#11 - Richie Lampani: Why Agency Recruiting Feels Like a Knife Fight

Recruiter, author, and LinkedIn fire-starter Richie Lampani joins Mike for a wide-ranging conversation about the real state of recruiting today. From the brutal realities of the 2024 job market to the decline of agency work, Richie breaks down what it’s like to job search as a recruiter for the first time in his career and why so many teams are struggling to keep the lights on. He also opens up about building Underground Admin with his partner Amy, what agencies are truly facing behind the scenes, and how AI is reshaping the role—if recruiters let it.

Richie walks through the inspiration for his upcoming book Head and Heart: Winning the AI Recruiting War, dives into the growing wave of fraudulent interviews, and shares the mindset shift required for recruiters to stay valuable while surrounded by tools that can do “the middle work” faster. From nightmare clients to fake candidates to LinkedIn chaos, this episode captures what it really feels like to be a recruiter “hanging on by a thread” in 2025. Whether you’re agency or internal, this one will make you laugh, nod, and maybe cry a little.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices