For companies with open positions
Position hard to fill? Every day costs money.
How long has your position been open? As long as it stays unfilled, work piles up and the team carries the load. Calculate what that costs – and how to find suitable professionals faster.
What does your open position cost?
Enter the figures for your role. The defaults are example values.
Vacancy costs
€48,000 ÷ 250 working days × factor 2
- Per working day
- €384
- Per week
- €1,920
- 60 working days
- €23,040
The unfilled position costs about €384 per working day – €23,040 over 60 working days.
The placement fee of €12,000 equals 32 working days of vacancy. If a recruiter fills the role that much faster, the fee has paid for itself.
The link contains the figures you entered – for example for a LinkedIn post or an email to colleagues.
Fill the position faster.
Post the position anonymously – vetted recruiters propose suitable candidates. You see every fee up front and only pay once you hire.
- Set up in a few minutes
- No calls from recruiters
- Contact details only after your release
Estimate based on the widely used model by Dr John Sullivan. Not an actual expense but lost output: saved salary costs are not deducted, lost customers and team overtime are not included. Not an offer and not advice.
Why positions stay open
The best are not actively looking
Many suitable professionals are employed and do not read job ads. They are reached mainly through personal approach.
Many applications, little that fits
An ad often brings applications that do not fit the role. Screening takes time – while the position stays open.
The search has to stay discreet
For succession, restructuring or key roles you cannot post publicly without alarming the team, customers or competitors.
No time for the search
In day-to-day business recruiting is often left undone. Every week without new candidates extends the vacancy.
Checklist: five levers
Before you spend more on job ads: these points often decide whether suitable candidates respond at all.
Sharpen the requirements
Separate must-haves from nice-to-haves. Every extra must-have shrinks the pool of suitable candidates.
Check the salary
Compare it with the market, for example in the Federal Employment Agency's Entgeltatlas, and state a range.
Choose the right title
Use the title professionals search for, and describe tasks, team and work model concretely.
Respond quickly
Get back to candidates within a few days. Good candidates often have several interviews at once.
Use direct approach
People who are not actively looking don't read job ads. Recruiters approach these professionals directly.
How to fill the position faster
Recruiters and headhunters often already have suitable candidates in their network and also approach professionals who are not actively looking. Instead of screening hundreds of applications, you receive a few pre-selected proposals.
Post anonymously
Without your company name – for a permanent hire via placement or as temporary staffing.
Receive proposals
Vetted recruiters propose anonymized candidate profiles, with fee or billing rate.
Release contact
If someone fits, you release the contact details and talk directly to the recruiter.
The platform is free for companies. Costs only arise if you hire through a recruiter – at the fee they state in advance.
Frequently asked questions: filling open positions
What to do if a position cannot be filled?
First check whether requirements, salary and job text fit the target group. If the position still stays open, direct approach helps: recruiters also reach professionals who do not read job ads.
How do I find professionals quickly?
Fastest through channels that already know candidates: your network, referrals and recruiters with suitable candidates. On SilentHire your job reaches several vetted recruiters at once – anonymously, and the platform is free for you.
When does a recruiter pay off?
Often when a position stays open for longer despite advertising, when specialists or leaders are needed, or when the search has to stay discreet. The calculator above shows how many working days of vacancy the fee equals.
What does a recruiter cost?
A one-off fee of 20 to 35% of the first annual gross salary is typical, usually only for a successful hire. With temporary staffing you pay an hourly rate instead.
Can I fill an open position anonymously?
Yes. On SilentHire you post without your company name. Only the recruiter whose proposal you release contact details for learns your name.