# are there still professional 'headhunter' agencies that require the hired-employee to pay their fee? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 26, 2012, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-still-professional-headhunter-agencies-that-require-the-hired-employee-to-pay-their-fee/623136 "2012-05-26T03:24:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Win\_Place\_Show](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/win_place_show/32/13469_2.png) [@Win\_Place\_Show](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Win_Place_Show)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2012, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-still-professional-headhunter-agencies-that-require-the-hired-employee-to-pay-their-fee/623136/1 "2012-05-26T03:24:24Z")
Many moons ago, searching for my first job out of college, I remember one of the recruiting agencies that I got mixed up with (that sent me out on a bunch of pointless interviews that barely matched my degree), had as one of their stipulations that it was the employee who would pay their fee, upon getting hired - not the hiring company. Nowadays, that concept seems totally foreign to me, but I’m wondering if that sort of operation / ‘policy’ still exists? ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2012, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-still-professional-headhunter-agencies-that-require-the-hired-employee-to-pay-their-fee/623136/2 "2012-05-26T15:29:16Z")
They’re out there, but none of them are legitimate. It’s a common scam. Real headhunters work for the hiring company. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2012, 5:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-still-professional-headhunter-agencies-that-require-the-hired-employee-to-pay-their-fee/623136/3 "2012-05-27T05:11:58Z")
They still exist, but the only ones that aren’t a scam are the ones placing high level executives. However, the $5K or $10K fee isn’t so much when the annual is a megabuck. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2012, 12:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-still-professional-headhunter-agencies-that-require-the-hired-employee-to-pay-their-fee/623136/4 "2012-05-27T12:13:59Z")
> [@Win\_Place\_Show](#): > > Many moons ago, searching for my first job out of college, I remember one of the recruiting agencies that I got mixed up with (that sent me out on a bunch of pointless interviews that barely matched my degree), had as one of their stipulations that it was the employee who would pay their fee, upon getting hired - not the hiring company. > > Nowadays, that concept seems totally foreign to me, but I’m wondering if that sort of operation / ‘policy’ still exists? Illegal in New York state if the fee is required in advance. There used to be employment agencies that would find jobs and send you out. You’d pay a percentage of your salary for a couple of months once you were hired. But it was hit-or-miss for employers and no better than placing an ad (a few these jobs were paid for by employers, so you didn’t owe the agency). From the employer’s point-of-view, it became better to hire through a temp agency, though. ---
**Author:** ![Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a88e4f/32.png) [@Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Digital_is_the_new_Analog)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2012, 12:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-still-professional-headhunter-agencies-that-require-the-hired-employee-to-pay-their-fee/623136/5 "2012-05-27T12:21:31Z")
Not just high level executives. In my field (embedded SW developer) they’re somewhat common. We call them “recruiting agencies.” I have a friend who works through several of them. He likes to contract, and thus is potentially looking for a new job every 6-12 months. He gets calls from these places saying they have something he may be interested in, checking if he is available. They also can place full time employees. -D/a