in short
Price should not be your only criterion. Check specialisation in your sector or role, whether a local or national footprint suits your need, recommendations from other business owners, and the candidate selection method. Always get the guarantee in writing before you sign.
what do smes actually base their choice on?
Without prior experience with a provider, SMEs mostly choose based on recommendations: an owner or HR manager who has already worked with an agency and is satisfied often carries more weight than a comparative search. Apec identifies four criteria that recur across SME interviews.
- Trust capital: past experience or recommendations, to limit risk and avoid starting from scratch.
- Positioning: a specialist in a sector or role, or a generalist covering more roles.
- Geographic footprint: local, for knowledge of a labour market, or national, for reach on a rare profile.
- Price: a success-fee or staged model, rarely negotiated in practice, often paired with guarantee clauses.
should you prefer a specialist or a generalist agency?
An agency specialised in your sector or role knows the real job titles, the real salary levels and the right networks. A generalist covers more roles, but sometimes sends profiles that look close on paper and are not in practice.
For sales recruitment, IT, construction, finance or industry, ask for recent examples of roles similar to yours, not just the broad sector.
local or national: which should you choose?
A local agency knows the labour market, the competing employers and the real salary levels in your area: a business-to-business relationship, sometimes owner to owner, that SMEs interviewed by Apec particularly value. A national agency brings reach that helps with a rare profile or a search across several cities.
If you are hiring in Paris or Lyon, both options exist: compare a local agency that knows the market with a national one experienced in your role.
should price weigh in your decision?
Yes, but it should not be your only criterion. Apec finds that price is rarely negotiated or put out to competitive tender by SMEs, while guarantee clauses are often offered by providers themselves: ask for them systematically, whether or not they are advertised.
To compare fee models and estimate a budget, read our guide how much does a recruitment agency cost.
how do you check the real value before signing?
Agencies' usefulness is recognised by a majority of SMEs on several steps of the hire, especially direct approach, posting the role and screening candidates. But only half rate the service as a good investment: experience clearly builds confidence.
66%
of SMEs find CV screening by the agency useful (73% among those who have already used an intermediary)
Apec, Le recours des PME aux cabinets privés de recrutement, 2024 (in French) (opens a new window), 2024 data
47%
of SMEs rate using an agency as a good investment
Apec, Le recours des PME aux cabinets privés de recrutement, 2024 (in French) (opens a new window), 2023 data
55%
of SMEs that have already used an agency would consider doing so again, against 34% of all SMEs
Apec, Le recours des PME aux cabinets privés de recrutement, 2024 (in French) (opens a new window), 2023 data
- Ask for two or three examples of similar roles recently filled.
- Clarify who your single point of contact will be, from the brief to onboarding.
- Compare several quotes on the basis, the rate and the schedule, not just the headline percentage.
- Get the guarantee in writing: length, cases covered, replacement or refund.
frequently asked questions
Is word of mouth a good criterion for choosing an agency?
Yes: according to Apec, SMEs with no prior experience of a provider most often choose on recommendation. Still check that the recommended agency genuinely knows your role, not just your sector.
Is a large national agency always better than a local one?
No. A local agency brings close knowledge of the labour market and a relationship SMEs often value. A national agency makes more sense for a rare profile or a search across several cities.
How many agencies should you consult before choosing?
Apec finds that price is rarely negotiated or compared by SMEs. Still compare at least two quotes on the basis, the rate, the schedule and the guarantee before committing.
Is a platform of independent headhunters an alternative to a single agency?
Yes. On Muzzo, your role goes to several specialised headhunters, among more than 2,500 selected headhunters, with no exclusivity. You set the fee between 5 and 30% and pay it on hire.