Most employers asking about agency costs have had one bad experience: a fee that arrived larger than expected, or a temporary charge rate that turned out to include things they assumed were extra. Here is how the pricing actually works.
Permanent placements
Permanent recruitment is normally charged as a percentage of the candidate's first year salary, invoiced once they start. What matters as much as the percentage:
- The rebate period. If the hire leaves within an agreed window, you get an agreed proportion of the fee back. Ask how long the window is and whether it is a rebate or a replacement.
- What the fee includes. Advertising, screening, reference checks and interview coordination should be part of the service, not add ons.
- Whether the percentage is on base salary or total package. This changes the number significantly on roles with a car allowance or bonus.
Temporary and contract staff
Temporary workers are charged as an hourly rate. That rate covers the worker's pay plus employment costs, and those costs are not optional:
- Employer National Insurance
- Holiday pay accrual
- Pension auto-enrolment where applicable
- Payroll, insurance and compliance administration
The agency carries the employment risk, runs payroll weekly and handles the paperwork. When comparing quotes, compare the charge rate for the same pay rate, not two headline percentages, otherwise you are not comparing like for like.
Temp to perm
Temp to perm lets you trial someone in the role before committing. Typically either a transfer fee applies at the point of conversion, or the fee reduces the longer the worker has been on assignment. Agree that structure at the start, not at the point you want to keep someone.
Questions worth asking any agency
- What is the rebate period and is it a rebate or a replacement?
- Is the charge rate all inclusive, and what happens on overtime and bank holidays?
- How are right to work and AccessNI checks handled, and who holds the records?
- Who is my named contact, and what happens when they are on leave?
- Are you a REC member and bound by its Code of Professional Practice?
Why local matters in Northern Ireland
The NI labour market is small and regional. A shortlist drawn from an actual Ballymena, Omagh or Newry candidate network behaves very differently from one drawn from a national database. Candidates who can get to your site, who know the employers locally, and who are contactable by someone in the same town are the ones who start and stay.
Rutledge has been recruiting in Northern Ireland since 1989, with teams in 18 branches covering permanent, temporary, temp to perm and contract hiring across 14 sectors. If you would like a clear quote for a specific role, request a callback and the team covering your area will talk it through, or find your nearest branch.