How much does a headhunter cost and how do they charge?

“How much is this going to cost me?” is almost always the second question in the first meeting. The first is whether we can find the person. That makes sense: hiring a headhunter is an investment and you should know what you're paying for and why. In this guide, we explain how this service is charged across the sector, what makes a search cost more or less and what you should ask before signing with any consultancy, ours included.

What you're paying for when you hire a headhunter

A headhunter doesn't charge for sending CVs. They charge for finding, assessing and persuading people who, in many cases, weren't looking for a job. Behind every search are hours of work the company doesn't see:

• Understanding the role and the context: what the person needs to achieve, with which team and under what management style.
• Mapping the market: which companies and which professionals fit, on and off the job portals.
• The direct approach: making discreet contact, explaining the project and sparking interest in people who are in no hurry to change.
• The assessment: competency-based interviews, verification of experience and a fit report on each finalist.
• Support through to onboarding, including the final negotiation.

How it's usually charged: the common models

There's no single rate in the sector. These are the models you'll come across:

A percentage of the role's annual remuneration

This is the most widespread model. The fee is calculated as a percentage of the gross annual remuneration of the person hired. It makes sense: the more senior the role, the more complex and sensitive the search usually is. Before signing, clarify whether the calculation includes only the base salary or also the variable pay and other elements.

Success-based or staged

With the success-based model, you pay when the candidate joins. With the staged model, common in executive searches, payment is split across several points in the process: at the start, on presenting the shortlist of finalists and on joining. Each one spreads the risk differently between the company and the consultancy.

A fixed fee per process

A set amount agreed in advance, independent of the final salary. It gives predictability, especially when the salary range isn't yet clear.

A retainer for several roles

When several vacancies need filling over a period, some companies prefer a periodic fee covering all the processes rather than paying for each one separately.

What makes a search cost more or less

• The seniority of the role. A middle manager is not the same as a managing director.
• How scarce the profile is. If few people in the market have that experience, the search is longer and more precise.
• Confidentiality. A search that can't become known requires more care with every contact.
• Urgency. Shortening timescales means committing more resources at once.
• Geographical scope. Searching across several countries or regions increases the work.
• The number of vacancies. Several similar positions make it possible to reuse the market map and usually bring down the cost of each one.

What to ask before signing

With any consultancy, ours included, ask them to answer in writing:

1. How the fees are calculated and on which elements of remuneration.
2. When payment is due: on success, in stages or as a fixed amount.
3. What's included: number of candidates presented, tests, reports, follow-up interviews.
4. Whether there's a replacement guarantee: what happens if the person leaves or doesn't get through the first few months.
5. Who will run your process: whether you'll be dealing with a senior consultant or a junior profile.
6. How they assess candidates and what you receive on each one.
7. What timescales they work to and how they'll keep you updated on progress.

The cost that doesn't appear on the invoice

Comparing proposals on price alone is a common mistake. The biggest cost isn't the headhunter's, it's the cost of getting it wrong: months of salary, a team that suffers, decisions that get delayed and, in the end, starting all over again. That's why, when weighing up a proposal, you should also compare the quality of the assessment and the experience of whoever carries it out. If you want to put a figure on it for your company, we explain how in the guide on what a bad hire costs.

How we approach it at Crearte Consulting

In the first meeting, we look at your vacancy and explain clearly how we would charge for that search, before anything starts. We work with the CREARTE Method: always with senior points of contact, competency-based assessment with STAR and CAR interviews, full transparency about where the process stands and our own database of 47,000 assessed and up-to-date candidates. If the role is a leadership one, take a look at how we handle executive search and headhunting.

Frequently asked questions