Fax, telegrams and patience
When I first started working at NAJ International, one of our main tools for communication in recruitment was the fax machine. We used it to send documents, confirmations and information between clients, candidates and consultants.
There was no email yet, so exchanging documents required patience. Every message had to be prepared carefully. Making a correction was not a matter of a quick click. You had to change the document, print it again and send it once more.
We also used telegrams to contact candidates. They had to be very short because you paid for every word. Today, this may sound like a curiosity from another era. At the time, it was a real form of fast communication.
It required discipline. You could not send a long message, explain everything in several paragraphs or follow up an hour later. You had to know what really mattered.
Today, we can send a job description, information about the company and a calendar invitation within minutes. That is a major improvement. Faster, however, does not always mean better.
Speed alone does not make a message clearer. A candidate still wants to know why we are contacting them and what the opportunity is about.
Contact started with a person and a lead
In the past, recruitment often started with a person, a contact and a lead rather than a candidate search engine. There was much less information available. Sometimes a consultant had to work a little like a detective. Referrals, conversations and knowing which question to ask the right person mattered much more.
If a company was looking for someone who spoke French, the first step might be to find someone who knew people with that skill. One conversation led to another. Only later would we verify experience, organisations, motivation and the actual fit for the role.
Today, the order is often reversed. We first see the industry, job title, languages and career history. Only during a conversation do we start to understand the candidate’s personality, way of working and expectations.
That earlier way of working taught us to pay attention. A referral was not a ready-made recommendation. It was the beginning of a path that still had to be checked. The consultant had to distinguish between a friendly suggestion and a genuine match. We also had to understand the difference between knowing a language and being ready to work in a particular role.
Some searches were even more demanding. In one recruitment project in the agricultural technology sector, candidates literally had to be found out in the field, by bicycle. Nobody had the telephone number of the manager of a remote farm.
It may sound funny today. At the time, it was simply another day at work.
That example says a lot about the profession. Successful recruitment has always required determination. Today, we have more data and more ways to make contact. But we still need to know how to reach places where others are not looking.
Newspaper ads and handwritten letters
In the early years, newspaper advertisements were an important way of reaching candidates. In Poland, they appeared in printed newspapers such as Gazeta Wyborcza. There were no online job boards, LinkedIn or platforms where you could quickly check who worked for a particular company.
Telephone identification was another important research tool at the time. Today, this would no longer be possible, including because of GDPR requirements.
A candidate would respond to an advertisement and send their documents by post or fax. Preparing an application took much more time than it does today. You could not simply complete a profile and click “Apply”.
For a period of time, we also worked with graphological analysis. Candidates wrote their cover letters by hand, and the original was sent to a graphologist we worked with. A fax was not enough because the pressure of the pen on the paper was also part of the analysis.
Graphology is not a standard part of professional executive search today. Historically, however, it shows how many different tools were used in an attempt to understand and assess a candidate’s potential.
First interviews were usually held in person
Candidates had to find time during the working day, travel to our office and make sure their absence did not attract unnecessary attention.
We also had to be careful that someone waiting in the corridor did not unexpectedly meet their own boss, who happened to be coming to another recruitment meeting with a different consultant.
Today, many first meetings take place online. Candidates do not have to spend several hours travelling. It is also much easier to run a process with people living in other cities or countries.
A conversation can start sooner. Yet a candidate will still notice very quickly whether the consultant knows their background, understands the role and can answer basic questions.
Technology helps. It does not replace preparation.
Landline phones and confidentiality
In the past, confidentiality required particular care. Candidates often included their home landline numbers on their CVs. The phone could be answered by another member of the household, a small child, a mother-in-law or an ex-spouse.
And the consultant was still responsible for discretion. Even asking whether it was a good time to talk had to be done without revealing too much.
Today, candidates have their own mobile phones and private email addresses. Communication in recruitment is more direct. However, there are new situations we need to watch out for.
A message may appear on a screen during a meeting. A calendar invitation may be sent to a company email account. Someone may notice a LinkedIn notification.
The importance of confidentiality in recruitment has not changed. What has changed are the communication channels and the digital traces they leave behind.
It is therefore still worth agreeing at the beginning when it is safe to call, which email address should be used for materials and what can appear in a meeting invitation. These may seem like small details. For someone who has not told their employer that they are taking part in a recruitment process, they can matter a great deal.
More channels for communication in recruitment
Today, we can contact a candidate in many different ways. We can use email, LinkedIn, text messages or messaging apps. We can call or invite someone to a video conversation. Contacting a person working in another country no longer requires days of organisation.
At the same time, candidates receive far more messages than they used to. Mass outreach is common in the market. These messages are often generic and do not explain why the opportunity has been sent to this particular person.
At NAJ, we work differently. We first select candidates whose experience genuinely matches the profile of the role. Only then do we send a message or invite them to a conversation.
The first contact should be brief but specific. A candidate wants to know what in their experience caught the consultant’s attention and why the role being presented could be relevant to them.
Good communication in recruitment does not start with choosing a tool. It starts with understanding who we are writing to and why.
Technology can help us prepare and send a message. AI tools can organise information or help create a first draft. Before sending it, however, we still need to check whether the message fits the individual person and whether all the information in it is true.
Communication with the client has changed as well
In the past, sending a report or a set of documents took more time. Today, information can be shared continuously.
But a client should receive more than numbers showing how many people have been identified and how many conversations have taken place. Candidate reactions also matter.
Why are they not interested? What concerns do they have? Do the proposed terms reflect what candidates are seeing in the market?
This information helps assess whether the assumptions behind the project are right. Sometimes the way the role is presented needs to change. Sometimes the profile or terms need to be clarified. In other cases, more time is simply needed to reach the right people.
Are you planning to recruit a leader for your organisation?
Good communication in recruitment still requires attention
Fax machines, telegrams and paper document circulation have disappeared from everyday work. Today, information reaches people faster and more precisely.
Having more communication channels does not make careful judgement any less important. A consultant still needs to know what to say, when to make contact and how to protect confidentiality.
Candidates assess more than the role and the company. They also pay attention to how the process is managed. An unclear message, lack of information or a long silence can discourage someone who was initially interested.
The consultant is usually the first person through whom a candidate gets to know a potential future employer. The quality of that first contact can influence whether they want to continue the conversation.
Technology has made communication in recruitment much easier. But there is still a person on the other side of every message. They want to know why we are contacting them, what the conversation is about and whether they can trust us.
That has not changed over all these years.
Frequently asked question
How should the first contact with a passive candidate look?
The message should be brief, specific and refer to the person’s actual experience. The candidate should understand why the consultant is contacting them and what the opportunity concerns, even if not all information about the project can be disclosed at that stage.
How can confidentiality be protected when communicating with a candidate?
At the beginning, it is worth agreeing on the preferred way and time of contact. Information should not be sent to a company email address, and calendar invitations should not contain details that could reveal the candidate’s participation in the recruitment process.
Can an online interview replace an in-person meeting?
An online conversation works well in the early stages and makes it easier to speak with candidates working in different locations. In management recruitment, an in-person meeting is still necessary at a later stage, particularly when the candidate needs to meet their future manager, team or see the organisation’s working environment.
Communication in recruitment can therefore use different channels, but each one should match the stage of the process, the candidate’s situation and the required level of confidentiality.
Will technology replace the executive search consultant?
I don’t believe it will. Technology helps us analyse the market and organise the process more quickly. It does not replace relationships, trust, understanding the context, conversations with passive candidates or recommendations based on a consultant’s experience.
The advertisement that started it all
In 1998, my eye caught an NAJ International advertisement in the press. The company was looking for young people for an Assistant Consultant role in executive search. I had no idea that this small moment would shape almost three decades of my professional life, but that is exactly what happened.
There was no requirement for a particular degree or previous recruitment experience. What mattered was personality, intelligence, ability and readiness for hard work. Candidates were asked to send a CV, a current photograph and a handwritten motivation letter. The documents could be delivered by post or fax.
Today this sounds almost like a story from another era. It was the era in which I learned the profession.
I still have the advertisement. It reminds me of my first days at NAJ, but with every passing year I see something more in it. It is a record of a time when executive search looked very different.
Archival NAJ International advertisement from 1998, the one I replied to when I started working in executive search. The contact details visible in the advertisement are no longer valid.
There was no LinkedIn, no professional profile search and no sourcing technology. We had a client brief, a conversation with the consultant, a list of companies, industry magazines, phone books and a landline. That was our working world.
The process still began in the same place where I believe it should begin today, with understanding who the organisation really needs.
First the market, then the names
Once we received a brief, we sat down with the role, the scope of responsibility and the client’s situation. Only then did we consider where people with the right experience might be working.
We built lists of companies in the relevant sector, with a similar business model, scale or structure. Specific names appeared at the end of that work, not at the beginning.
It is easy now to type a job title into a search engine and start with the people who appear on the screen. Back then, market knowledge had to be built piece by piece. We learned the companies, their brands, departments, competitors and the people connected with important projects.
The business press was one of our main sources. Every researcher had a set of publications to review regularly. Mine included “Życie Handlowe”, “Computerworld”, “Medycyna po Dyplomie” and “Warsaw Business Journal”.
I read them with a very specific purpose. I looked for people who had moved into new roles, taken responsibility for important projects, appeared as experts or were mentioned in news about company growth.
If the company and the role were relevant to one of our searches, that person went into the candidate database. First we had to check manually whether the name was already there. Sometimes the role was out of date. Sometimes the same function had been entered under a slightly different title.
The system did not recognise duplicates or suggest connections. It certainly did not update itself while we slept. The quality of the database depended entirely on the knowledge and attention of the people who built it.
Keeping information current was part of the research
I once found a sentence in an old instruction for working with the press “Newspapers that are not read regularly become useless.” It sounds almost painfully obvious. Yet it still says something important about research. Information matters when it is current, well chosen and understood in context. Better tools have not made that any less true.
We collected much more than names. We cut out information about companies, potential clients, ownership changes, investments and developments in particular industries. The material went into folders and binders dedicated to companies and sectors. The shelves really did bend under the weight.
Archival NAJ International office. Binders filled with press clippings and materials about companies and industries were once among the basic tools used for research and building market knowledge.
When I look at those binders now, I think this image shows how executive search has changed better than many presentations ever could. We keep knowledge differently now and we can reach it much faster. Still, research begins with knowing enough about the market to understand what a candidate profile actually means.
Finding the profile itself may take seconds. Understanding whether the person behind it has the experience a particular organisation needs is another matter.
Calling the switchboard and finding a way through
Phone books were mainly useful because they gave us company switchboard numbers. We called reception desks or secretariats and asked to be connected with someone in a particular function, perhaps a brand manager, a sales director or the head of a department.
It did not always go smoothly. Receptionists and assistants were real gatekeepers. A researcher needed patience, persistence and sometimes a little imagination.
There were days when reaching one person involved several calls and conversations with several different people. You simply kept looking for another way in.
Once we reached the right person, the first conversation was usually short. We explained the role and gave some basic context. If the project was not confidential, we also gave the client’s name.
There were fewer similar offers in the market at the time. An opportunity to join a growing international organisation could be interesting in itself.
The first interview usually took place at the recruitment company’s office. Even the location mattered. It had to be easy enough to reach during the working day, while still offering discretion.
Running into someone from the same industry on the way in could create a very awkward situation.
Today the first contact may happen through LinkedIn, email, phone or a messaging platform. The first conversation may take place online, and candidates have much more freedom to speak from wherever they happen to be.
Reaching people is technically easier now, although getting their attention for the right reasons still takes preparation.
From paper files to responsibility for data
By the end of the 1990s, candidate information lived in two worlds at once.
We were developing an electronic database, but paper CVs, motivation letters, photographs and interview notes were still arriving at the office. Everything had to be organised twice.
During that period, I led the first modification of our CRM system. We wanted it to reflect the way consultants and researchers actually worked and to organise the information collected during projects.
The CRM did not analyse the data for us. It was an electronic store of knowledge created by people. Its usefulness depended on the quality of what we entered.
Some recruitment processes at the time even used graphology as an additional source of information about candidates. Looking back, it feels almost anecdotal now.
Today we use structured assessment tools such as the DISC D3 assessment, which supports the analysis of behavioural style, internal motivation and decision making patterns. This is one of the areas where candidate assessment has changed enormously.
Data responsibility became part of the process
One of the more important projects I managed in those years was the registration of our candidate database with the Polish data protection authority, the General Inspector for Personal Data Protection.
Today we instinctively think of GDPR when personal data comes up. Our responsibility for candidate information began much earlier.
The work involved organising the rules for handling documents and contacting people whose information we already held. We asked candidates for consent to continue processing their data.
Only with time did I fully understand how important that shift was.
A candidate database could no longer be treated only as a business asset. It was also a responsibility towards real people whose private information had been entrusted to us.
As the binders disappeared, that responsibility stayed with us and grew with the volume of information technology allowed us to collect.
LinkedIn opened the market
The arrival of LinkedIn was a breakthrough, although I do not think any of us understood at first how large that change would become.
When I joined, the platform felt almost like a small business club. I got in through an invitation from someone who already had an account. There were not many users. Profiles were sparse, often without photographs or long descriptions, and very little happened there.
Still, seeing people from different companies and markets in one place felt extraordinary.
LinkedIn grew. It stopped being a small professional network and became a global platform where people present their experience, publish, build visibility and develop professional networks.
For recruitment, the practical difference was enormous. Career history, job title and current employer became much easier to check. International projects also became much easier to organise.
Suddenly thousands of professional profiles were visible. What I still needed was the context behind them.
A profile tells me where someone has worked. Yet it may say much less about the influence that person had on the business, the conditions in which they succeeded or the limitations they had to work around.
It does not tell me with certainty what someone needs at the next stage of their career. Nor can it tell me whether the opportunity I am bringing them fits what is happening in their professional life at that moment.
Finding the name became much easier. Understanding the person behind it still takes work.
More profiles do not make the search easier
Today we can identify more potential candidates in a day than we once found in several weeks. Longlists are longer and market access is much wider. In theory, this should make everything easier.
It does not always get us to the right person any faster.
Senior leaders receive many approaches from recruiters. They know their market value and they think carefully about change. A job title, even an attractive one, is rarely enough.
One person may be interested in building a team from the ground up. Someone else may want regional responsibility or the chance to lead a transformation.
Another candidate may be looking for greater influence over decisions. Someone else may turn down an attractive role because they no longer want to work in a business that depends heavily on a foreign headquarters.
Two people with almost identical career histories can react very differently to the same opportunity.
Candidates also look at employers differently now. They ask about the real scope of responsibility, the level of autonomy, the way decisions are made, the relationship with the board or headquarters and the reason the search has started.
They want to understand the conditions in which they will be expected to deliver. The title alone tells them very little.
The organisation is assessing the candidate. At the same time, the candidate is forming an opinion about the organisation, the people involved and the credibility of the process.
A large number of profiles therefore solves very little on its own.
The difficult part comes later. We need to understand the experience behind the profile, the person’s motivation, the possible risks and whether this particular move makes sense for both sides.
Are you planning to hire a leader for your organisation in Poland?
AI in executive search is another stage in the same story
I am now involved again in testing new CRM solutions and tools that use artificial intelligence.
From the perspective of someone who started with industry magazines, phone books and shelves full of binders, the scale of the change can still surprise me.
If I had to choose one moment that shows how executive search has changed most clearly, I would probably point to AI.
Artificial intelligence can organise large volumes of information, compare experience, prepare company maps, summarise project material and highlight areas worth exploring in a conversation.
Used well, it removes some of the mechanical work. That gives consultants more time for market analysis, candidate conversations and careful assessment.
I would not ask it to decide who should be recommended for a senior leadership role.
A tool works with the information it receives. Some excellent candidates simply do not spend much time describing themselves online. A polished profile, on the other hand, tells me very little about what someone actually achieved.
The more information technology gives me, the more important interpretation becomes.
A close match to the job description may look reassuring on paper. In practice, I am interested in a different question.
Can this person actually deliver what this organisation needs?
What the history of executive search has taught me
Almost every tool around us has changed.
The phone books disappeared first. Press clippings gradually gave way to digital sources. Paper folders became CRM and ATS systems.
Today even the first meeting may happen online. AI has joined the research process as well.
The job still starts with understanding the client’s situation.
We need to know what kind of experience is genuinely necessary. Then we need to understand where that experience is likely to sit in the market and which parts of the profile really matter.
We still have to separate a well written career history from real achievement. That requires understanding the scale of responsibility, the context in which decisions were made and whether the person is ready for the challenge ahead.
Discretion and trust matter just as much as they did before.
A candidate is not making a decision on the basis of a job description alone. The person running the process matters. So does the quality of the information and the way the candidate’s own professional situation is treated.
We now have more data than I could have imagined when I first joined NAJ. We can reach people faster and map a market in hours rather than weeks.
Sooner or later, however, I still arrive at the same question.
What kind of leader does this organisation really need, and why might this person be the right one?
This is where the tools reach their limit.
Search engines, LinkedIn and AI can give us an enormous amount of information. The final judgement still needs context, experience and a conversation with the person behind the profile.
Executive search is still a very human job
I would not want to return to checking every piece of information manually or to a pile of magazines waiting on my desk. Technology has made the work better in many practical ways.
People have not become easier to understand. Senior hiring decisions have not become risk free either.
I certainly do not want to give up the technology we have today. I want to use it where it genuinely helps. At the same time, I want to leave enough room for judgement, curiosity and real conversation.
When I look back at that advertisement from 1998, I sometimes wonder what my younger self would make of the tools on my desk today.
Probably very little.
I think she would recognise the job itself surprisingly well. She would still need to understand the market, listen carefully and take responsibility for the person she recommends.
That is how executive search has changed over 35 years. Almost everything around the work looks different now. The responsibility for understanding the client, the market and the person is still ours.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is LinkedIn enough to find the right executive candidate?
LinkedIn is very useful for identifying potential candidates, but a professional profile does not show the full context of someone’s achievements, motivation or readiness for change. Executive search also involves market analysis, direct contact with people who are not actively looking for a job and an assessment of how their experience fits a particular organisation.
What role does AI play in executive search today?
AI can support research, organise data, help with market analysis and prepare project material. I would not use it as the final judge of a candidate. Experience, motivation, risk and organisational fit still need to be explored through conversation and consultant judgement.
How is executive search different from standard recruitment?
Executive search begins with the market and the business situation rather than with incoming applications. The consultant defines target companies, approaches people who may not be looking for a new role and assesses whether the opportunity makes sense for both sides.
Why does market knowledge matter in executive search in Poland?
For an international company hiring in Poland, market knowledge helps translate a global brief into a realistic local search.
It shows where relevant leaders are likely to work and what level of responsibility may sit behind similar job titles. It also helps us understand expectations around compensation, mobility and decision making authority.
Without that context, even a strong looking candidate profile can be misleading.
How is confidentiality protected in senior leadership recruitment?
The amount of information shared depends on the stage of the search and the arrangements with the client. Candidate data is processed in line with applicable regulations. Information about the project, the organisation and the people involved is shared only when it is necessary.
Executive search ROI helps decision-makers compare the value of hiring a senior leader with the total cost of the recruitment process. It is especially important when the role affects productivity, continuity, turnover risk and strategic change.
More often, companies considering recruitment outsourcing ask whether working with an executive search agency can be justified financially. The answer depends not only on the agency fee, but also on vacancy costs, time to fill, quality of hire and the risk of a failed senior appointment.
What does ROI mean in executive recruitment?
Recruitment ROI is the financial comparison between the benefits of hiring and the costs of the recruitment process. In senior hiring, the calculation matters because one leadership decision can affect much more than one vacancy.
In executive recruitment, ROI refers to the value created by hiring a high-level leader compared with the costs incurred to find, assess and integrate that person into the organization. These costs may include recruitment fees, the time required to fill the position and the costs of onboarding a newly hired leader. Therefore, ROI in executive recruitment should not be reduced to the agency fee alone.
Which factors affect recruitment ROI?
Both costs and gains influence the result. The three most important factors are cost per hire, time to fill and quality of hire.
Cost per hire includes direct costs, such as the labour cost of internal employees assigned to recruitment, recruitment agency fees and advertising. It may also include indirect costs, such as lost productivity during the vacancy, training, onboarding and other relevant expenses. Time to fill is the number of days from the moment a position becomes vacant, through opening the recruitment process, until the offer is accepted and the new employee starts working. In lower-level roles, companies often simplify the endpoint and count only until offer acceptance. However, for senior positions, the real business impact often continues until the leader starts and becomes effective. Quality of hire measures how well the new employee performs and fits the organization after being hired.
As a result, a fast recruitment process is not enough if the selected leader does not deliver the expected contribution.
Why executive hiring creates long-term value
Executive hiring has a long-term effect on the organization. A successful senior appointment can improve productivity, reduce turnover costs and strengthen the company’s competitive position.
Leaders directly influence the performance of teams and the organization, which can translate into higher revenue. In addition, a well-selected leader is less likely to leave quickly, so the company avoids the cost of another recruitment and onboarding process.
Finally, effective leaders can drive innovation and strategic change, giving the company a competitive advantage.
How do you calculate executive search ROI?
The basic formula is simple: ROI = ((Gains − Costs) / Costs) × 100. In practice, the challenge is deciding which gains and costs should be included. Gains represent the value brought by the newly hired leader. This may include increased productivity, operational profit or savings from reduced employee turnover. Costs represent the total recruitment cost, including agency fees, the time spent on the process and the time required for the leader to fully integrate into the company structure. For executive search ROI, companies may also consider intangible benefits. These include stronger employer branding, higher customer and employee satisfaction, and better client relationships created through strategic decisions made by leaders.
Executive recruitment should not be evaluated only through the invoice for the service. The real question is what the organization gains, what risks it avoids and how quickly the right leader starts creating business value.
Agency versus internal HR department
The comparison between an executive search agency and an internal HR department should include time, cost, candidate quality, confidentiality, process management and guarantee.
The cheapest route at the beginning is not always the least expensive route in the end.
An executive search agency usually has established processes for building a search strategy and reaching the right candidates, including passive candidates. Agencies also specialize in roles that are rarely activated inside a single company, such as CFO, CEO, CSO, CPO, CHRO, General Manager, Chief Accountant, Production Director or board member roles. This can shorten the process and reduce vacancy costs. An internal HR department may appear cheaper because there is no external agency fee. However, internal recruiters often have other responsibilities, must build the recruitment strategy from scratch and may have limited reach among passive candidates. Consequently, the process may take longer and increase indirect costs.
Candidate quality and passive talent
Agencies often have broader access to talent pools and stronger experience in reaching leaders who are not actively looking for a job. This can result in a higher-quality leadership hire. Internal HR teams may rely more heavily on job postings and traditional methods. Moreover, limited experience in executive-level recruitment can increase the risk of hiring an unsuitable candidate, which later creates additional turnover costs.
Confidentiality and employer brand
Professional agencies are used to managing confidential recruitment processes. This is crucial when the company is hiring for a senior position or replacing a leader. Internal recruitment can make full confidentiality harder to maintain, especially in larger organizations. Additionally, candidate communication, interview coordination and feedback require consistency. If any stage is neglected, candidates may form a negative view of the company.
Guarantee and financial risk
Executive search agencies often offer a candidate guarantee. If the hired leader leaves or is dismissed within a specified period, usually 6 to 12 months, the agency may repeat the recruitment process at no additional cost or refund part of the fee. Internal HR departments do not offer this type of guarantee. Therefore, if the selected candidate is unsuitable, the company bears the full cost of another recruitment process.
Example comparison for a CFO recruitment
The original comparison shows why total cost matters more than the first visible cost. In this example, the agency fee is higher, but the total recruitment cost is lower.
Assumptions:
- Position: Chief Financial Officer
- Annual gross salary: EUR 120k, base plus bonus
- Executive search agency fee: 25% of annual salary, EUR 30k
- Internal HR department cost: EUR 10k
- Time to fill with an agency: 3 months, 90 days
- Time to fill with internal HR: 6 months, 180 days
- Vacancy cost: EUR 500 per day
The agency option assumes that the first shortlist is usually ready after 40 to 50 days. However, the chosen candidate’s notice period may extend the total time before the person starts.
| Factor | Executive search agency | Internal HR department |
|---|---|---|
| Recruitment costs | EUR 30k | EUR 10k |
| Time to fill | 90 days | 180 days |
| Cost of vacancy | EUR 45k | EUR 90k |
| Total recruitment costs | EUR 75k | EUR 100k |
| Guarantee | 12 months | 0 months |
Despite higher direct costs, the agency process results in lower total costs in this example. It also reduces the risk connected with a failed hire because of the guarantee offered.
Summary
Executive search ROI should be assessed through total business impact, not through the agency fee alone. Time to fill, vacancy cost, quality of hire, confidentiality and guarantee can change the real financial result of senior recruitment. For difficult leadership roles, an executive search agency may bring faster placement, stronger access to passive candidates and lower long-term risk. Internal recruitment may still be suitable in some cases, but the comparison should include indirect costs and the consequences of a wrong appointment.
Comparing executive search with an internal recruitment process?
Sources
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Ewa Adamczyk, own 30+ years of experience in executive recruitment.
A well-planned executive search process in Poland helps avoid these risks. Our agency typically presents a shortlist of candidates within 5–7 weeks (depending on the seniority and complexity of the role, the rarity of the profile on the market, or the location, which can influence candidate interest). This timeframe gives investors rapid access to motivated individuals who meet the project’s requirements. However, the total time to fill a position (until the candidate actually starts working) ranges from 10 to 25 weeks, due to Polish labor law, which allows for notice periods of up to three months for long-tenured managers. It is a key difference worth remembering when planning an investment timeline.
Recruiting managers and specialists in Poland is a challenge faced by investors from countries such as Korea, Germany, Austria, the Netherlands, Denmark, as well as the USA and the UK. Poland offers highly qualified managers and engineers, a well-developed IT services sector, and a stable economic environment. At the same time, competition for talent can be intense, and mistakes in the process may delay market entry into Poland or the wider CEE region — and postpone the opening of a plant or R&D center by several months. How can foreign companies effectively recruit managers in Poland?
At this stage, many investors ask: “Is it really easy to make a recruitment mistake in Poland — and how can we avoid it?”
Why Is It Easy to Make a Hiring Mistake in Poland and How Can You Avoid It?
The most common reason for delays in recruiting managers in Poland is underestimated timelines and budgets. Many investors assume that filling a key role will take 4–6 weeks — yet in practice, building a shortlist of candidates takes around 5–7 weeks, and the actual onboarding (from the moment the candidate is selected) requires an additional 4–12 weeks, counted from the first day of the next month after the candidate submits their resignation at their current company. Managers in Poland typically have notice periods of up to three months. This is not “search time” but a requirement of Polish labor law.
What Mistakes Do Foreign Companies Most Often Make in Poland?
- Unrealistic timelines – a global HR Director assumes 4 weeks, while the real time needed to fill a role is at least 10–25 weeks.
- Salary ranges set too low – for example, an Asian company tried to hire a Process Engineer using 2022 salary levels, which resulted in zero candidates.
- Copy-pasted job descriptions – a “global template” prepared in Germany did not take into account that a Polish Quality Manager is also responsible for team management.
- Overly narrow location – a U.S. IT company searched only in Warsaw; results came only after opening the search to Wrocław and Poznań (hybrid model).
How to Avoid These Issues?
- Reliable market benchmarking – verifying real salary ranges and competition in a given location.
- Adjusting the profile to Polish realities – for example, an HR Manager in Poland usually has a broader scope of responsibilities than in local plants in Spain.
- Direct search instead of relying solely on job ads – the best, highly qualified candidates are passive and do not apply to postings.
- Location flexibility – hybrid work, relocation options, or a satellite office significantly expand the talent pool.
How to Build a Strong Candidate Value Proposition? (Cultural Differences in Practice)
The Polish job market is a candidate-driven market — it is candidates who choose the employer, not the other way around. This means that salary alone is not enough to attract a manager or specialist. Equally important is how you communicate your offer and whether you can translate the culture of your headquarters into a local, meaningful value proposition.
The most common mistake investors make? Assuming that the Polish market will simply “adapt itself” to their culture. In practice, Korean or Chinese companies, for example, need to adjust the focus of their communication to earn candidates’ trust.
Korean Companies in Poland – How to Overcome the Perception of Hierarchy?
Korean organizations are often seen in Poland as highly hierarchical and formal. Many candidates fear that working in such an environment will mean limited influence on decisions and reduced autonomy. That’s why a well-prepared executive search process for Korean companies in Poland should emphasize the greater independence of local operations.
How to Improve This?
- Emphasize that recruiting for Korean companies in Poland is not about copying global structures but about showing candidates the added value of working within their culture.
- Example: A Korean manufacturing company improved retention after introducing a “local ambassador” program – a Polish Operations Director who became the face of candidate communication.
German and Austrian Companies – How to Communicate KPIs Clearly?
German and Austrian companies are known for precision and a strong focus on processes. This is an asset, but also a challenge: Polish candidates do not always understand what extensive KPI tables truly mean. Effective recruitment for German and Austrian companies in Poland should highlight the business impact of the role, not just the procedures.
How to Improve This?
- Speak the language of outcomes: “Your decisions as a Quality Manager will influence production standards across the entire European factory network.”
- Show a clear promotion path for managers in Poland, e.g., from Plant Manager to a regional role.
- Instead of a long list of responsibilities, create a description such as: “You will manage a team of 30 people and oversee quality indicators across 5 production lines.”
Dutch and Danish Companies – How to Highlight Partnership and Trust?
The organizational culture in the Netherlands and Denmark is built on partnership and trust. Polish candidates generally appreciate this style, but do not always believe that in a large multinational corporation they will truly have influence. Recruitment for Dutch and Danish companies in Poland should therefore emphasize that local managers’ voices matter.
How to Improve This?
- Show concrete examples of co-decision-making, e.g., “The HR Manager in Warsaw co-creates the global benefits policy.”
- Replace an interrogation-style interview with a panel discussion — this signals partnership.
- Case: A Danish food company hired a Factory GM in Poland who was promoted to global COO within 18 months. Candidates were persuaded by the clear, tangible impact shown already during the recruitment process.
American and British Companies – How to Make the Promise of “Global Projects” Credible?
Companies from the US and the UK often highlight innovation and participation in international projects. This strongly appeals to Polish candidates, especially in IT and R&D. Problems arise when, in practice, the role turns out to be a local “delivery center.” Therefore, recruitment for American companies in Poland should clearly show which global initiatives the Polish team will actually participate in.
How to Improve This?
- Instead of vague statements like “participation in international projects,” give a concrete example: “As a Software Engineering Manager, you will co-lead the implementation of an AI platform across five countries.”
- Build credibility by pointing to real clients and global projects.
- Case: A US IT company in Warsaw attracted senior engineers only after adding to its offer: “participation in client meetings in London and New York” — instead of simply “working on the code.”
Salaries, Benefits, and Employment Models – What Really Matters on the Polish Job Market
On the Polish job market, candidates look beyond base salary alone. What matters is how much they take home, what benefits are offered, and the form of employment. That’s why effective recruitment of managers in Poland requires flexibility and an understanding of local expectations.
Managerial Salaries – When Are They Close to Western Levels, and When Still Lower?
It is no longer accurate to say that managers in Poland are “always much cheaper” than in Western Europe. The gap is narrowing, especially in technology and financial sectors. Data from GUS and Eurostat (2025) show that in IT and automotive, managerial salaries in Poland reach 70–80% of Western European averages.
Salary levels depend on:
- industry (IT, automotive, advanced manufacturing),
- location (Warsaw, Lower Silesia, and the Tri-City region pay more than peripheral areas),
- company size and employer brand.
This is why executive search in Poland must incorporate solid market benchmarking — otherwise, salary ranges can easily miss the mark.
Benefits That Candidates Expect Today
In 2025, benefits have become a standard, not a luxury. According to the Up Bonus report (February 2025) published by HRstandard.pl, nearly half of employees in Poland indicate private healthcare as the most important perk. Well-being programs and flexible work arrangements are gaining importance as well.
The most commonly expected benefits include:
- well-being programs and psychological support,
- flexible working hours and hybrid models,
- family-oriented benefits (e.g., healthcare packages for dependents),
- company car/fuel card for mobile roles,
- personalized benefits packages (cafeteria systems).
This is why employee benefits in Poland 2025 are a key element of managerial negotiations and cannot be treated merely as an “add-on” — they are an essential part of the candidate value proposition.
Employment Contract vs. B2B – What Works Best Today?
The form of employment is one of the most frequently negotiated topics in the Polish market. Candidates in manufacturing and industrial sectors usually prefer an employment contract (umowa o pracę) because it offers stability and social benefits. In contrast, in IT and technology roles, the B2B model is popular — often in a hybrid formula (part employment contract + part consulting contract).
This is why investors should opt for flexible employment models in Poland. Only then can the offer be aligned with a candidate’s expectations and prevent competitors from winning talent simply by offering a more attractive contract structure.
Recruitment Process and Contingency Planning – How to Minimize Risks
Many investors assume that recruitment in Poland is a simple process: a job posting, a few interviews, and it’s done. In reality, the Polish market is highly competitive. This is why executive search in Poland is not only about finding candidates but also about effective risk management.
What Does a Well-Designed Recruitment Process Look Like?
- Briefing and role validation – checking whether the role profile is realistic and recruitable on the market, whether the salary range is competitive, and whether the location limits access to candidates.• Example: A U.S. IT company wanted to hire a Software Engineering Manager only in Warsaw. After the analysis, they opened the search to Poznań and Wrocław – which unlocked several dozen additional candidates.
- Market mapping and direct search – preparing a list of target companies and approaching passive candidates. This is essential, because recruiting managers in Poland requires reaching people who do not apply to job postings.
- Shortlist and interviews – typically 4–6 candidates selected based on competencies and cultural fit. Transparency is key – candidates want to know the timeline and next steps.
- Offer and negotiations – not only salary matters but also benefits, relocation packages, and company car options.
The Most Common Risks – and How to Address Them
- Profile too niche – clients sometimes search for a “unicorn” candidate with an unusually rare combination of skills. In practice, such profiles may be nearly impossible to find.
Plan B: Split responsibilities into two roles.
Plan C: Hire someone with the key skills and upskill them in the remaining areas. - Underestimated budget – when compensation is lower than competitors’, candidates withdraw.
Plan B: Adjust the level of the role (e.g., hire a Senior Engineer instead of a Manager).
Plan C: Add attractive benefits instead of a salary increase. - No shortlist delivered on time – typically due to an unclear brief or unclear requirements.
Plan B: Open the search to additional locations or alternative employment models.
Plan C: Provide the client with a market analysis showing the real number of available candidates. - Candidate rejects the offer at the last moment – common in Poland due to strong counter-offers and competitive poaching.
Plan B: Keep a runner-up candidate active until the final decision.
Plan C: Set an offer validity date and run parallel conversations.
Case Study – How a Contingency Plan Saved the Recruitment
A German automotive company was recruiting a Maintenance Manager in Silesia. After all interview stages, the selected candidate declined the offer because a competitor doubled his benefits package. The agency, however, had prepared a reserve shortlist – and the runner-up was hired within a week. As a result, the project stayed on schedule, and the company recognized the strategic value of contingency planning in executive search for foreign companies in Poland.
The recruitment process in Poland must be treated like a project – with a timeline, alternative scenarios, and clear communication. Executive search for foreign companies in Poland is not only about identifying candidates but also managing risks that, in practice, determine the success of the investment.
Mini Case Studies – What Worked for Foreign Companies in Poland?
Nothing convinces investors better than real market examples. In executive search, success depends not only on methodology but also on experience from concrete projects. Here are four short stories showing what determined recruitment success.
Scandinavian Food Company – How to Build a Succession Path
A Danish food company was opening a plant in Poland and needed a Factory GM. Candidates were concerned that a “factory in Poland” would be a career dead end. Only after the company clearly presented a path toward global advancement did one of the managers accept the offer – and after 18 months, he was promoted to COO.
This example shows how recruitment for Scandinavian companies in Poland can succeed when candidates clearly see real development opportunities.
German Automotive Company – The Plan B That Saved the Project
A car parts manufacturer needed a Maintenance Manager. The selected candidate rejected the offer after receiving a counteroffer from his current employer. Thanks to a runner-up who was hired within a week, the production line launch proceeded as planned.
This demonstrates that executive search for German companies in Poland must always include a contingency plan.
American Technology Company – How to Attract Passive Candidates
A U.S. corporation was opening an R&D center in Warsaw. Job postings attracted mostly junior candidates, with a shortage of seniors and leaders. Only direct outreach to passive candidates — combined with the promise of real influence on a global AI platform and meetings with clients in London and New York — enabled the company to build the team.
This is how effective recruitment for American companies in Poland works.
What’s Next? Concrete Steps for the Client
If you are a foreign company planning expansion in Poland, the most important question is: are your recruitment assumptions realistic? It’s worth verifying this before final decisions are made regarding budget or the timeline for launching the local operation.
Free Initial Consultation
During a 15–30-minute online meeting:
- we will verify whether the role profile is recruitable in the given location,
- we will discuss salary ranges and a benefits package that will be competitive,
- we will outline what the recruitment timeline will look like – from briefing to the final offer,
- we will explain how we conduct weekly updates and search reports,
- we will present the sourcing strategy – how we will map the market and from which industries and companies we plan to acquire candidates.
Mini Checklist for the Client
Before starting the project, ask yourself three questions:
- Do I know what the candidate market for this role looks like in Poland?
- Is the budget and benefits package competitive compared to local employers?
- Do I have a Plan B if the ideal candidate rejects the offer?
Summary
Effective recruitment in Poland is a project that should begin with a solid diagnosis. A short consultation will help you avoid mistakes that can lead to delays and financial losses.
Contact us to schedule a short consultation
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take to recruit a manager or specialist in Poland?
A Short List takes on average 5 to 7 weeks for mid-level roles (e.g., HR Manager, Quality Manager). For strategic positions (Plant Manager, Operations Director), the process to Short List takes 8–12 weeks, and candidates often have 3-month notice periods under Polish labor law. Additional time must be added on the client’s side for interviews across multiple decision-making levels, including meetings with senior regional or HQ directors who are often difficult to schedule. This is why executive search in Poland must be planned with consideration not only of the recruitment process itself but also of the onboarding timeline for the selected manager.
Do we need to publish job advertisements? Recruit effectily in Poland.
Not always. In executive search, most top candidates are passive — they do not respond to job postings, but they can be convinced through a well-conducted initial phone approach by the Search Consultant followed by a highly substantive interview with the Lead Consultant managing the project. Job ads play a supplementary role. This is especially important in managerial recruitment in Poland, where candidates expect direct contact and a partnership-driven conversation.
What are the costs of working with an executive search agency?
There are three models on the market: success fee, retained search, and the hybrid model. Each has its advantages and limitations.
- In the success fee model, the fee is charged only after the candidate is hired — attractive, but often resulting in a faster and shallower research process.
- In the retained search model, fees are split into stages, ensuring thorough market coverage.
- The hybrid model combines elements of both.
This is why knowing the costs of executive search in Poland is crucial when planning a project.
How does confidentiality work in the recruitment process?
Confidentiality is standard — and for many companies, essential. Confidential recruitment means the company name is not disclosed at the beginning. The candidate learns the employer’s identity only after expressing interest and passing initial qualification. This is one of our core areas of expertise — executive search for foreign companies in Poland is always conducted with full discretion and reputation protection for the client.
What if the ideal candidate rejects the offer?
This is a common risk — competition in Poland is very active. That’s why we always implement a plan B: we keep several finalists in the process, set an offer validity date, and prepare a runner-up. Such approach ensures that recruitment for American companies in Poland remains predictable and secure even in difficult projects. A recruitment guarantee is essential to avoid mis-hires.
Does a recruitment agency in Poland operate only locally?
No. We execute projects across the entire country — from Lower Silesia, through Silesia and Mazovia, to Pomerania and Podkarpacie. That’s why an executive search agency in Poland can support clients in multiple locations simultaneously, significantly accelerating expansion.
An executive search guarantee protects a company when a senior hire does not meet expectations within an agreed period. It is not only a contractual clause, but also a signal that the recruitment agency takes responsibility for the quality of its process.
For CEOs, HR Directors, CFOs, procurement leaders and business owners, the guarantee can influence the decision to choose a recruitment partner. Senior hiring is expensive, time-consuming and operationally sensitive. Therefore, the company needs more than a shortlist of candidates. It needs a partner that reduces risk before and after the hiring decision.
What is an executive search guarantee?
A recruitment guarantee is the agency’s commitment to take corrective action if the hired candidate does not meet the company’s expectations within a defined time frame. In practice, this usually means running a replacement process under agreed terms.
The typical guarantee period ranges from 3 to 12 months, depending on the seniority and complexity of the role. A longer guarantee gives the organisation more security because the agency remains responsible after the candidate joins the company.
For the client, the guarantee protects the investment in recruitment.
For the agency, it confirms confidence in candidate assessment, role understanding and process management. As a result, both sides enter cooperation with clearer expectations.
How does a recruitment guarantee reduce business risk?
A recruitment guarantee reduces business risk because a poor senior hiring decision can affect cost, operations and team stability. This is especially important in executive and managerial recruitment, where the wrong decision may create losses far beyond the recruitment fee.
Hiring for senior positions requires time from the board, HR, finance, procurement and operational managers. Moreover, when the process has to be repeated after a short period, the organisation pays twice. It pays in direct cost and in lost momentum.
For senior roles, an executive search guarantee gives the company a practical form of protection. If the new hire does not work out, the agency is expected to act quickly and support the client without restarting the commercial relationship.
The guarantee also helps reduce the perceived risk of choosing an external recruitment partner.
It shows that the agency is not stepping away after the placement, but remains involved in the outcome of the decision.
How does the guarantee influence candidate selection?
A long-term guarantee increases the agency’s commitment to precise candidate selection. If the agency accepts responsibility for the result, it has a stronger reason to verify not only experience, but also motivation, leadership style and cultural fit.
At this stage, the recruitment process cannot rely only on CV screening. The agency should understand the company’s strategy, organisational culture, team context and the real expectations connected with the role.
The selection process may include structured interviews, in-depth competency conversations, psychometric tools, reference checks and experience verification. Additionally, for senior roles, cultural fit assessment becomes particularly important.
A candidate may meet the formal requirements and still fail in the organisation. Therefore, the agency needs to assess how the person will work with the team, make decisions, communicate under pressure and adapt to the company’s values.
What must an agency understand before offering a guarantee?
Before offering a reliable replacement guarantee, the agency must deeply understand the client’s needs. This is the foundation of any senior recruitment process, especially when the position has strategic impact.
The agency should speak with key representatives of the company, including the CEO, HR Director, operational managers and the future team where possible. These conversations should cover formal requirements, leadership expectations, company values, upcoming challenges and business goals.
This approach helps the agency build a realistic candidate profile. It also allows the consultant to advise the client when expectations need refinement. As organisations grow, the original role profile may change. Therefore, the agency’s advisory role matters from the beginning.
A guarantee is credible only when the agency understands what success in the role actually means.
Without that context, even a strong candidate may be a poor match for the organisation.
Why does post-hire follow-up matter?
A guarantee should not cover only the selection process. It should also support the adaptation phase after the candidate joins the organisation.
Post-hire follow-up allows the agency to monitor whether the new employee is adapting well, meeting expectations and integrating with the team. Regular conversations with the employer and the hired candidate can reveal early warning signs before they become serious problems.
This type of cooperation gives the client additional peace of mind. It also shows that the agency is interested in long-term success, not only in closing the recruitment project.
Monitoring after hiring strengthens the practical value of the replacement guarantee.
If challenges appear early, the agency can help identify them and support corrective action.
How do market knowledge and industry expertise support the guarantee?
Market knowledge makes the guarantee more realistic because senior recruitment differs significantly between industries. A process for an IT leader may require different candidate assessment than a process for a manufacturing executive.
From the perspective of a CEO, HR Director or CFO, working with an agency that knows the relevant market provides additional security. Such an agency can better predict talent availability, identify key competencies and adjust the recruitment strategy to the realities of the sector.
Industry expertise also helps avoid recruitment errors. The agency understands which skills are critical, which expectations are realistic and how to position the opportunity for candidates.
The stronger the agency’s market understanding, the lower the risk of presenting candidates who look good on paper but do not fit the business context.
What role does organisational culture play?
Organisational culture is one of the key factors in senior recruitment success. A candidate needs the right qualifications, but also a leadership style that fits the company’s values, mission and management approach.
This is especially important in executive recruitment. Senior leaders influence teams, decisions and organisational habits. If the cultural match is weak, even a competent leader may struggle to build trust and deliver results.
The agency should therefore explore the client’s culture before candidate selection begins. This includes values, decision-making style, communication norms and expectations toward leadership.
A strong cultural match increases the chance that the new employee will stay, perform and contribute to the company’s long-term success.
It also makes the guarantee less likely to be needed.
What does a guarantee say about agency quality?
A guarantee confirms that the agency believes in the quality of its recruitment process. For HR teams responsible for choosing external partners, this can be an important proof of professionalism.
The agency that offers a meaningful candidate guarantee must be prepared to take responsibility for its recommendations. Therefore, it needs strong methodology, accurate assessment tools and a disciplined approach to client communication.
A guarantee also builds trust. The client knows that if something goes wrong, the agency has already committed to support the organisation. As a result, the cooperation can become more transparent and long-term.
For the agency, the guarantee is not only a risk. It is also a way to show confidence, accountability and service quality.
A guarantee should be understood as part of a broader responsibility for the recruitment result. It connects the quality of diagnosis, candidate selection, cultural fit and post-hire monitoring.
An executive search guarantee is not a marketing add-on. It is a test of how well the agency understands the role, the culture and the business risk before the candidate is hired.
Hiring for a role where one decision can have a real impact on the business?
Summary
A strong guarantee improves recruitment quality, protects the client’s investment and supports long-term cooperation between the company and the agency. However, it works only when it is backed by deep role understanding, precise selection, market knowledge, cultural fit assessment and post-hire follow-up.
If your organisation is choosing a recruitment partner for a senior or executive role, review not only the length of the guarantee, but also the process behind it. The real value lies in how the agency reduces risk before the hiring decision is made.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long is a typical recruitment guarantee?
A typical guarantee period ranges from 3 to 12 months, depending on the position and the terms agreed with the recruitment agency.
What does a replacement guarantee usually mean?
It usually means that the agency will take corrective action and search for a replacement candidate if the hired person does not meet expectations within the agreed guarantee period.
Why is a guarantee important in executive recruitment?
It is important because senior hiring involves high financial, operational and organisational risk. The guarantee gives the company additional protection if the decision does not bring the expected result.
Does a guarantee replace a good recruitment process?
No. The guarantee is valuable only when it is supported by a strong process, including role diagnosis, candidate assessment, reference checks and cultural fit assessment.
Sources
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Na bazie własnych doświadczeń NAJ International.
Recruitment agency fees depend on the scope of work, the difficulty of the role and the level of responsibility the agency takes for the result. In practice, the same “recruitment service” can mean a simple CV delivery or a full executive search project with assessment, reporting, negotiation support and guarantee.
Therefore, price should never be compared without checking what is included. Otherwise, a company may compare two very different services and choose the option that looks cheaper, but leaves more work, risk and delay inside the organisation.
Why do companies ask about price first?
Companies ask about price early because recruitment is both a budget decision and a risk decision. The agency invoice is only one part of the total cost of hiring.
Usually, the question appears when the company is deciding whether to work with a recruitment partner or manage the process internally. This decision is connected with time, internal resources, market access and the level of confidentiality needed in the project.
For example, an internal HR team may have enough capacity for a standard specialist role. However, the same team may struggle when the role requires reaching passive candidates, managing a confidential replacement or hiring a senior manager in a competitive market.
As a result, recruitment agency costs should be analysed together with business risk. A delayed process, a wrong hire or a weak shortlist can cost more than the service itself.
What is included in the price?
The price depends on what the client expects the agency to deliver. A basic CV delivery service is not the same as a managed search process with assessment and guarantee.
A lower fee may cover only candidate sourcing from a database. In that model, the client often reviews CVs, interviews candidates, coordinates the process and accepts most of the delivery risk internally.
A more advanced service may include market mapping, direct approach to passive candidates, structured interviews, competency assessment, reference checks and regular project reporting. In executive search, the consultant may also support the client during offer negotiations and help prevent the process from breaking down at the final stage.
That is why recruitment service pricing should always be discussed together with scope. Without this, the number itself does not say enough.
What changes recruitment agency fees?
Recruitment agency fees usually change when the agency takes on more responsibility for quality, coordination and final success. The more complex and sensitive the recruitment, the more work sits behind the price.
Several elements can influence the final quote:
- Candidate reach: passive candidates require direct search, not only database access.
- Assessment depth: interviews, tests, assessment centres and reports require expert time.
- Guarantee length: a longer replacement guarantee increases the agency’s responsibility.
- Process coordination: scheduling, follow-ups and stakeholder management take real working hours.
- Confidentiality: sensitive searches require careful communication and controlled candidate contact.
- Market difficulty: niche roles or leadership positions need broader mapping and more consultant involvement.
In some projects, the consultant is also expected to attend client meetings with candidates. This can be valuable, especially in senior recruitment. However, it also means additional consulting time.
Why agencies need details before quoting
Recruitment agencies are reluctant to quote without context because the same job title can hide very different expectations. A price without scope can be misleading for both sides.
For instance, one client may ask only for CVs and manage the whole assessment independently. Another client may expect a shortlist of well-matched candidates, weekly reporting, salary negotiation support, references and a guarantee.
These two services cannot be priced in the same way. It is similar to comparing the cost of buying building materials with the cost of having a house built by an experienced contractor. Both can lead to the same final goal, but the responsibility, workload and risk are different.
Therefore, before comparing offers, the client should ask what is included in each proposal. Otherwise, a cheaper quote may simply mean that more work and more risk stays on the client’s side.
How much can recruitment support cost?
The price range can be very broad. It may start from a fraction of a monthly salary for simple CV delivery and reach a significant percentage of annual compensation for senior executive search.
At the lower end, a freelancer or a small provider may charge around half of a candidate’s monthly gross salary for non-guaranteed CV delivery. In some cases, this service may not include a telephone interview or verified candidate assessment.
At the higher end, international executive search brands may charge up to around 35% of the candidate’s annual gross salary, often including bonus. This is usually connected with board-level roles, mature markets and a high level of process responsibility.
In practice, recruitment agency fees also depend on the country where the search is conducted. Mature markets such as Germany, the Netherlands, the United States, Canada, France, Belgium, the United Kingdom, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Switzerland and Austria tend to be more expensive.
For Poland, the final price should reflect local market knowledge, access to candidates and the expected depth of the process. If you are hiring senior leaders in Poland, it is worth reviewing Executive Search in Poland before comparing offers.
How to compare offers fairly?
The safest way to compare offers is to compare “apples to apples”. The question is not only how much the agency charges, but what business risk the service removes.
A good comparison should include:
- Scope of work: sourcing, assessment, reports, coordination and negotiation support.
- Candidate quality: how candidates are identified, contacted and verified.
- Consultant involvement: who runs the project and how much senior expertise is included.
- Guarantee: what happens if the hired person leaves or does not meet expectations.
- Reporting: how often the client receives updates and what is included in them.
- References: whether the agency has experience in similar roles or sectors.
Sometimes, clients say they received a completely different price from another agency. However, the key question is whether that agency is actually offering the same service. If not, the comparison does not help the decision.
Agency recruitment pricing is fair only when the scope, responsibility and expected result are clear. For this reason, it is worth checking how to choose a good recruitment agency before making a final decision.
When is a higher price justified?
A higher price is justified when the agency reduces business risk, saves management time and improves the probability of hiring the right person. In difficult recruitment, the cheapest process can become expensive very quickly.
The cost of a wrong hire is not limited to salary. It may include a prolonged vacancy, repeated interviews, internal frustration, delays in projects and lost business opportunities. In senior positions, the impact can also reach board meetings and strategic decisions.
This is especially important when the role is confidential, hard to fill or business-critical. In such cases, the company needs more than access to CVs. It needs a partner who can evaluate the market, advise on expectations and protect the quality of the process.
NAJ International conducts recruitment processes in a way that helps close even difficult searches successfully. Clients value our local knowledge of the Polish market, experienced consultants and ability to improve processes after unsuccessful cooperation with other providers.
You can also review our executive search references to see the types of projects and sectors in which clients have trusted NAJ International.
Price is important, but it should always be read together with scope, responsibility and risk. In recruitment, the cheaper option is not always the safer one, especially when the role is business-critical or difficult to replace.
Summary
Recruitment agency fees should be compared only after the scope of work is clear. A simple CV delivery service, a success fee recruitment model and a retained search project solve different problems and carry different levels of responsibility.
If you are planning a recruitment process and want to understand the likely budget, start with a short consultation. NAJ International can prepare a preliminary calculation once we understand the role, market difficulty and expected scope of support.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do recruitment agencies not give one fixed price immediately?
Because the price depends on the scope, difficulty and responsibility included in the project. Without these details, the quote may be too high, too low or simply not comparable.
What is the cheapest form of agency support?
The cheapest option is usually simple CV delivery without a full assessment, process coordination or guarantee. However, the client then keeps more responsibility internally.
What makes executive search more expensive?
Executive search involves market mapping, direct approach to passive candidates, senior consultant work, structured assessment and often a stronger guarantee. As a result, the process is deeper and more accountable.
Is success fee always cheaper than retainer?
Not always. Success fee may look easier at the beginning, but it can be less suitable for difficult, confidential or senior roles. The right model depends on the recruitment risk and expected commitment. In many senior searches, the retainer recruitment model gives the agency stronger responsibility for the full process.
How can I check if an offer is fair?
Ask what is included in the price, who will run the project, how candidates will be assessed and what guarantee applies. Then compare offers based on scope, not only on the final number.
Recruitment agency cooperation models should be compared by scope, risk and quality, not only by the moment of payment. The question “Do you work on success fee?” may be useful, but it should not be the first and only criterion when choosing a recruitment partner.
In practice, the payment model influences how much time, persistence and senior expertise the agency can dedicate to the project. Therefore, before asking when the fee is due, it is worth asking what exactly the recruitment process includes.
Why the payment model is not the whole decision
The payment model matters, but it does not tell you whether the agency will solve the recruitment problem well.
A lower apparent risk for the client may sometimes mean a lower level of commitment from the agency.
Many companies begin the conversation with one question: “Do you work on success fee?” Often, the discussion does not even reach the price, the consultant’s experience or the way the recruitment process will be conducted. As a result, the client compares agencies through one narrow lens.
However, recruitment can be done better and more effectively when the cooperation model matches the company’s specific need. Otherwise, the client may keep walking down the same road and expect different views.
What is the success fee model?
The success fee model means that 100% of the agency fee is paid at the end of the recruitment process.
For the client, it looks simple because there is no prepayment.
In this model, the client’s message is usually clear: “Please search and send me CVs. If I like someone and hire that person, I will pay.” This approach often encourages the agency to present candidates very quickly, because the agency wants to receive payment for the work already done.
The speed of CV presentation is often attractive to the client. However, the agency may focus on the most responsive candidates, not necessarily on the best candidates. Less active candidates, who may sometimes be stronger, can require more time and persistence. In a pure success fee model, time is money.
This model often assumes that the project is handled by a younger consultant whose task is to send candidate CVs to the client as efficiently and quickly as possible. It may work well when there is a large group of responsive candidates. Still, it is not always the safest option for complex or demanding searches.
Where does success fee create hidden risk?
Success fee may look like a no-risk solution, but the risk does not disappear.
It may simply move from the invoice to the quality, depth and persistence of the recruitment process.
At first, the logic seems perfect: “I will pay when I find a good person.” Yet a project can become difficult at any stage. Candidates may not accept the client’s offer, may not respond to consultant outreach or may not be active on LinkedIn. In such cases, the agency must invest more time and energy.
The key question is whether an agency paid only after a hire can keep working persistently without considering its own liquidity. If another project is easier and faster to close, the difficult one may quietly move down the priority list. Agencies have their own budgets, and consultants are often measured by placements in a given month.
This cooperation model can justify the mindset: “I have not been paid, so my commitment is time-limited” or “if it works, it works.” Of course, some recruiters and projects fit this model very well. Others do not.
How does the semi-retainer model work?
The semi-retainer model combines a prepayment with a final success-based payment.
Usually, the prepayment is around 10–40% of the project value, and the rest is paid after the project is completed.
Some people call this model “success fee with prepayment.” Agencies often use it because many clients initially say they are interested only in success fee cooperation. When the agency answers, “Yes, we work on success fee, but with prepayment,” there is still a chance for a more detailed conversation.
This model gives the agency more confidence that the client will not withdraw from the process. As a result, it can support more persistent work on the project. It also creates a clearer commitment on both sides, without moving fully into a retained model.
What is the retainer model?
The retainer model usually divides the agency fee into three instalments, although four-stage structures also appear.
The fee is typically paid after the start of the process, candidate presentation and process closing.
Prepaid models are usually used in more challenging projects. They make sense when the risk of a longer search is higher, when the project requires an experienced consultant or when the client needs to increase the probability that the process will be closed within an agreed timeframe.
Recruitment agency cooperation models based on instalments also reduce the risk of frustrating the agency with a difficult candidate profile. In demanding recruitment, this matters. The agency needs space to search beyond the most obvious and immediately available candidates.
Why prepaid models often attract more experienced consultants
Semi-retainer and retainer models tend to attract more experienced consultants.
These consultants are usually willing to take on recruitment projects where market knowledge, process experience and industry understanding make a real difference.
Such consultants are credible enough that the client is less afraid they will not complete the work. Typically, their agencies also have a proven track record and clients who can confirm the consultants’ competence. For many companies, the risk of ending up with an unknown specialist is greater than the risk of paying a down payment.
A practical way to look at this model is simple: “I prefer to check the professional’s work portfolio, set a precise work schedule, pay a down payment and require compliance with every step of the process.”
Models with instalments also support long-term cooperation. In case of complaints or later assignments, clients usually return to the same specialist. Consultants in such agencies often work in a stable way over a longer period, which helps build accountability and process knowledge.
What changes when the agency gives a longer guarantee?
Prepaid and retained models often offer a longer candidate guarantee than a pure success fee model.
This is usually connected with a more thorough candidate assessment.
If the consultant has assessed the candidate carefully, they are less afraid of the risk that the person will not fit the client’s company. The guarantee is not only a contractual detail. It reflects how confident the agency is in its process, judgement and candidate verification.
For the client, this may be important when the cost of a wrong choice is high. A longer replacement guarantee can become one of the elements that justify choosing a more structured model of cooperation.
Why fee negotiation should not start with success fee
Even if an agency works on a prepaid or retainer basis, the fee is usually open to negotiation.
It may happen that the final price in a retainer or semi-retainer model is lower than the agency’s success fee price.
This is because the success fee model carries a higher risk that the project will not be closed on either side. That risk is often priced into the fee. Yet many clients never reach the stage of negotiating the actual price, because the first and last question is only: “Do you work on success fee?”
To compare offers fairly, the order of questions should be different. First, ask what the recruitment process includes. Then ask about the price. Finally, ask about the payment model.
This order helps compare similar services. It also allows the client to consciously choose the elements they will pay for.
What should you compare before choosing the model?
Before choosing one of the recruitment agency cooperation models, compare the content of the process.
The same payment label can hide very different levels of service.
Some process elements may become decisive. For example, the client may value candidate testing in the first days of recruitment, weekly reports on the agency’s progress or the length of the guarantee in case of a wrong choice. These details show what the agency will actually do, not only when it will issue the invoice.
A simple qualification order can help:
- Process scope: what exactly is included in the recruitment service?
- Price: what is the total fee for the agreed scope?
- Payment model: when and how will the agency be paid?
Quality matters. Sometimes it requires more time and more experienced specialists. Therefore, during meetings with an agency, it is worth analysing both the service valuation and the stages of the recruitment process.
Payment terms are not only an accounting detail. They shape commitment, responsibility and the way both sides manage recruitment risk.
Summary
Recruitment agency cooperation models should be chosen according to the recruitment challenge, not according to habit. Success fee can work well when the market is responsive and the project is straightforward. However, semi-retainer and retainer models may be safer when the search is difficult, requires persistence or depends on senior consultant expertise.
Each new cooperation and each recruitment process is individual. The right model should help create its own successful history.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is success fee always cheaper than retainer?
Not always. Success fee can include a higher risk premium because the agency may never be paid. Therefore, the final price in a semi-retainer or retainer model may sometimes be lower after negotiation.
When does a retainer model make sense?
A retainer model makes sense when the recruitment project is difficult, requires senior expertise or needs stronger commitment from the agency. It is often used when the client cannot risk a superficial search.
What should I ask before choosing a payment model?
Start by asking what the recruitment process includes. Then ask about price, guarantees and reporting. Only after that should you compare the payment model.
