What a search costs
The engagement fee is set by the seniority of the role. Across all six tiers it runs $6,240 to $54,340 per search. Salary never sets your tier, so hiring someone at the top of your band does not raise the invoice.
Eight questions. Your tier and your range on screen before you talk to anyone.
Which tier is my role?
By level, not by pay. A support coordinator and a VP of finance sit at opposite ends of the scale regardless of what either one earns. Six tiers run from individual contributor support roles through senior executive searches, and your own range comes out of the eight questions above, not a table on this page.
Where you land inside your tier depends on how hard the role is to source. That is what the call establishes.
How does this compare to a contingency firm?
A contingency firm bills 20 to 30% of the first year salary when someone signs. On a $120,000 hire that is $24,000 to $36,000. The same search here is Tier III at $13,589 to $23,393. Lower cost is typical rather than guaranteed, and the form above shows you the comparison on your own numbers.
It does not always come out cheaper, and we would rather say that here than on a call. A senior title at a modest salary can cost more through a full search than through contingency, because the tier follows the seniority and the contingency fee follows the pay. It shows up most in nonprofits and small companies. When the arithmetic goes that way the form says so instead of hiding it.
What is included?
- A market map delivered before any outreach begins.
- Direct sourcing and screening against your requirements.
- Interview scheduling, candidate prep and follow-up through your loop.
- Offer guidance and negotiation support through to a start date.
- A 45-day replacement guarantee at 50% off the original fee.
Are there other fees?
No percentage of salary, and no fee that moves with the offer. The engagement fee for your tier is the price of the search. Billing details and terms are reviewed together on the call, not sent cold.