What a German industrial search costs

We work on a success basis. A Commitment Fee is due at kickoff. The success fee is 25 to 30% of the agreed target annual salary, depending on the role and the market, and falls due when the employment contract is signed. A replacement guarantee covering six months from the candidate's start date is optional: if it applies, we refill the role at no extra fee. The surcharge is 5 percentage points on the agreed fee rate. We fix the rate and all terms in writing before the mandate starts.

We work on a success basis. A Commitment Fee is due at kickoff. The success fee is 25 to 30% of the agreed target annual salary, depending on the role and the market, and falls due when the employment contract is signed. The Commitment Fee secures our consultants' capacity for your search and commits both sides to the mandate. Example for the success fee: at a gross annual salary of EUR 60,000, it is between EUR 15,000 and EUR 18,000. With the optional 6-month replacement guarantee, the success fee in the same example is EUR 18,000 to EUR 21,000, because the surcharge is 5 percentage points on the fee rate. The lower end applies to skilled and supervisory shop-floor roles, the upper end to specialised experts and leadership roles.

Yes, optional. The replacement guarantee runs 6 months from the candidate's start date. If the candidate leaves within that period or the employment ends during probation, we refill the role at no extra fee. The guarantee is billed as a surcharge of 5 percentage points on the fee rate and is shown in the proposal. With the optional 6-month replacement guarantee, the success fee in the same example is EUR 18,000 to EUR 21,000, because the surcharge is 5 percentage points on the fee rate. Without the booked guarantee, a replacement is a new assignment at a reduced fee; we fix that rate in writing before the mandate. We do not bake the guarantee into every mandate. Companies that do not need it do not pay a risk surcharge.