The Recruitment Leadership Podcast

Offshoring for Recruitment Efficiency: Emerging Talent Markets with Alex Hashash, Managing Director at Global Capability

Welcome to the latest episode of the Recruitment Leadership Podcast, hosted by Alison Humphries.

 

Offshoring in recruitment isn’t new, but the global landscape is evolving quickly.

 

In this episode, Alison is joined by Alex Hashash, Managing Director at Global Capability, to explore how recruitment businesses can use offshore talent to improve delivery efficiency, protect profitability, and build more resilient operating models.

 

Drawing on over 16 years in recruitment, including managing large offshore teams across multiple regions, Alex shares his perspective on how outsourcing markets are shifting - and why emerging locations such as Kenya and East Africa are increasingly being considered alongside more established hubs.

 

Together, they explore:

 

💡 Why delivery efficiency is becoming critical for recruitment profitability

💡 How emerging outsourcing markets compare to established locations

💡 Kenya’s growing role as an outsourcing hub - talent, infrastructure and stability

💡 The realities of managing offshore recruitment teams successfully

💡 Why clear KPIs, daily communication and structured training are essential

💡 The commercial case for offshoring and what leaders should evaluate before starting

During the conversation, Alex also references the Offshore CX Confidence Index and the GBS Benchmarking and Market Report, which explore global outsourcing trends and emerging markets. As these resources are highly data-driven, we’ve linked to them here for listeners who want to explore the reports in more detail.

 

If you're considering offshoring as part of your recruitment strategy, or want to improve how your offshore team performs, this episode offers practical insight into the opportunities and considerations involved.

 

Connect with Alex Hashash on LinkedIn.

Want to discuss this topic further with Alison? 

💬 Email her at alison@recruitmentleadership.co.uk.

Changing How Recruitment Works: Tech, Trust and Human Impact with Nitin Sharma, Founder of Rectools

Welcome to the latest episode of the Recruitment Leadership Podcast, hosted by Alison Humphries.

 

What happens when a recruitment founder shuts down a 15-head agency and uses everything that went wrong to help others avoid the same fate?

 

In this episode, Alison Humphries is joined by Nitin Sharma, Founder of Rectools (and the Recruitment Curry Club), for a fast-paced conversation about what’s really changing in recruitment, and what business owners need to do now to stay viable in 2026.

 

Nitin shares the story behind his own recruitment business journey (from growth to overextension to closure), why “waiting for the market to come back” is a dangerous strategy, and how RecTools was built to solve a problem most owners know too well: finding the right suppliers, tech and support, without drowning in noise.

 

Together, they explore:

 

💡 Why 2026 could be a “change or fail” year for many agencies

💡 The difference between AI that helps and “harassment as a service”

💡 What candidates and clients now expect from tech-enabled processes

💡 Why recruitment needs to act like a professional service - not a sales machine

💡 Subscription/retainer models, packaged services, and why buying habits are shifting

💡 The biggest implementation mistake: buying shiny tools without involving the people who’ll use them

💡 Whether AI is real, hype, or both, and what happens when “AI” becomes the default, like smart TVs

 

If you’re reviewing your tech stack, questioning your delivery model, or feeling the pressure of “more activity” with less return - this episode will give you a sharper way to think about what needs to change (and how to make it stick).

 

Connect with Nitin Sharma on LinkedIn.

 

Want to discuss this topic further with Alison? 

 

💬 Email her at alison@recruitmentleadership.co.uk.

Human First, Leader Second: Rethinking Modern Leadership with Cathleen O’Sullivan, Founder and Director at Cathleen Merkel Ltd

Welcome to the latest episode of the Recruitment Leadership Podcast, hosted by Alison Humphries.

 

We talk a lot about leadership in recruitment, but how often do we talk about what it means to lead like a human?

 

In this episode, Alison Humphries is joined by Cathleen O’Sullivan, Founder and Director at Cathleen Merkel Ltd, to explore what it really means to create a people-first culture in business, without losing performance, direction, or accountability.

 

Drawing on her experience as a leader in international retail and now as a leadership coach, Cathleen explains how modern leadership is shifting away from hierarchy and control toward connection, curiosity and emotional intelligence - and why this matters more than ever in a world where 44% of employees report work-related stress.

 

Together, they explore:

 

💡 The shift from “professional armour” to authentic, emotionally intelligent leadership

💡 How small business owners can balance results and wellbeing, and avoid burnout themselves

💡 The truth about “human-centred” leadership (and how it’s often misunderstood)

💡 Building collective accountability and culture in growing teams

💡 Why your “why” isn’t a slogan, and how reconnecting to it cuts through complexity

 

🎁 Cathleen also shares an exclusive offer for 10 listeners to receive a free one-hour mentoring session, helping you tackle your own leadership challenges head-on. Details on how to claim it are included in the episode.

 

If you’ve ever wondered how to lead with empathy and impact - this is your episode.

 

Connect with Cathleen O’Sullivan on LinkedIn.

Want to discuss this topic further with Alison? 

💬 Email her at alison@recruitmentleadership.co.uk.

Building a Profitable Recruitment Business: Compliance, KPIs and Cashflow with Marie Pegram, Group Managing Partner at TC Group

Welcome to the latest episode of the Recruitment Leadership Podcast, hosted by Alison Humphries.

So, you want to run your own recruitment business?

In this episode, Alison Humphries is joined by Marie Pegram, Group Managing Partner at TC Group and Partner at Recruitment Accountants - a specialist division supporting hundreds of agencies with finance, compliance and growth.

 

Together, they break down the real financial responsibilities behind being your own boss, and why it takes more than strong billing figures to build a profitable, sustainable business.

 

In this conversation, they cover:

 

💡 The biggest mistakes recruiters make when starting out|
💡 Why profitability ≠ what’s in the bank
💡 Corporate structure, shareholders and protecting yourself legally
💡 Essential KPIs to monitor (including staff cost ratios and consultant profitability)
💡 What to do when you hit a cash crunch, and how to avoid it in the first pla
💡 Why “writing off” a cost doesn’t mean it disappears!

 

Plus, Alison and Marie dive into how even seasoned business owners can get tripped up - from commission structures that quietly erode profit to the dangers of drawing too much too soon.

 

Whether you're considering starting your own agency or want to tighten up your existing financial strategy, this episode is packed with practical advice.

 

Connect with Marie Pegram on LinkedIn.

 

Want to discuss this topic further with Alison? 

 

💬 Email her at alison@recruitmentleadership.co.uk.

Naughty, Nice, or Just Inefficient? The Leadership Mindset Shift Recruitment Needs in 2026 with Alison Humphries & Zoe Jephtha

Welcome to the latest episode of the Recruitment Leadership Podcast, where we’re shaking things up, just a little.

This time, our host becomes a guest, as Alison Humphries hands the mic to Zoe Jephtha to reflect on the year so far, unpack the challenges facing recruitment businesses in 2025, and introduce a new way for leaders to assess where they stand. It’s a conversation about performance, leadership, and how to take the real lessons of 2025 and turn them into smarter, sharper planning for 2026.

 

🚨 Alongside this episode, Recruitment Leadership has launched a brand new website, featuring a free-to-use Recruitment Business Health Check tool, designed to give you real-time insight into your business performance, from commercial health to operational efficiency.

 

Together, Alison and Zoe explore:

 

🎯 What the best recruitment businesses are doing differently right now

🎯 Why some agencies thrived in 2025, while others struggled to stay afloat

🎯 The problem with chasing outputs (and how to shift your focus upstream)

🎯 How the Recruitment Business Health Check Tool works, and what Red, Amber and Green scores really mean

🎯 The biggest mindset shift successful leaders are making before 2026

🎯 And what definitely belongs on the “Naughty” and “Nice” lists this year…

 

Whether you're planning for growth, navigating challenge, or just want a clearer sense of where your business stands, this episode is packed with practical takeaways - and a few hard truths.

 

💡 Plus: Hear why inputs matter more than ever, and how even small changes in mindset or leadership rhythm can transform outcomes next year.

 

🧰 Take the Benchmarking Tool now  - https://bit.ly/4rEDe1R

 

If you’re ready to look forward, but start with a little reflection, this episode is your starting point.

 

Want to discuss this topic further with Alison? 

 

💬 Email her at alison@recruitmentleadership.co.uk.

Scaling a Values-Driven Recruitment Brand: Growth, Culture, and Curiosity with Amy Griffith & Emma Symonds, Co-Founders of True North Talent

Welcome to the latest episode of the Recruitment Leadership Podcast, hosted by Alison Humphries.

 

What happens when two experienced recruiters decide to build the kind of agency they always wanted to work for?

 

In this episode, Alison Humphries is joined by Amy Griffith and Emma Symonds, Directors of True North Talent - a fast-growing specialist in food and drink manufacturing recruitment.

 

They launched the business after a single (slightly tipsy) conversation, but what followed was anything but casual. Since then, they’ve grown a £2m turnover business, built around quality, consistency, and a strong internal culture - all while sticking firmly to their values.

 

Together, they unpack:

 

🔹 The reality of launching a recruitment business from scratch

🔹 Balancing delivery, branding, BD and ops in year one

🔹 Why your first hire shouldn’t be another recruiter

🔹 Getting intuitive recruiter know-how out of your head and into a process

🔹 The difference between great billing and real leadership

🔹 What it takes to build a repeatable, scalable model, without losing the magic

 

Amy and Emma share why consistent BD, internal culture, and curiosity have helped them grow in a tough market - and what they’d do differently if they were starting again.

 

If you're thinking about starting your own agency, or want to build a business that actually lasts, this one’s packed with the kind of insight only hands-on founders can give.

 

Connect with Amy Griffith and Emma Symonds on LinkedIn.

 

Want to discuss this topic further with Alison? 

 

💬 Email her at alison@recruitmentleadership.co.uk.

Reinventing High-Volume Recruitment: AI, Efficiency, and Candidate Experience with Blake Carter, Sales & Partnerships Director at VOAI.app

Welcome to the latest episode of the Recruitment Leadership Podcast, hosted by Alison Humphries.

What if your recruiters could screen 10,000 candidates in just three days - without adding extra headcount? 

In this episode of the Recruitment Leadership Podcast, Alison Humphries is joined by Blake Carter, Founder and Sales & Partnerships Director of VOAI.app, to explore how AI is changing the way high-volume recruitment gets done.

Blake shares the story behind VOAI - an AI-led platform that’s already helping agencies and corporates slash admin time, boost candidate engagement, and deliver a return on investment that traditional processes just can’t match.

Together, Alison and Blake dig into:

 

💡 Why AI works best in candidate-facing roles (and where it really shouldn’t be used yet)

💡 How sentiment analysis and multilingual capabilities can transform candidate experience

💡 A real case study where AI delivered 200% growth in candidate volume - with half the staff

💡 The implementation process (spoiler: it’s easier than most leaders think)

 

If you’re a recruitment business owner looking for smarter ways to protect profitability, free up your consultants, and still keep the “human” in recruitment, this episode is for you.

 

Connect with Blake Carter on LinkedIn.

Want to discuss this topic further with Alison? 

💬 Email her at alison@recruitmentleadership.co.uk.

Supercharging Business Development with Tech: Building Credibility and Consistency with Darren Westall, CEO of Paiger

Welcome to the latest episode of the Recruitment Leadership Podcast, hosted by Alison Humphries.

 

In this episode, Alison is joined by Darren Westall, CEO and Co-founder of Paiger - a platform originally known for personal branding, but now a powerful engine for business development enablement.

 

Darren shares the story behind Pager’s evolution - from a social scheduling tool into a BD productivity platform trusted by over 1000 staffing businesses. Together, he and Alison explore what recruiters really need to build a pipeline effectively, especially in today’s saturated and cautious market.

In this conversation, they cover:

 

💡 Why BD performance is stalling in so many firms, and what’s really behind it

💡 The gap between “doing more” and “doing better”

💡 How Pager helps recruiters find vacancies, research clients, and automate intelligently (without losing the human edge)

💡 The psychology behind “phone fear”, and how better prep removes it

💡 What recruitment leaders often get wrong about tech implementation

💡 Why smart automation supports BD, but doesn’t replace it

💡 Where AI is heading in recruitment, and the unexpected challenges it may bring

🎁 Darren also offers an exclusive bonus for Recruitment Leadership Podcast listeners - the first 10 people to contact Pager and mention this episode or Alison Humphries will unlock a special offer. Details on how to claim it are included in the episode.

 

Whether you're leading a sales team, implementing new tech, or just trying to get more consistent BD from your consultants - this is essential listening for agency owners and sales leaders alike.

 

Connect with Darren Westall on LinkedIn.

Want to discuss this topic further with Alison?

💬 Email her at alison@recruitmentleadership.co.uk.

Building a Better BD Strategy: Recruitment Sales Lessons with Ben Browning, Founder of Resonant

Welcome to the latest episode of the Recruitment Leadership Podcast, hosted by Alison Humphries.

 

In this episode, Alison is joined by Ben Browning, Founder of Resonant and host of the Recruiting Better Podcast, to tackle one of the biggest (and most neglected) challenges in recruitment: business development.

 

With insights drawn from Resonant’s recent State of BD report - covering over 500 firms - Ben shares why so many recruitment businesses still treat BD as a reactive, last-minute scramble… and what high-performing agencies are doing differently.

 

Together, they unpack:

 

💡Why 76% of recruiters lack a consistent BD strategy

💡What’s driving underperformance - and what to fix first

💡 How to position your service around real business problems, not just open vacancies

💡 The 5 pillars of account development - and how to use them to boost revenue and retention

💡 Why systems and strategy matter more than charisma when it comes to sales

 

You’ll also hear practical ideas for improving sales culture, creating accountability, and building a repeatable process that doesn’t rely on one “superstar biller” to hit the target.

 

🎁 Ben is offering listeners a free Blueprint Call - a no-pressure opportunity to review your current BD strategy and spot opportunities for improvement. Details on how to claim it are in the episode.

 

If you're a recruitment leader looking to build a more confident, consistent and commercial approach to sales - this is essential listening.

Connect with Ben Browning on LinkedIn.

Book your Blueprint Call.

Want to discuss this topic further with Alison?

💬 Email her at alison@recruitmentleadership.co.uk.

Transforming Recruitment Training with AI: Building Confidence, Capability, and Results with Will Bourne, Founder of Rekbot

Welcome to the latest episode of the Recruitment Leadership Podcast, hosted by Alison Humphries.

 

In this episode, Alison is joined by Will Bourne, Founder of Rekall Consulting and Rekbot - a groundbreaking AI-based training and coaching tool designed specifically for recruiters.

 

With over 15 years of industry experience, Will shares the challenges he faced leading teams, hiring new recruiters, and trying to deliver impactful training at scale. 

 

From bootstrapped startups to running large P&Ls, his frustration with traditional training methods inspired him to build Rekbot - a tool that leverages AI to deliver real-time feedback, reinforce learning, and close the performance gap in a much smarter way.

 

In this conversation, Alison and Will explore:

💡 Why traditional training fails to create lasting behavioural change

💡 How AI simulations help recruiters build real confidence, fast

💡 The hidden cost of relying on your top billers to train others

💡 The role of emotional reinforcement and repetition in learning

💡 Why Rekbot could open the door to hiring outside the industry - and getting ROI faster

💡 How bias detection, progress tracking, and tailored scenarios set this tool apart

 

🎁 Will also gives listeners an exclusive 50% discount to try Rekbot - details on how to claim it are included in the episode.

 

Whether you're a recruitment business owner struggling with underperforming hires, a leader trying to reduce training costs, or just curious about how AI can level-up your team’s capability, this is an episode you won’t want to miss

 

Connect with Will Bourne on LinkedIn.

Want to discuss this topic further with Alison?

💬 Email her at alison@recruitmentleadership.co.uk