Recruiter vs Headhunter vs Staffing Agency
A recruiter finds candidates for roles, usually for one employer or many clients. A headhunter is an informal name for a recruiter who searches for senior or hard-to-find people, often on retainer, while a staffing agency employs workers and places them with clients on contract terms.
Side by side
| Recruiter | Headhunter | Staffing agency | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Works for | An employer (in-house) or several clients (agency) | Clients, on senior or niche roles | Clients who need temporary or contract workers |
| Who employs the worker | The hiring company, after the hire | The hiring company, after the hire | The agency, during the assignment |
| Typical payment | Salary, or a fee from the client | Often a retained fee | Margin on the worker's hourly rate |
| Approaches people who are not looking | Sometimes | Usually | Rarely |
Which one are you talking to?
- If the person says they work in-house, they are a recruiter for that one company.
- If they work for a firm that fills roles for many clients, they are an agency recruiter. Fees are paid by the client and are either contingent or retained.
- If they describe the search as confidential and senior, you are probably dealing with a headhunter on a retained search.
- If the company that pays your wages is not the company you work at each day, the arrangement is a staffing agency.
What to check as a candidate
Ask who the client is, who pays the recruiter, and who would employ you. You should never pay anyone to be placed in a job. See avoiding scams.
How it shows up on LiveRec
Recruiters and agencies use LiveRec as Live Recruiters, with their own portal. Jobs they post for a client company carry a Live Recruiter curated badge, and the agency's name stays hidden. Seekers can read about this in recruiter-posted jobs.
Example
A staffing agency pays the contractor's wages; a contingent recruiter is paid only when the client hires.