096: The Importance of Finding the Right Fit — And How to Do It ft. Kosti Theoharides

For this conversation, we bring in Kosti Theoharides, who works at AC Talent in their international and UK football arm. You may be wondering, What do sports have to do with recruitment? And the answer is: probably a lot more than you’d think.

Throughout the episode, Sam and Kosti discuss the process of attracting and signing top soccer players, the importance of building relationships (sound familiar?), and the challenges of balancing talent and other factors in recruitment. They also touch on the need for transparency, trust, and long-term thinking in the industry (again I ask: sound familiar??). Beyond that, Kosti shares insights on the ‘take the lunch‘ theory, which involves creating a relaxed and comfortable environment to understand someone’s true nature. This is a fun, unique, and informational episode that emphasizes the importance of finding the right fit when recruiting talent — whether for the soccer field, the desk, or any other workplace.

If you like this episode, you’ll probably also enjoy our conversation with Paul Stansik, on ensuring you never make a bad hire again.

Chapters:

00:00 – Podcast intro
03:11 – How Kosti kicked off his career in recruiting
07:46 – The importance of niche specialization in recruiting
10:15 – Approaching top-tier talent: best practices
16:21 – From recruiter to advisor: building lasting connections
23:18 – Long-term talent acquisition: methods and strategies
36:58 – Identifying the ideal candidate: tips and tricks
51:19 – Podcast wrap-up: last words of wisdom