微旺爱海
Aihire
"How much would it cost you to hire for us" has no single answer, because the industry runs on four very different pricing models, buying four very different things. This piece explains each model, the common reference ranges, and how to compare two quotes without being tripped by mismatched terms.
Four models dominate: contingency (paid on success — commonly a percentage of the candidate's annual salary, with an industry reference range of roughly 15%–25% depending on role difficulty and guarantee terms), retained search (an upfront engagement fee), RPO / recruitment outsourcing (priced per project or per hire, for volume), and Employer of Record (a per-employee-per-month service fee). Before comparing prices, align the terms: is the fee triggered at offer, at onboarding, or after the guarantee period?
| Model | What you buy | How it is priced | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Contingency (common for agencies) | A delivered result on one key role | A percentage of the placed candidate's annual salary, paid on success; industry reference range roughly 15%–25%, moving with role difficulty and guarantee terms | Mid-to-senior, scarce-language or hard-to-fill roles |
| Retained search | The consultant's time and priority | Part upfront, balance on success | Executive, confidential or extremely scarce roles |
| RPO / recruitment outsourcing | An entire hiring process | Per project, or per hire | Filling the same role type in volume, ongoing hiring |
| TAaaS (fixed monthly) | Always-available recruiting capacity | Fixed monthly fee, unlimited requisitions | Long-term, mixed roles, uncertain headcount |
| Employer of Record | Legal employment & compliance | Per employee per month | Employing without a local entity |
Even within contingency, the trigger can be one of three points: offer accepted, onboarded, or survived the guarantee period. The later the trigger, the higher the fee — and the lower your risk.
So the first thing to check when comparing quotes is not the percentage but three terms: what triggers the fee, what happens if the hire leaves during the guarantee (free replacement or refund), and what salary base is used (base only, or including bonus and allowances). Without those aligned, two numbers are not comparable.
Role difficulty: a locally abundant sales role and a bilingual Japanese-English role with night shifts are two different markets. Volume: filling ten of the same role usually costs less per head than one. Language scarcity: sourcing Japanese, Thai or Italian speakers costs more than Chinese-English. Guarantee: a quote with a 3-month guarantee is higher than one without — but it transfers the risk of early departure.
The "15%–25%" figure is an industry reference range for contingency placement on permanent roles, here to help you judge whether a quote is out of line. It is not our price list, and not every vendor works within it. Our actual quote depends on the role, volume and model, with trigger points and guarantee terms written into the contract.
Put four things on the same basis first: ① the fee trigger (offer / onboarding / guarantee passed); ② the guarantee terms (duration, replacement or refund); ③ the salary base (does "annual salary" include bonus?); ④ the service boundary (does it include writing the JD, interview coordination, background checks?).
One practical warning: a quote far below the market range usually means something was cut. The most common cut is CV-sending without interview assessment, or no guarantee of any kind. A pile of unsuitable CVs is worth nothing to either side.
It depends on the role, volume and model — the same hiring need priced as RPO versus single-role search works completely differently. Send us the roles, headcount, language requirements and target start date, and we will quote it three ways (contingency / RPO / TAaaS) so you can compare.
Outsourcing usually means volume, execution-focused hiring priced per project or per hire; headhunting means deep search on a single role priced as a percentage of annual salary on success. The difference is buying hours versus buying results.
Typically "employee gross salary + employer statutory contributions + a per-employee-per-month service fee". See Employer of Record.
Check three things: whether the fee triggers at offer only, whether there is any guarantee, and whether the service includes interview assessment. Low prices usually mean one of those three was cut.
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