Question 1

What is direct hire recruiting and how does it work?

Accepted Answer

Direct hire recruiting (also known as permanent placement) is when an employer partners with an executive recruiting firm to source, vet, and place candidates directly onto the employer's permanent payroll. Unlike temporary staffing, the hired candidate becomes a permanent, full-time employee with direct company benefits on day one.

Question 2

What is the fee structure for direct hire recruiting?

Accepted Answer

Our direct hire contingency placement fee is 20% to 25% of the candidate's first-year base salary, payable upon the candidate's official start date. There is $0 upfront financial commitment to begin candidate market mapping, outreach, and interview coordination.

Question 3

Who pays the direct hire recruiting fee?

Accepted Answer

The hiring employer pays 100% of the direct hire placement fee upon candidate start date. Candidates never pay any fee to be recruited, evaluated, or placed into full-time roles through Engaged Headhunters.

Question 4

What replacement guarantee is provided for permanent placements?

Accepted Answer

Every direct hire placement includes a written replacement guarantee per your engagement agreement. If a placed candidate leaves or fails to meet documented milestones during the guarantee window, our search practice executes an immediate priority replacement search at no additional fee.

Question 5

What is the difference between direct hire and temp-to-hire?

Accepted Answer

In direct hire, the candidate is hired directly as a permanent full-time employee on your company's payroll with your full benefits from their first day. In a temp-to-hire model, the candidate remains on our agency payroll for an agreed trial period before you decide whether to convert them to permanent staff.

Question 6

How fast do you present calibrated candidate profiles?

Accepted Answer

For standard direct hire roles, our direct passive sourcing sprint activates within 24 hours of position intake. Calibrated candidate shortlists with verified credentials and reference notes are delivered as candidate calibrations are completed, with an average time-to-fill of 37 days for specialized roles.

Question 7

How does direct hire differ from an engaged search agreement?

Accepted Answer

Direct hire operates on a non-exclusive performance model with $0 upfront commitment, where fees are paid only on start. Engaged search is a dedicated exclusive partnership for mission-critical leadership or confidential searches, where fees are 15% to 30% of first-year salary with engagement fees starting at $3,500 credited 100% toward final placement.

Question 8

How do you source candidates who are not active on job boards?

Accepted Answer

Over 85% of candidates placed through our practice are passive professionals currently employed at competing organizations. We conduct direct partner-led outreach, market mapping, and confidential positioning rather than relying on public resume boards.

Question 9

What industries do you cover for direct hire permanent placement?

Accepted Answer

We support nationwide placements across Healthcare, Technology, Finance, Manufacturing, Industrial Operations, and Professional Services.

DIRECT HIRE & PERMANENT PLACEMENT.

Cost of Vacancy & Direct Placement Fee Estimator

Permanent Placement Practice Matrix: Core Disciplines

Executive & C-Suite

Clinical Leadership

Technology & AI Specialists

Finance & Accounting

Manufacturing & Operations

Specialized Clinical Staff

The Direct Hire Recruiting Protocol: 4-Stage Sourcing Sprint

Parameter Calibration

Passive Market Outreach

Multi-Stage Vetting

Start & Guarantee

Direct Hire vs. Engaged Search: Choosing Your Placement Model

Direct Hire Recruiting

Engaged Search Model

National Director Compensation Benchmark

Director

Direct Hire Recruiting & Permanent Placement FAQs

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Related Services

Healthcare

Technology

Finance

Manufacturing

Sales

Executive

Fractional Recruiting

FinTech Search

Payroll Solutions

Locations We Serve

Birmingham

Houston

Las Vegas

Los Angeles

Miami

New York

Virginia Beach

Chicago

Dallas-Fort Worth

Huntsville

Reno

Richmond

San Francisco

Tampa

Atlanta

Austin

Mobile

Norfolk

Orlando

San Diego

Boston

Jacksonville

Sacramento

San Antonio

Seattle

Denver

Phoenix

DIRECT HIRE
& PERMANENT PLACEMENT.