How to Hire A-Players: Finding the Top People for ... - GIT home page

the agreement if you don’t want to provide this information to
an outside party.
Confirm what state sales tax (if any) must be paid on search
fees.
A-Player Principle: Pay attention to the details of your
recruiting contract. Follow the checklists in this chapter to
avoid unpleasant surprises down the road.
A Word about Fees
Using Recruiters Wisely 149
Recruiting fees typically range from 20 to 30 percent of first-year
starting salary, plus any additional expenses the recruiter incurs
during the search. I once worked with a contingent recruiter who
occasionally agreed to work at reduced fees with clients who negotiated.
He made 30 percent of starting salary with Company A and
20 percent with Company B. Company B thought it had driven a
greatbargainwithhim,butitdidnotaccountforthefactthatit
was always the second client to interview the A-players he
recruited. This recruiter sent his strongest candidates first to the
companies that paid full fees.
You don’t have to pay absolute top dollar to recruiters, but you
must be willing to pay a competitive rate. A firm that takes a bargain-basement
fee arrangement is often desperate for business and
will likely not represent your firm well in the marketplace. You do
get what you pay for when it comes to recruiters.
Lessons Learned from the Best Recruiters
There are times when you should hire an outside recruiting firm.
However, the primary point of this book is that you and your team
must take responsibility for finding and hiring A-players. What can
you learn from the best recruiters about how to find A-players?
Here are some takeaways.