The rules have changed but recruitment hasn’t: here’s how we fix it

The traditional recruitment model was built for a different era.

It was built for a time when margins were healthy, talent was scarce, and clients accepted contingency fees without question. The formula was simple: hire consultants, give them phones, access, and commission plans, and let revenue scale by adding more desks and more offices.

That world is gone. Margins are tightening as clients demand more for less. Technology has flattened candidate access, removing the information asymmetry that once justified premium fees. Top consultants leave to start competitors, taking relationships and knowledge with them. And businesses find themselves stuck: unable to invest in improvement because their outdated model consumes everything just to keep the lights on.