#322 – All Our Best Hires Come From THIS Country

South Africa is one of the best places in the world to recruit from – and it’s mostly being overlooked and underutilized right now.⁣ This week, Mark sits down with Doug Haines, the AH Pro member who co-founded Marketing Pros; a South Africa-based recruitment and staffing agency that specializes in finding the exact A-Players you need for your team.⁣

A special thanks to our sponsors for this episode, Digital PR Agency Search Intelligence.

South Africa: A Talent Goldmine

South Africa offers plenty of benefits that make it an hot spot for hiring:

1. The quality of the talent pool in SA stands up to anything in the UK or US.
2. The cost of living in South Africa is way lower than anything in the UK or US, and it’s weaker currency significantly reduces labor costs. So you can pay well locally, and it’s still considerably cheaper compared to hiring from Europe or the US.
3. The mentality of South Africans – they’re career-focused, with a drive to improve.

Plus, native English is widely spoken, so there are no language barriers to effective communication, and the time zones align well with European countries, so there can be seamless collaboration and workflow.

Pricing Structure for Various Job Roles

It’s important to consider these estimates as a starting point and adjust based on experience and skill set.

• For junior writers, you can expect to pay around $2,000 per month for top-quality talent.
• Mid-level content creators can expect salaries ranging from $1,800 to $2,500 per month.
• Senior writers may command salaries ranging from $2,500 to $3,000 per month.
• Senior editors may command salaries starting from $2,500 up to $4,000 per month.
• Mid-level developers can cost anywhere between $3,000 and $4,000 per month.
• Manager positions typically fall within the $2,500 to $3,500 per month range.
• Hiring individuals for leadership roles can begin as low as $2,500 per month for exceptionally strong candidates.

Effective Recruitment Strategies

When it comes to recruiting South African talent, Doug recommends using platforms like LinkedIn and local job boards such as PNet to attract a wide pool of candidates.

Tapping into closed-group communities on social media platforms like Facebook, such as ‘The Resource,’ can also yield great results.

Embrace Local Employment Contracts

Doug advises against hiring South African talents as international contractors.

South African labor laws are favorable to employees and impose significant penalties on employers who violate regulations. So the best talent in the country often seeks the stability and protection provided by local employment contracts.

By offering these local employment contracts, you can attract top talent and forge stronger long-term relationships.

The Marketing Pros Recruitment Process

1. Marketing Pros creates an enticing job ad to attract potential candidates.
2. After receiving applications and possibly engaging in headhunting, the list is narrowed down to roughly 12-15 potential hires.
3. Screening calls are conducted to assess the alignment of the candidate’s career aspirations with the company’s expectations, and to delve deeper into the candidate’s professional journey, accomplishments, challenges, and job changes. Depending on the role, job-specific technical evaluations may follow. For roles like writing, a potential candidate’s skills can be assessed by reviewing their previous work.
4. The final pool of 1-5 candidates are brought forward to the client, who can then decide whether or not to conduct their own interviews with the candidates, and select a new hire.

Selling Your Company’s Value Proposition

To attract top-quality candidates, it’s essential to ‘sell’ your company and highlight its attractive aspects.

Be upfront about the realities of the job while emphasizing the working conditions, client types, and potential career progression available within your organization.

By effectively selling your company’s value proposition, you can attract the attention and interest of high-caliber candidates.

Embrace the Potential of South Africa

Doug acknowledges that there is always a level of risk associated with hiring in South Africa due to the country’s unique economic and political context. However, he firmly believes that the rewards of accessing a high-quality, cost-effective workforce far outweigh the risks.

Rather than viewing South Africa as merely a cheap outsourcing destination, Doug encourages businesses to recognize the region’s immense talent and embrace it as a driving force for their growth.

By offering local market rate wages or slightly higher, you can attract top-tier professionals who will contribute significantly to your organization’s success.