How much does an executive search firm charge in Miami? 2026 fee guide
Short answer: almost every firm charges a percentage of the hired candidate’s first-year base salary. What differs is when you pay, whether there is an upfront fee, and what guarantee you get. Here are the three models, and our own terms.
The three models
Retained. The firm bills in stages: a portion at kick-off, another at shortlist, the rest at hire. This is the model of the large executive search firms for C-suite roles. The client pays whether or not the search ends in a hire.
Contingency. The firm only gets paid if the client hires a candidate it presented. If there is no hire, there is no invoice. This is the usual model for staffing agencies and some boutiques.
Engaged (hybrid). A small deposit credited against the final fee. Risk is shared.
In all three, the fee is a percentage of first-year base salary. The percentage varies with the level of the role and with the firm: those working CEO and board roles charge more than those working mid-level management.
What usually goes unsaid
- A retainer guarantees the firm gets paid, not the quality of the work. It makes sense for highly confidential or CEO-level searches where the client wants exclusivity and full dedication.
- Contingency does not mean shallow work as long as the firm limits how many searches it takes on. The problem with contingency is volume: a firm running fifty searches at once only works the easy ones.
- The guarantee matters more than the percentage. A point up or down changes little; a firm redoing the search for free if the hire leaves in the first months changes a lot.
- Ask when the invoice is due. At offer acceptance, at start date, or at the end of the guarantee. These are not the same thing.
How BGS Headhunters charges
We publish our terms because we think a client should know them before the first call.
| Term | BGS Headhunters in Florida |
|---|---|
| Model | Contingency. No retainer, no deposit |
| When we invoice | 100% on the candidate’s start date |
| Minimum fee per search | $10,000 |
| Guarantee | 3 months. If the candidate leaves or is let go in that period, we redo the search at no cost |
| Timeline | Shortlist within two weeks at most, usually 5 to 10 days |
| Who runs the search | A partner, start to finish. The person who sells the search runs it and interviews every candidate |
The exact percentage depends on the role and is set in the proposal before we start. What does not change is the minimum, the guarantee and when we bill.
When a search firm pays off, and when it does not
It pays off when the role is hard to fill through your own channels: scarce profiles, closed sectors, confidential searches, or when the cost of an empty seat for three months far exceeds the fee. It does not pay off for roles with plenty of available candidates and lower salaries, where a well-written posting or a specialized job board does the job.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does an executive recruiter charge in Florida?
- A percentage of the hired candidate’s first-year base salary, which varies by role and firm. BGS Headhunters works on contingency, with no retainer and a $10,000 minimum fee per search.
- What is the difference between retained and contingency search?
- Retained means the client pays in stages whether or not there is a hire. Contingency means the client only pays if it hires a candidate presented by the firm. BGS works on contingency, with no retainer.
- What guarantee do executive search firms offer?
- It depends on the firm; 3 to 6 months is common. BGS guarantees 3 months in Florida: if the candidate leaves or is let go, we redo the search at no cost.
- When do you pay an executive search firm?
- At BGS, 100% on the candidate’s start date. No deposit and no payment at offer acceptance.
- How long does an executive search firm take to present candidates?
- At BGS, 5 to 10 days from kick-off, two weeks at most.