Why Are Startup Recruiting Fees So High? (And How Real Selective Is Fixing That)
A Brutally Honest Look at Startup Hiring Costs
Let’s be real recruiting fees are insane. If you’ve ever been quoted 25-30% of a hire’s first-year salary and immediately had to lie down, you’re not alone. For bootstrapped startups and scrappy founders, those costs aren’t just high; they’re laughably out of reach. But here’s the kicker: great talent isn’t optional. Your startup lives or dies by the people you bring in. So, what’s the move?
The Traditional Recruiting Racket (A Quick Rant)
Most recruiting firms operate on a percentage model, meaning if you hire a software engineer at $150K, you’re handing over $37,500 just to the recruiter. That’s the price of a brand-new Tesla (or, more realistically, the entire snack budget for your over-caffeinated dev team). And if that hire doesn’t work out? You’re back at square one minus a chunk of your runway.
This pricing model made sense in the corporate world, where budgets are bloated, and every hire is approved by a committee of people who mostly just love meetings. But for startups? It’s a broken system.
Enter Real Selective: Flat Fees, No Surprises
At Real Selective, we do things differently. We charge flat fees for recruiting, so founders know exactly what they’re paying upfront. No percentage-based nonsense, no hidden costs—just transparent, predictable pricing that lets you hire with confidence (and maybe even keep the lights on).
Here’s why that matters:
Budget-friendly: You’re already stretching every dollar—why add uncertainty to hiring?
Founder-focused: We work with startups that need top-tier talent without the sticker shock.
Reliability over ransom: We’re not here to cash in on your success. We’re here to help you build it.
Why Founders Are Making the Switch
More and more startups are ditching traditional recruiters because they’ve realized something: the best hires don’t necessarily come with the biggest price tag. Founders need a hiring partner who gets it—someone who understands the pressure of making payroll, the stress of scaling, and the art of balancing a budget without compromising on quality.
Real Selective is that partner. We help startups find the right people for the right price without the ridiculous fees.
So if you’re tired of recruiters taking a VC-sized bite out of your budget, let’s talk. We’ll help you build a team that doesn’t just look good on paper but actually moves your business forward at a cost you can actually plan for.
Let’s make hiring make sense again.
