Winning with South African Recruitment Talent: Offshore Done Right with Ross Thompson
In this episode of RecTalk, Nitin is joined again by Ross Thompson, founder of Infinity Staff Global, to unpack the reality behind the South African offshore recruitment model — what’s hype, what’s real, and how to actually win with it. Ross and Nitin dive deep into what’s driving the boom in South African recruitment talent supporting UK, US and Australian agencies, and why cost should never be your primary driver when building an offshore team. If you’re thinking about hiring remote recruiters, researchers, or BD specialists — or you’re already doing it and want to optimise — this one’s for you. What we covered in this episode: - Why hiring offshore purely for “cheap labour” is the wrong mindset - The real advantages of South African recruitment talent (work ethic, cultural alignment, motivation, education standards) - The growing demand for UK/US/AUS-experienced recruiters based in South Africa - How to structure your team properly: 360 vs 180 vs BD vs researcher models - The cricket team analogy: put your batsmen and bowlers in the right positions - Why onboarding and integration matter more than geography - Trust vs control in remote team management - Cultural, economic and social nuances UK business owners should understand - The realities of job security, motivation and loyalty in the South African market - Retention rates, scaling case studies, and ROI expectations - Legal and compliance considerations when choosing an outsourcing partner - Why you must vet who you partner with — and avoid freelance/EOR grey areas We also discuss: - Whether offshore recruiters are likely to “go rogue” and start their own agencies - The risks of remote employees juggling multiple jobs - Hybrid vs fully remote models in South Africa - Security, infrastructure and commuting considerations - How agencies are using offshore teams to attack the US market Key Takeaway: Offshoring isn’t about replacing your UK team. It’s about building a smarter structure — putting the right people in the right seats — and scaling with intention. If you treat offshore hires as second-class or purely as a cost-saving exercise, it will fail. If you treat them as valuable, integrated members of your team — it can transform your business. Who this episode is for: - Recruitment agency owners considering offshore hiring - Solo recruiters looking to scale without heavy UK salary risk - 5–20 headcount agencies restructuring their delivery model - Directors battling margin pressure and cashflow constraints - Agencies exploring US market expansion - Recruiters curious about South African talent specifically There’s a lot of noise in the offshore market right now. This episode cuts through it. 🔗 Connect with the guest Ross Thompson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rossnthompson/ Check out Infinity Staff Global: https://www.rectools.io/product/infinity-staff-global/ 🔗 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) currently drop on Wednesday and Friday. Look out also for new episodes of The Mixed Grill — the official podcast of the Recruitment Curry Club — dropping on Thursday. https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-recruitment-curry-club/ Listen on another platform: https://rectalk.co.uk/ 🔗 Get in touch with these recommended suppliers Ascen: https://www.ascen.com/ ThinkinCircles: https://thinkincircles.com/ Infinity Staff Global: https://www.infinitystaffglobal.com/ The Marketing Junction: https://themarketingjunction.com/ Konquest: https://konquest.io/
