The short answer
There is no universal answer to what a hire costs. It depends on the role, the region, your internal capacity, and the state of the market at any given time. You can make the costs transparent and work through your own numbers.
Bring one vacancy and your questions about costs. In 30 minutes, we discuss the approach, your recruitment fee and the costs and terms we agree in advance.
The formula
Cost per hire = total recruitment costs ÷ number of hires in the same period and scope.
Recruitment costs include: advertising costs, tool costs, any agency fee, and the internal hours your staff spend on the process. If you make zero hires in a given period, a cost per hire cannot be calculated.
Three worked examples
The examples below are fictional and self-selected. They do not represent market averages, quotes, or guaranteed outcomes. Results in your situation may be higher or lower. Amounts exclude VAT. The salary figure is the basis for fee calculation, not a recruitment cost in itself.
Recruiting in-house – project manager (1 hire)
Media €1,800 + tools €300 + 80 hours internal at €75 = €8,100
Red Rocket – project manager, salary basis €60,000 (1 hire)
Fee: €60,000 × 11% = €6,600.
Media: €1,200. Internal time: 8 hours × €75 = €600.
Total: €8,400.
Red Rocket – engineer, salary basis €80,000 (1 hire)
Fee: €80,000 × 11% = €8,800.
Media: €1,800. Internal time: 12 hours × €75 = €900.
Total: €11,500.
Hours and scope differ between examples because the reality differs too. The examples do not demonstrate that one approach is cheaper or better than the other.
What determines the choice?
Internal capacity, region, role type, and the available talent pool all play a part. No single approach wins in every situation. Use the cost calculator to work through your own numbers.
Red Rocket: how it works
Red Rocket operates on a standard no-cure-no-pay basis, from 11% of gross annual salary. The agreed percentage may be higher. The fee applies on a successful hire. Media spend and the hours you invest internally remain a cost even without a hire.
Red Rocket runs targeted campaigns, incorporates organisational context, and qualifies candidates via WhatsApp AI. You follow the process through the Cockpit. The employer or recruiter handles the personal follow-up conversation and makes the hiring decision. The AI can block an invitation itself if a candidate does not meet the criteria.
Want to know what recruiting for your vacancy costs? Book a meeting.
A real client example
Mobido CarProf: a manager found in 39 days.
The campaign brought in 44 candidates. Advertisements and targeted WhatsApp questions revealed experience and availability before the personal follow-up began.
From campaign launch to placement. A result from this case, not a promise for every vacancy.
Recruitment as a service
From social post to qualified candidate
Red Rocket handles the campaign, the conversation, and the initial qualification. You make the hiring decision.
- Campaign and reach
- We build targeted social ads around your role and organisation. Candidates who respond enter a WhatsApp conversation with the AI recruiter that asks about the job requirements you defined upfront.
- Insight via Cockpit
- In the Cockpit dashboard you see the profile, the full conversation, and the qualification status – sometimes alongside a CV. You decide how you weigh that information before inviting someone in.
- Your decision
- You dig into whatever you want to verify – experience, documents, references. Personal follow-up from that point, from interview to contract, is yours to direct.
No placement, no recruitment fee is our standard. From 11% of gross annual salary on successful placement. Percentage, salary base, ad budget, and other conditions are agreed upfront.
Frequently asked questions
Does no cure no pay mean I pay nothing if there is no hire?
The fee falls away with no hire. Media spend and the internal hours your staff have invested remain a cost.
What if the agreed percentage is higher than 11%?
11% is the starting point. The exact percentage depends on the role and the agreement you reach.
How do I calculate my own cost per hire?
Use the calculator on the Recruitment Costs page. Enter your own figures and it calculates the result for you.
