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Recruitment guidance

Understanding recruitment fees.

Recruitment proposals can use a percentage of first-year salary or a fixed fee. The right comparison also considers the guarantee, search approach, timeline and relevant experience.

What to compare

  • Fee structure: percentage or fixed amount, with the total clearly stated.
  • Replacement guarantee: duration, conditions and exclusions.
  • Search strategy and expected timeline to first candidates.
  • Experience with comparable roles, industries and locations.

Percentage or fixed fee

A percentage fee varies with compensation, while a fixed fee gives the employer a known amount from the outset. Neither model is automatically better: scope, difficulty, seniority and service level all matter.

Before accepting a proposal

Review what is included, when the fee becomes payable, the replacement guarantee and any conditions. RBB presents recruiter proposals in a consistent format so employers can compare them side by side. Compare recruiters.