In this episode of RecTalk, Nitin Sharma sits down once again with Francis Larson of Ascen to unpack what’s REALLY happening in the US recruitment market right now — and why smaller, smarter recruitment businesses are outperforming the big players.

From AI-driven hiring booms to startup funding strategies, Francis shares what Ascen is seeing across hundreds of staffing firms operating in the US market. If you’re a recruitment agency owner thinking about expanding internationally, placing contractors into the US, or building relationships with high-growth startups, this episode is packed with practical insights.

Topics covered include:
* Why AI-adjacent hiring is exploding across industries
* How recruitment firms are capitalising on robotics, data centres, automation, and AI infrastructure hiring
* The hidden opportunity in servicing venture-backed startups instead of enterprise clients
* Why smaller agencies can beat global recruiters in the US market
* How to build credibility with high-growth businesses
* The importance of compliance, payroll infrastructure, and Employer of Record (EOR) partnerships in America
* Creative pricing strategies for scaling clients
* Building communities and becoming embedded within your client’s business
* Why recruiters need to “unlearn” traditional sales behaviour to win in today’s market

One of the standout takeaways from this episode is Francis’ advice to stop chasing Fortune 500 logos and instead focus on fast-growing, well-funded startups with serious hiring needs. As he explains, recruitment businesses that become trusted partners early can scale alongside these companies and create long-term, high-value client relationships.

If you’re serious about expanding into the US recruitment market, this episode is essential listening.

🔗 Connect with the guest
Francis Larson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/francislarson/

Learn more about Ascen: https://www.rectools.io/product/ascen/

🔗 Connect with the host
Nitin Sharma: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nitin-rectools/

Discover recruitment tools and services: https://www.rectools.io/

New episodes of RecTalk (including Founder Diaries and Talking Talent) drop regularly on Wednesday and Friday.

Also look out for new episodes of The Mixed Grill — the official podcast of the Recruitment Curry Club:
https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-recruitment-curry-club/

Listen on another platform: https://rectalk.co.uk/

🔗 Get in touch with these recommended suppliers
CoRecruit: https://corecruit.com/
Ascen: https://www.ascen.com/
Your People Engine: https://yourpeopleengine.com/
Recruiterflow: https://recruiterflow.short.gy/rectalk-recommendations
SourceWhale: https://sourcewhale.com/

#RecTalk #Recruitment #Staffing #AIRecruitment #USRecruitment #EmployerOfRecord #Ascen #RecruitmentAgency #TalentAcquisition #StartupHiring #RecruitmentBusiness #AI #ContractRecruitment #TechRecruitment #ScalingBusinesses #RecruitmentPodcast