Growth is meant to be good news. Yet for businesses that hire regularly, every new starter can bring another invoice, and the more you grow, the bigger the bill gets.
How Traditional Recruitment Agency Fees Work
Most agencies charge a percentage of first-year salary for permanent hires. Typical UK rates are 15 to 25 per cent. On a £30,000 role, that's roughly £4,500 to £6,000 per hire.
For a one-off hire, that's fair. For a business filling ten roles a year, the same model means £45,000 to £60,000 in fees, and your costs climb in step with your headcount.
Where Pay Per Hire Starts to Hurt
Your costs scale with your growth
Fees rise with every hire. There's no reward for loyalty, and no benefit from the volume you bring.
Budgets become hard to predict
Placement fees land whenever someone starts. That makes it difficult to forecast recruitment spend across a busy year.
Speed can matter more than fit
When an agency is paid only when someone starts, the focus is on filling the vacancy. Whether that hire stays is a separate question.
What a Subscription Model Changes
A subscription model flips the equation. With ACS Smart Sourcing, businesses pay a fixed fee and get a dedicated recruiter, access to leading job boards and a usage-based credit system. Costs become predictable, and the more you recruit, the more value you get from the same investment.
Is Pay Per Hire Ever the Right Choice?
Yes, occasionally. A single, specialist, once-off hire may suit a placement fee. But if you hire regularly, ask yourself:
How many roles will we fill in the next 12 months?What would that cost at a per-hire rate?
Could a fixed cost give us more certainty?
Your Next Step
If your hiring plans are growing, your recruitment model should grow with them. Find out how ACS Staffing Solutions Smart Sourcing can replace unpredictable fees with a fixed, flexible approach.
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