The Counter Offer

By: Susanna Gray-Jones
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  • Summary

  • The Business focused podcast to help you achieve clarity, improve your mindset and succeed in ways that you didn't even know possible. Susanna Gray-Jones is a Cambridge-educated recruitment strategist and owner of Chime Search - a Rec2Rec executive search firm. She believes that it is simply not worth being a mediocre recruiter. She is on a mission to improve the likelihood of success in the career of a recruiter to ensure that they have all the tools to be A-grade, first-class recruiters.
    Susanna Gray-Jones
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Career Success Economics
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Episodes
  • Creating Change in Recruitment with Elizabeth Willetts

    Creating Change in Recruitment with Elizabeth Willetts
    Jan 16 2025
    Is flexibility in the workplace truly achievable, or is it still a dream for many parents and professionals? In this episode of The Counter Offer, Susanna is joined by Elizabeth Willetts, Founder of Investing in Women and host of the Work It Like a Mum podcast. Elizabeth shares her path from redundancy during the pandemic to building a business focused on creating flexible work opportunities for women and parents. They discuss the barriers women encounter in finding part-time senior roles, the deeper issues behind the gender pay gap, and how employers can rethink flexibility. She also reflects on the mindset shifts and coaching that helped her turn challenges into opportunities. This episode offers advice on crafting a career that works for their lives, from preparing for interviews to making the most of LinkedIn. Elizabeth also shares insights into her upcoming book, Flex, and the lessons she’s learned about balancing career and family. This is an episode that will leave you with plenty to think about and tools to act on. Must-Hear Insights and Key Moments Elizabeth’s Journey to Flexibility: Elizabeth shares how redundancy during the pandemic inspired her to start Investing in Women, addressing the lack of flexible work options for mothers. Tackling the Gender Pay Gap: She highlights how limited part-time senior roles force women out of high-paying careers, perpetuating the gender pay gap.Turning Doubt into Action: Imposter syndrome is a universal struggle, but with the guidance of a business coach, Elizabeth built a company that aligns with her values and supports others.Finding Truly Flexible Employers: She shares tips on spotting flexible workplaces, like researching LinkedIn posts, Glassdoor reviews, and networking. Lessons from Flex: Elizabeth introduces her book, Flex, a guide to building a fulfilling career with insights on CVs, job pivots, and work-life balance. About Elizabeth Willets Elizabeth Willetts is an experienced recruiter with over 17 years of expertise, including roles at Deloitte and Hays. She is the founder of Investing in Women, the UK’s leading flexible working recruitment company, job board, and community, dedicated to helping women find part-time and flexible roles. Her mission is to close the gender pay gap by empowering women to pursue fulfilling careers that fit their lives without sacrificing time for family, hobbies, or personal goals. Inspired by her own challenges as a working mom, Elizabeth is passionate about creating opportunities for women to thrive in the workplace. Elizabeth also hosts the Work It Like a Mum podcast, sharing stories of women balancing career and motherhood, and her debut book, Flex - a dynamic guide for anyone wanting to build a successful career ― on their terms is due out in January 2025. As a mom to two daughters and owner of a Labradoodle, Elizabeth combines her professional and personal experiences to inspire and support women everywhere. Mentioned in the Episode Flex: Smart Strategies to Build A Successful Career Around Your Life Work it Like a Mum Podcast Connect with Elizabeth Willets LinkedIn Website Instagram Follow The Counter Offer: LinkedIn Host LinkedIn Podcast Instagram Tiktok
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    39 mins
  • Taking Action to Join the Top 1% with Lee McQueen

    Taking Action to Join the Top 1% with Lee McQueen
    Jan 2 2025

    What does it take to stay authentic and succeed in a world of challenges?

    In this episode of The Counter Offer, Susanna sits down with Lee McQueen, entrepreneur, recruitment innovator, and winner of The Apprentice (Series 4). Lee shares his journey from humble beginnings to building multiple seven-figure businesses and reflects on the role of authenticity, resilience, and decisive action in achieving success.

    The conversation covers Lee’s approach to recruitment, including his revolutionary take on hiring without CVs and his development of Phoenix 51, a platform that digitizes the assessment process.

    Lee also discusses the lessons he learned from working with Lord Sugar, the importance of asking tough questions in recruitment, and why coachability is a key trait for success.

    Packed with insights and inspiring stories, this episode is a must-listen for recruiters, entrepreneurs, and anyone striving to create a lasting impact in their field.

    Must-Hear Insights and Key Moments

    • Authenticity on The Apprentice: Lee reflects on how staying true to himself during The Apprentice helped him win, emphasizing the importance of authenticity and relationship-building in both personal and professional settings.
    • The CV-Free Recruitment Revolution: Lee explains how a mistake on his CV inspired him to create a recruitment model that focuses on behavior and competencies rather than traditional resumes, leading to the creation of Phoenix 51.
    • Lessons from Lord Sugar: Key takeaways from working with Lord Sugar include simplifying processes, solving real problems, and taking consistent, decisive action.
    • Navigating the Pandemic: The challenges of COVID-19 pushed the transition to virtual assessment centers, showing how adaptability can lead to innovation and business growth.
    • The Importance of Tough Questions: Asking probing and sometimes uncomfortable questions is essential to understanding client needs and delivering impactful solutions.
    • Why Coachability Matters: Being open to learning and feedback remains a cornerstone of personal and professional growth, a principle that drives Lee’s coaching approach.


    About Lee McQueen

    Lee McQueen is the Founder and CEO of the award-winning software business Phoenix 51, a platform revolutionizing how organizations assess and recruit top talent. Best known as the winner of The Apprentice (Series 4), Lee has over 25 years of experience in recruitment and sales, having built multiple seven-figure businesses.

    Passionate about changing traditional hiring methods, he champions assessing behaviors and competencies over CVs. Lee’s journey, from humble beginnings to business success, highlights his commitment to innovation, authenticity, and empowering organizations to thrive.


    Connect with Lee McQueen:

    • LinkedIn
    • Website


    Follow The Counter Offer:

    • ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn Host⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
    • ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn Podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
    • ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
    • ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Tiktok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
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    46 mins
  • Mastering Workplace Conflict and Leadership with Lindsay Gray

    Mastering Workplace Conflict and Leadership with Lindsay Gray
    Dec 19 2024

    Are you listening to the people around you—or just waiting to speak?

    In this special Christmas episode of The Counter Offer, Susanna Gray-Jones sits down with a very special guest—her father, Lindsay Gray. With decades of experience across leadership, education, mediation, and volunteer work, Lindsay shares his timeless wisdom on how to navigate change, build trust, and manage burnout with grace.

    He offers practical insights on how leaders can gain the trust of their teams, why understanding individuals is the foundation of effective leadership, and how to create balance to avoid burnout.

    Lindsay’s journey highlights the importance of stepping into uncomfortable situations, learning from mistakes, and recognizing the power of listening.

    Whether you’re a recruiter, a manager stepping into a new leadership role, or someone looking for ways to manage stress and create more balance in life, this episode is filled with invaluable lessons to help you thrive.

    Listen now and take the first step toward a stronger, more balanced version of yourself!


    Must-Hear Insights and Key Moments

    • Embracing Change in Leadership: Lindsay shares how to manage change effectively, gain trust in a new role, and balance respect for existing systems with necessary improvements.
    • Handling Tough Conversations: Practical advice on approaching managers with ideas for change, focusing on positivity, preparation, and finding the right communication method.
    • Overcoming Burnout and Stress: Lindsay opens up about his personal experience with burnout, the warning signs he missed, and the steps he took to recover and restore balance.
    • Supporting Colleagues Through Challenges: Drawing from his Samaritan work, Lindsay explains how to recognize when someone is struggling and approach them with care and understanding.
    • The Power of Calm Leadership: He discusses how leaders create the atmosphere of an organization and why staying calm and composed earns respect and builds trust.
    • Timeless Advice for Life: Lindsay’s one key piece of wisdom: "Take your time with every individual and look for the good in them."


    About Lindsay Gray

    Lindsay Gray is an experienced consultant, mediator, and educator with a career spanning over 40 years in education, music, and charity development. He served as Headmaster of The Cathedral School and Director of the Royal School of Church Music.

    Currently, he is a Samaritans volunteer, Founder & Director of Caritas Consort, and a trusted advisor in education and choral music. Passionate about mental health and leadership, Lindsay’s career reflects his dedication to helping others and fostering positive change.


    Connect with Lindsay Gray:

    • ⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠


    Follow The Counter Offer:

    • ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn Host⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
    • ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn Podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
    • ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
    • ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Tiktok⁠⁠⁠⁠
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    31 mins

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