in short
A recruitment agency runs the whole process, often from job ads and applications. A headhunter approaches employed people who are not looking, mostly for rare profiles or leadership roles. The right choice depends on how rare the profile is, how discreet the search must be, and your budget.
what is a recruitment agency?
A recruitment agency provides placement services, which French labour law defines as bringing job offers and job seekers together without the provider becoming a party to the resulting employment relationship (article L5321-1 of the Code du travail (opens a new window)). In practice, the agency scopes your need, advertises the role, screens applications, runs first interviews and presents a shortlist.
Many agencies also do direct approach. So the line between agency and headhunting is less about status than about the method used for your role.
what is a headhunter?
Onisep, the French public careers information service, lists headhunter as another name for the recruitment researcher, who identifies and preselects candidates and often has to persuade a “hunted” person to come to an interview. These professionals are called in by companies that struggle to hire high-level profiles (Onisep job profile (opens a new window), in French).
A headhunter works in a specialist firm or independently. Their raw material: people in work, who do not answer job ads. Apec notes that companies also look for discretion, for instance when anticipating the replacement of an executive whose departure has not been announced yet.
what are the practical differences between the two?
| criterion | recruitment agency | headhunter | platform of independent headhunters |
|---|---|---|---|
| main method | job ads, candidate database, sometimes direct approach | direct approach of employed people | direct approach by several specialist headhunters |
| target profiles | standard to experienced roles | rare profiles, experts, executives | experienced roles to executives, by field |
| discretion | limited if the role is advertised | high, nothing is published | high, the role goes to headhunters, not job sites |
| usual fees | percentage of salary or flat fee, on success or in instalments | percentage of salary, on success or in instalments | on Muzzo: 5 to 30% set by you, paid on hire |
| your contact | an agency consultant | one headhunter, alone or in a firm | the headhunters who have hired the most in your field |
when should you use a headhunter rather than an agency?
Headhunting makes sense when the right people do not read job ads. It already weighs in executive hiring: according to Apec, headhunting or direct approach closed nearly 11% of executive hires in France in 2025.
11%
of executive hires closed through headhunting or direct approach in French SMEs (8% in mid-sized and large companies)
Apec, Pratiques de recrutement de cadres 2026 (in French) (opens a new window), 2025 data
79%
of French SMEs that use a provider to hire an executive do so for a strategic role
Apec, Le recours des PME aux cabinets privés de recrutement, 2024 (in French) (opens a new window), 2023 data
Choose a headhunter if:
- the profile is rare or in high demand (for example experienced developers or engineers);
- the role is strategic, such as an executive leadership role or a finance director;
- the search must stay confidential (unannounced replacement, sensitive new role);
- your job ads have produced nothing.
An agency that advertises is often enough for roles where applications come in on their own and volume matters more than rarity.
what about platforms of independent headhunters?
A third model has taken hold: a platform that hands your role to several independent specialist headhunters. You keep the headhunting method without signing with a single firm. French SMEs already work this way; one business owner interviewed by Apec puts it simply: they work with a few independent headhunters who know the sector well.
Muzzo works this way. Among more than 2,500 selected headhunters, the assignment goes to those who have hired the most in your field. You set the fee between 5 and 30%, and pay it on hire, with no deposit and no exclusivity.
To compare budgets across models, read our guide how much does a recruitment agency cost.
how do you choose for your hire?
- Does the profile answer job ads? If so, a standard agency is enough. If not, you need headhunting.
- Is the role confidential? A discreet search rules out a public ad.
- Which specialism? A recruiter who knows the field, for instance in sales recruitment, finance or construction, sends fewer off-target profiles.
- When do you pay? On success, in instalments or as a flat fee: the risk differs if the search fails.
- What guarantee? Length, cases covered, replacement or refund: get it in writing.
frequently asked questions
Is a headhunter more expensive than a recruitment agency?
Not necessarily. Both usually charge a percentage of annual pay, and no public scale sets that rate. Compare the payment schedule above all: on a success fee nothing is owed without a hire; with instalments, part may be due before.
Does a recruitment agency also do headhunting?
Often, yes. Many agencies combine job ads and direct approach. Ask which method will be used for your role.
Can you give a role to several headhunters at once?
Yes, if your contract has no exclusivity clause. On Muzzo, the assignment goes to several specialist headhunters, with no exclusivity, and you only pay on hire.
Do headhunters only recruit executives?
No. They mostly work on high-level profiles, but also on rare or in-demand experts, at every level of experience.
Who pays the headhunter?
The employer. French labour law forbids charging job seekers for placement services (article L5321-3 of the Code du travail).
sources
- Apec, Pratiques de recrutement de cadres 2026 (in French) (opens a new window)
- Apec, Le recours des PME aux cabinets privés de recrutement, 2024 (in French) (opens a new window)
- Code du travail, article L5321-1 (Légifrance, in French) (opens a new window)
- Onisep, chargé ou chargée de recherche en recrutement (in French) (opens a new window)