Does Anyone Actually Know Where the 20% Recruitment Fee Came From?

It’s just always been there.
That 20% figure.
A kind of industry standard no one really questions.

But think about it for a second.

20% of a £60,000 salary is £12,000.
What are you really getting for that money?
In many cases—just a handful of CVs and a few rushed calls.

This pricing model comes from the traditional multi-agency contingency setup.

It’s built on speed, not quality.
A race to send CVs before someone else does.
No depth, no commitment, no partnership.

At Cambridge Recruitment, we do things differently.

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We Don’t Price Like Everyone Else

Most recruitment firms charge a flat percentage of the salary.
But we don’t believe recruitment should be a lottery.

We align ourselves with how other professional services work.
Our fees are based on the time, resource, and expertise needed to do the job properly.
Not a random percentage.

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A Real Partnership, Not a Punt

We work on a retained consulting basis.

This means:

• You commit to the hire
• We commit to delivering the outcome
• You get a lower total fee
• We get paid fairly for doing the job right

It’s a win-win.

We’re upfront. We’re clear about what we can and can’t do.
And if we take on your role, we’ll see it through.

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See the Difference for Yourself

Here are a few recent assignments we’ve worked on—and the savings speak for themselves:

IT Graduate – £25,000 salary
Standard 20% fee: £5,000
Our fixed fee: £3,000

Account Executive – £45,000 salary
Standard 20% fee: £9,000
Our fixed fee: £6,000

HR Business Partner – £75,000 salary
Standard 20% fee: £15,000
Our fixed fee: £9,000

Head of HR – £100,000 salary
Standard 20% fee: £20,000
Our fixed fee: £12,000

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Is This Model Right for You?

If you just want to test the market or have a few CVs thrown your way—it’s not.
But if you’re serious about filling a role and want:

• Better value
• A more focused, consultative approach
• Real accountability

Then this could be the change you’ve been looking for.

Let’s challenge the 20%.
Let’s build something that works for everyone.