Our second guest on the Love Your Career podcast was Tom Trout, Director and co-owner of Love Recruitment. Tom's story is one of the most relatable we've featured, he reflected on a young man who didn't know exactly what he wanted, followed his instincts, worked harder than almost anyone around him, and built something remarkable as a result. Whether you're a job seeker trying to find your footing or a business looking to hire and develop better, Tom's conversation is full of honest, practical wisdom.

A Path Shaped by Curiosity and Hard Work

Tom left school without a clear plan. A dream of becoming a fighter pilot was quickly shelved when maths proved to be an obstacle, a fact he tells with the kind of self-awareness that characterises everything he says. What followed was a phone shop, a trip to Australia, a personal training qualification, five years at LA Fitness culminating in a General Manager role in London, more travel in New Zealand, and eventually a meeting with Lawrence that changed the course of everything.

It would be easy to look at that early career and see drift. Tom sees it differently and rightly so. Every experience was a building block. Travel pulled him out of a shy, timid shell and taught him how to communicate with anyone. The fitness industry gave him a passion to channel. Sales gave him discipline and hunger. And all of it combined to produce someone who, by the time he walked into Love Recruitment, was ready to grow fast, if the right people were around him.

That's the first lesson. Careers rarely move in straight lines, and the experiences that feel sideways at the time often turn out to be exactly what was needed.

The Single Biggest Reason for His Progression

Tom has been promoted multiple times, from Senior Account Manager to Account Director to Recruitment Director, before launching and leading Love Childcare Recruitment as MD and co-owner. Asked to identify the single biggest driver of that progression, his answer was disarmingly honest.

Surrounding himself with great people.

Not luck. Not talent. The deliberate choice to be open about where he wanted to go, to seek out people who could give him real feedback on how to get there, and to do the hard work required in between.

"I've always been really open and honest about where I want to get to. And I've always wanted to surround myself with people that will help me get to that level."

He also added something that many people quietly feel but rarely say out loud: he knew he would never be the smartest person in the room, but he could always be the hardest worker. That commitment, he believes, is what set him apart. It's a mindset worth borrowing.

On Feedback: A Journey, Not a Switch

Like Abhi in episode one, Tom is candid about the fact that receiving feedback well didn't come naturally. He describes himself as ultra-competitive, someone who, in his early career, took criticism personally because it felt like evidence of failure rather than a route to improvement.

The turning point came at LA Fitness, when his manager Bryn Taylor gave him honest, direct feedback after Tom didn't get a GM role he had been convinced was his. Rather than sulk or dismiss it, Tom eventually did something harder, he listened, implemented the feedback, set goals around it, and went back. This time, he got the job.

The process of genuinely learning to receive feedback took about a year. He's clear on that. It wasn't an overnight shift. But the discipline of separating the emotional reaction from the practical learning and then turning that learning into daily habits, became one of the foundations of everything that followed.

For anyone managing a team right now, this is worth reflecting on. Giving feedback is only half of the equation. Giving people the time and support to process it, and then act on it, is where the real development happens.

Goal Setting: The Most Underused Career Tool

If there is one theme Tom returns to throughout the conversation, it is this: clear, detailed, habitual goal setting. Not writing a list at the start of the year and forgetting about it. Not vague ambitions around pay rises or promotions. Proper, specific, reverse-engineered goal setting, working backwards from where you want to be to what you need to do today.

Tom's process is simple but disciplined. He writes a goal down, then immediately asks himself: what do I need to do this week, today, right now, to move towards it? He breaks it into manageable daily actions and builds those actions into his routine. He also journals every night, reflecting honestly on whether he has done what he set out to do and, if not, why.

He applies this to his career, his fitness, his finances, his golf. The framework doesn't change. The discipline is consistent.

"If you don't bring it into your daily habits, your daily life, it's so hard to reach."

For anyone who has set goals and watched them quietly fade, this is the missing piece. Goals without daily habits are just wishes. Atomic Habits by James Clear, which Tom recommends, explores this in detail and is well worth your time.

He also added an important nuance at the end of the conversation: be adaptable. Life changes. Goals should evolve. The commitment isn't to a fixed destination — it's to the daily discipline of moving forward.

On Imposter Syndrome

When Tom became MD of Love Childcare Recruitment, he was hit almost immediately by imposter syndrome. The feeling of not quite being ready. Of wondering whether he was good enough for the role he had worked so hard to earn.

He's open about it, and that openness matters — because this feeling is far more universal than most people admit. The antidote, for Tom, was support from the people around him, combined with the processes and structures that gave him the evidence that things were working.

If you're stepping into a new leadership role, a promotion, or starting something new, the feeling of not quite belonging is not a sign you've made a mistake. In most cases, it's a sign you've taken on something that will genuinely stretch you.

What Great Hiring Looks Like Right Now

Tom's advice for clients was characteristically direct. In the current market, great candidates are hard to come by and every hiring business needs to be aware of that and adapt accordingly. Candidates are assessing companies just as much as companies are assessing candidates.

That means going into interviews with the same energy and intention you'd expect from the person sitting opposite you. It means presenting your brand with clarity and enthusiasm. It means giving candidates a reason to choose you.

Tom talks about companies having the right narrative, a clear, compelling story about who they are, what they stand for, and why someone would want to build their career there. In a competitive talent market, that narrative isn't a nice-to-have. It's a commercial necessity.

What Costs Candidates the Job

Tom was asked about the most common interview traits that hold people back and his answer was one word: laziness.

Not turning up late because the trains were delayed. Turning up late because you didn't check the train times. Not knowing anything about the company because you didn't do thirty minutes of research. Walking in without energy or preparation, and hoping that your CV will do the work for you.

The distinction he draws is important: there are things you can't control, and things you absolutely can. Preparation is always in your control. Attitude is always in your control. Smiling when you walk through the door is always in your control.

If you've done everything in your power to prepare, then whatever happens in the interview, you can walk away without regret. That's the standard to aim for.

Find a Mentor Before You Find a Book

Asked for his top three resources for career development, Tom's first recommendation wasn't a book or a podcast. It was a mentor.

Someone who has lived through what you're going through, is where you want to be, and can give you real-time feedback, challenge your thinking, and help you navigate the moments that no book can fully prepare you for. For Tom, that kind of relationship has been more valuable than anything he has ever read and he reads a lot.

His book recommendation — Culture Code by Daniel Coyle — is well worth picking up for anyone leading or building a team, with practical insight into what makes great team cultures actually work. And for those who haven't explored YouTube as a learning resource, Tom is evangelical about the quality of content available there, provided you're intentional about what you're looking for.

Be Authentic in Interviews

One final note, and it came from Lawrence rather than Tom, though it's rooted in something Tom demonstrated from day one. When Lawrence first interviewed Tom, the thing that stood out most wasn't his experience or his track record. It was that his family values and competitive spirit came through completely naturally. He wasn't performing a version of himself. He was just himself.

In an interview, authenticity is a differentiator. People hire people they connect with and trust. Let them see who you actually are.

The Two Things to Take Away

Tom was asked for his single most important takeaway. He gave two, and made no apology for it.

Set goals. Be relentless and specific about them. Break them down into daily habits and live them every day.

And surround yourself with great people. If you have ambitions, put yourself in rooms with people who will push you, challenge you and help you get there.

Simple. Proven. And absolutely worth acting on.

The Love Your Career podcast is brought to you by Love Recruitment, helping fitness and leisure professionals find roles they love, and helping businesses find the people who will make the difference.