Hiring Without a Percentage Fee: How Flat-Fee Recruiting Works

How percentage fees work

Most permanent recruitment is priced as a percentage of the hire's first-year salary. Published UK terms show typical ranges of 20% to 28% (Hays) and 22% to 27% on total pay (Reed). On a £70,000 hire at 28%, that is a £19,600 invoice.

The higher the salary, the higher the fee, even when the work is similar.

How flat-fee recruiting works

With flat-fee recruiting, you pay for the hiring work, not a share of the salary. MetaDay charges one flat fee per active hiring run. While a role is active, MetaDay keeps executing: finding people, reaching out, calling, interviewing and moving the right candidates forward, within your plan's limits. When the role is filled, you can move that capacity to your next role.

What is included

• Sourcing and qualification
• Personal outreach and follow-ups
• First calls and AI interviews, with evidence
• Scheduling with your team
• Aligning salary, terms and start date
• A ranked final three, and your final decision

Each plan has clear usage limits. Continuous execution does not mean unlimited calls or messages. See pricing for what each plan includes.

When flat-fee hiring makes the most sense

It is strongest when you hire regularly, hire for roles where percentage fees add up quickly, or run hiring across several locations. For a one-off, highly specialised search, a specialist recruiter can still be the right choice, and MetaDay can work alongside them through the MetaDay Network.

The bottom line

A percentage fee charges you for the salary. A flat fee charges you for the work. See a real hiring run.