The Elite Recruiter Podcast From Rookie to $1M Recruiter by 25: Kent Depwe’s Playbook for 7-Figure Success
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Oct 9, 2025 Kent Depwe, a high-flying recruiter who achieved seven-figure billings by 25, shares his journey from rookie to top performer. He discusses the importance of mindset and the drive to improve, while identifying common pitfalls that slow down many recruiters. Kent emphasizes the value of mentorship, leveraging technology and AI for efficiency, and maintaining competition in a remote environment. He also touches on the future of recruiting as more talent becomes represented like elite sports figures. A goldmine of actionable insights for aspiring recruiters!
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Rapid Early Breakthrough
- Kent went from making ~$50–60K in 2020 to ~$350K in 2021 and then hit $1M+ billings in his second full year. He credits rapid lifestyle change to one transformative client and intense ramping after COVID disruption.
- That early success set a new standard that made it hard to settle for less and fueled his competitiveness.
Flip Setbacks Into Momentum
- When setbacks happen, flip the response: work harder and push more instead of slowing down. That upward spiral creates more opportunities and rebuilds momentum faster than feeling sorry for yourself.
- Protect your daily activity metrics regardless of emotional swings to avoid a downward spiral.
Choose Mentorship Over Money Early
- Prioritize the manager or mentor when choosing a firm; reporting to a top biller accelerates your learning massively. Seek firms where you can shadow strong performers and absorb their calls and routines.
