">26:37</a> – Recruitment in 2016 vs 2026<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GuswxIoLgwE&t=1642s">27:22</a> – The changing expectations around remote working<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GuswxIoLgwE&t=1711s">28:31</a> – Why cold calling still matters<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GuswxIoLgwE&t=1892s">31:32</a> – Creating a phone-first recruitment culture<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GuswxIoLgwE&t=1997s">33:17</a> – The importance of a high-energy sales floor<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GuswxIoLgwE&t=2197s">36:37</a> – Getting new recruiters up and running<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GuswxIoLgwE&t=2288s">38:08</a> – Keeping trainees motivated<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GuswxIoLgwE&t=2424s">40:24</a> – Lily&#39;s first lunch club<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GuswxIoLgwE&t=2597s">43:17</a> – How recruitment can change