Five steps, each with a defined output. Search and commercial discussion run in parallel, so no calendar time is wasted waiting for paperwork.
Click any step to see what happens there. Steps three and four run in parallel.
We start by listening: the state of the business, how the team is built, and why this role exists now. What we need is not the wording of a JD — it is the problem this hire is supposed to solve.
We break the role down until it is actionable: the capability that is actually missing, must-haves versus nice-to-haves, the interview process (how many rounds, with whom), the target start date, the salary band and the traits that matter. When PPC is done, both sides hold the same answer to "who are we looking for".
Our consultants go to work: we map talent across target companies and titles, then approach qualified passive candidates directly. Every candidate is interviewed in depth by a consultant — capability, motivation and practical availability — before being presented with a written assessment. You get regular progress updates and market observations along the way. This step runs in parallel with step four.
We usually begin with a memorandum of understanding (MOU); the formal agreement is signed when the engagement closes. Until then, the project runs as an HR market research and advisory engagement — HiReKing approaches the market in its own name as your consulting partner. At this stage we settle the tiered project fee, the guarantee period, the replacement commitment and the minimum project fee (as agreed in contract). The project fee is invoiced only after the candidate actually starts work.
We set up two dedicated groups. One handles the commercial side — agreement, invoicing and cooperation details. The other is the project group, where the assigned consultants sit: scheduling interviews, relaying feedback and driving every role forward until the candidate starts and the guarantee period closes.
The project fee is calculated on the candidate's first-year total compensation (base salary, bonus estimate and fixed allowances) at tiered rates. The invoice is issued only on the day the candidate starts, payable within 30 days. The schedule below is a sample for reference — tiers and rates are adjustable and finalised in each engagement's agreement.
| First-year compensation | Project fee | Guarantee period |
|---|---|---|
| Up to 1,249,999 | 20% | 30 days |
| 1,250,000 – 1,749,999 | 25% | 60 days |
| 1,750,000 and above | 30% | 90 days |
If a placement departs or proves unsuitable within the guarantee period, notify us in writing within seven days and we immediately restart the search against the original brief. If no replacement is found within the guarantee period, we issue a credit of 20% of the original project fee against future engagements.