If we were to redesign the recruitment industry from scratch, one thing would have to go first: the huge financial incentives attached to contingency recruitment.

Right now, recruitment fees aren’t based on effort, expertise, or quality of hire—they’re based on a high-risk, high-reward system where agencies only get paid if they make a placement. That’s why placement fees sit at 20-25% of a candidate’s salary, regardless of how much actual work was done to fill the role.

This creates a broken system, where recruiters prioritise quick wins over long-term hiring success, employers pay inflated costs, and trust in the industry continues to decline.

But what if we removed the big money from recruitment?

What if recruiters were simply paid for the work they did—like every other profession?

The entire industry would change. Here’s how.

1. The ‘Recruitment Cowboys’ Would Disappear

Right now, contingency recruitment attracts salespeople, not hiring experts.

Because fees are tied to placements, many recruiters operate with a sales-first mentality, prioritising:

• Fast placements over long-term hiring success.

• Roles that are easiest to fill, rather than the ones that need real effort.

• High-commission opportunities instead of building strong client relationships.

If recruitment fees were based on work, not placement fees, the industry would lose the recruiters and agencies that are only in it for quick wins and easy money.

That means:

• Fewer recruiters who push candidates into roles to chase a commission.

• No more agencies overloading clients with resumes just to increase their chances of getting paid.

• A shift from high-pressure, aggressive sales tactics to a focus on genuine hiring support.

In short, the industry would start attracting actual hiring specialists, not just commission-driven salespeople.

2. Recruitment Would Become Less Saturated, and More Work Would Be Done for Less Money

The recruitment industry is overcrowded—not because there’s a shortage of great recruiters, but because the financial rewards are too big to ignore.

Right now, agencies stack their teams with business development people, not just recruiters, because getting new clients is more valuable than doing deep, high-quality searches. That’s why employers constantly receive cold calls, unsolicited CVs, and agency pitches.

If we took away the huge placement fees and commission model, recruitment would no longer be a volume-driven, high-pressure game. Instead:

• The salespeople would leave, because the financial upside would no longer be there.

• Agencies wouldn’t need to compete at saturation levels, chasing as many open roles as possible.

• The work would be done for far less money, but recruiters would still be paid fairly for their time—just like any other professional service.

This would create a healthier, more sustainable industry—one where recruiters focus on doing great work, rather than winning the deal.

3. Employers Would Trust the Hiring Process Again

One of the biggest problems with the current recruitment model is that employers don’t trust it.

Why? Because they know that most recruiters aren’t truly on their side—they’re chasing a placement fee. That means:

• Recruiters push hires through, even if they’re not the right fit, just to secure their commission.

• Employers feel pressured into rushed hiring decisions because recruiters create urgency around candidates.

• The hiring process feels transactional, not strategic—it’s about making a deal, not solving a hiring challenge.

If recruitment was based on expertise, not placement fees, trust would be restored.

• Employers wouldn’t have to question their recruiter’s motives.

• Recruiters would have zero incentive to push a bad hire, because they wouldn’t be paid based on placement.

• The hiring process would become a true partnership, where recruiters worked in the employer’s best interest, not just for their own financial gain.

What Would Recruitment Look Like Without Big Fees?

If recruitment was designed today, it would look nothing like the high-cost, high-pressure system we have now. Instead, it would be built around:

• Paying recruiters for actual work done, not just placements.

• Hiring professionals who specialize in recruitment, rather than sales.

• A trusted, consultative hiring process where recruiters and employers work together—not against each other.

This isn’t just wishful thinking. Businesses are already moving toward this model, choosing hiring support that’s based on expertise and results, not commission-based sales.

Because when the financial incentives are stripped back, recruitment becomes what it should have been all along—a service that helps businesses hire the right people, rather than a sales-driven industry designed to extract the highest possible fees.