How our fee works
At Skilled Trades Headhunters, this is what we do all day: recruit skilled trades professionals.
No upfront fee. You pay only if you hire.
Need someone now? Call +13053064829.
How much does a trades recruiter cost?
Skilled Trades Headhunters works on contingency. There is no upfront fee and no charge to open a search. A fee is due only when you hire a candidate we presented. The amount and timing are written into a signed agreement before we start, so nothing about the fee is decided after the fact.
We do not publish a percentage on this page. Fees depend on the role, the number of openings and the terms you want, and we would rather put an exact number in writing for your search than show a range that may not fit it.
What does contingency mean in practice?
Contingency means our work is at our risk. We spend the time on intake, calibration, search and live qualification before you owe anything. If you do not hire anyone we present, you owe nothing.
It also means you can keep using your own channels. If you hire a friend of your foreman or someone who walks in, that hire is yours and carries no fee from us.
When is the fee due?
The fee becomes due when a candidate we presented accepts your offer and starts, under the timing set out in the signed agreement. We do not invoice for interviews, briefs or calls.
What if the hire does not work out?
We offer a candidate replacement guarantee on standard search agreements. The applicable period and exact terms are set out in the signed client recruiting agreement.
The guarantee applies to standard searches under the terms in your agreement.
What do you not do?
- No hourly billing. We do not put workers on our payroll and bill you by the hour.
- No retainers unless agreed in writing for a specific search.
- No job board reposting. We do not copy your ad onto job boards and forward the replies.
- Not a same-day labor hall. We fill permanent roles with people who are working now, which takes a real search.
- No drug, MVR or background checks. Your company handles any the role requires.
What does the signed agreement cover?
Before we contact a single candidate, you receive a written agreement for the search. It names the role or roles, the fee and how it is calculated, when the fee is invoiced, the payment terms, and the replacement terms. It also says which candidates count as ours: the people we present to you in writing for that search.
Read it the way you would read a subcontract. If a clause is unclear, ask, and we will explain it or change the wording. Nothing about the fee should surprise you after a hire.
Why is there no fee number on this page?
Recruiting fees in the trades vary with the role, the pay level, the number of openings, whether the search is exclusive, and the replacement terms you want. A figure on a public page would be wrong for many of the searches people bring us. Our team will quote a specific number for your opening on the first call, and that number goes into the agreement unchanged.
If someone quotes you a fee before hearing about the job, ask what it covers and what it leaves out.
What should I ask any recruiter about fees?
- Is anything due before I hire?
- Exactly when is the fee invoiced, and when is it payable?
- Which candidates does the fee apply to, and for how long after they are presented?
- What happens if the person leaves early, and what are the conditions?
- Is the search exclusive, and what does that change?
- Are there any expenses billed on top of the fee?
Our answers to all six are in the agreement we send. If another firm cannot answer them in writing, that tells you something.
What if I need several people?
If you need several people, such as three service technicians for a new territory or a crew for a second shift, tell us on the first call. Multiple openings can change how a search is run and how the agreement is written. We will not lower the bar to fill a headcount faster; each person is qualified the same way.
How does this fee compare with other ways to hire?
Staffing agencies, union hiring halls and in-house hiring all charge or cost in different ways. The full side-by-side is on recruiting vs staffing vs union hall vs in-house. You can also read how we compare and our process. How we write and review pages like this one is on our editorial policy.
What else do buyers ask?
How much do trade staffing agencies charge?
It depends on the model. Staffing agencies usually bill an hourly rate that includes the worker's pay plus a markup while the worker is on their payroll. A contingency recruiter like us charges a one-time fee only when you hire someone we presented. Our fee terms are written into the signed agreement before the search starts.
What is electrician staffing markup?
Markup is the difference between what a staffing agency pays a temporary electrician and what it bills you per hour. It covers payroll taxes, insurance and the agency margin. We do not place temps on our payroll, so there is no hourly markup in our model.
Is there a fee if I hire someone on my own?
No. A fee applies only to a candidate we presented, as set out in the signed agreement.
What if the hire leaves?
We offer a candidate replacement guarantee on standard search agreements. The applicable period and exact terms are set out in the signed client recruiting agreement.
Do you charge a retainer?
No retainer unless agreed in writing for a specific search.
Do I pay for interviews or candidate briefs?
No. Interviews, written briefs and calls are part of the search. Nothing is invoiced until a hire under the agreement.
Can I stop a search?
Yes. Tell us and we stop. If you have not hired anyone we presented, nothing is owed.
Are expenses billed on top?
Not on a standard search. If a search would need something unusual, such as candidate travel for an onsite interview you request, we agree it in writing before anyone books anything.
Send Us Your Open Role
Tell us the trade and where the work is. Ivan or a senior team member will reach out soon.
No upfront fee. You pay only if you hire.