Recruiting Agency for Small and Medium-Sized Businesses
Specialists and executives in tech, sales, finance, product, and HR. Since 2014, over 7,800 positions filled, with an average time-to-hire of 28 days.
Kooku Recruiting Partners works with medium-sized companies, subsidiaries of large corporations, and scale-ups. With over 250 clients and a team of more than 20 recruiters and consultants, projects get underway within 72 hours of approval.
With Recruiting on Demand, you don’t pay a success fee—instead, you pay for recruiting services with a weekly KPI report. This is typically 30 to 60 percent less expensive than traditional headhunting models. With Interim Recruiting, you work as part of a team with a full-time Kooku consultant, with no placement fee.
Our Quality Guarantee
If we accept your project after a thorough review, we promise to deliver 3 high-quality profiles within 3 weeks of the project start date. Otherwise, you’ll receive a 50% discount. Valid for new customers using the on-demand recruiting model.
What does a recruiting agency do for small and medium-sized businesses?
A recruitment agency specializing in small and medium-sized businesses handles sourcing, direct outreach, pre-qualification, reporting, and process management for companies that do not have their own recruitment department. It works with the client’s tools and processes and, depending on the client’s needs, supports multiple billing models: fee-based, for a fixed term, or success-based for executive roles.
Why Recruiting Works Differently in Small and Medium-Sized Businesses Than in Large Corporations
According to the DIHK Skilled Labor Report 2025/2026, more than 40 percent of small and medium-sized enterprises report difficulties in filling job openings. This fluctuates with the economic cycle, but not structurally. 83 percent of all companies surveyed expect negative consequences from skilled labor shortages in the coming years.
The causes rarely lie solely with the job market. In our projects, the same seven conditions keep recurring.
- The location is outside the metropolitan areas. The candidate would have to move or commute, and that is exactly what determines the outcome—not the job itself.
- The salary range is structurally below the Group average. That comes with responsibility from day one. Someone has to voice this argument; otherwise, no one will hear it.
- The employer brand is unknown outside the industry. A “hidden champion” is exactly that—hidden. A job posting doesn’t make up for that.
- There is no applicant tracking system. Applications are processed through an Outlook inbox, and reports are generated in Excel. Without data, no process can be managed.
- Decisions depend on one person. If the management is on vacation for two weeks, the process comes to a halt. Candidates won’t wait.
- The works council and employee participation should be included in the process planning, not in the final phase.
- A succession is on the horizon. A leadership position shapes the next generation of the company—it’s not just about reporting.
A recruiting agency that isn’t familiar with these conditions is selling you a process designed for a large corporation.
Our Services for Medium-Sized Businesses
- Recruiting on Demand. Flexible sourcing capacity starting with a single position, with no placement fees, and KPI-based cost estimates. Learn more on our page about Recruiting on Demand without Headhunter Fees.
- Interim Recruiting. Experienced interim recruiters join your HR team, work with your processes and tools for three to twelve months, and handle 360-degree recruiting.
- Executive Search. Discreet search for executive, C-level, and director roles—including succession planning—through our executive search service for key positions.
- Active Sourcing. Directly reaching out to professionals who are potentially open to a career change through our active sourcing agency.
- Recruiting Consulting. Through Kooku Consult’s recruiting consulting services, we help refine processes, KPIs, ATS selection, and employer branding.
Our Recruitment Models for Small and Medium-Sized Businesses
Recruiting-
-on-Demand
Flexible sourcing capacity starting with a single item
Interim
Recruiting
Experienced recruiters right on your HR team
Executive
Search
Discreet Search for Executives and Key Positions
Recruiting and
Consulting
Targetedly Strengthen Processes, KPIs, and the Employer Brand
Which Model Is Right for Your Open Position
| Model | Fits | Entry-level | Billing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Recruiting on Demand | 1 to 5 concurrent openings, lack of sourcing capacity | Starting with 1 position | Cost-based, no commission |
| Interim Recruiting | Parental Leave, Growth, Setting Up a Recruitment System | Starting at 3 positions, 3 to 12 months | Fixed-term model, tools included |
| Executive Search | Executive Management, C-Level, Director Roles, Succession Planning | Starting at 80,000 euros annual salary | Success Fee |
| Recruiting Consulting | Missing processes, no ATS, no reporting | Project-based | Fixed price based on scope |
Not sure which model is right for you? During the initial consultation, we’ll help you figure out your role—with no pressure to buy.
How Much Does a Recruitment Agency Cost for Small and Medium-Sized Businesses?
A traditional recruitment agency charges a percentage of the gross annual salary. For a position with an annual salary of 90,000 euros, this can quickly add up to a five-figure fee, regardless of how time-consuming the search actually was.
Recruiting on Demand bills for the work performed, making it possible to plan costs before the project begins. Interim recruiting is conducted over a fixed term. Executive search operates on a success fee basis.
The key calculation is a different one. Don’t compare the fee to the cost of inactivity, but rather to the cost of the open position. A vacant engineering position costs, by a conservative estimate, around 800 euros per day (sample calculation). If it is filled 30 days earlier, that amounts to 24,000 euros in avoided downtime. If the fee is lower than that and the quality of the candidates improves, the calculation makes sense.
You can calculate your own figure in two minutes using our vacancy cost calculator for open positions.
Results from Customer Projects
You can find more examples in our success stories from recruiting projects.
Our Process
Here's How the Collaboration Works
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Initial Consultation
We assess the role, urgency, internal capacity, and search efforts to date.
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Market and Process Review
We review whether the requirements, salary range, location criteria, and target audience are a good fit.
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Recommended Model
You will receive an assessment of which model is economically viable.
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Kick-off with the Department
Search logic, outreach, screening criteria, and reporting are defined in a binding manner.
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Implementation and Management
We source candidates, reach out to them, screen them, provide weekly reports, and adjust our search strategy based on the data.
What Happens After You Submit Your Request
A recruiter or consultant will contact you within 24 hours. The initial consultation lasts about 30 minutes, takes place via video call, and is free of charge. Afterward, you’ll receive an assessment of the market, a search strategy, and a realistic timeline for filling the position—even if we don’t end up working together. There is no obligation on your part.
How to Identify the Right Recruitment Agency for a Mid-Sized Business
A recruitment agency that specializes in small and medium-sized businesses tailors its approach to the specific positions that need to be filled and to the structure of these companies: leaner processes, shorter decision-making chains, and often no in-house applicant tracking system.
It integrates with your existing tools and workflows instead of creating a separate, parallel process, which saves time and avoids friction. Its pricing logic can be understood and verified before the project begins. And it provides continuously updated, categorized metrics—not just a one-time list of candidate profiles.
Ultimately, what matters most is whether an agency builds up knowledge about your market and your processes and leaves that knowledge behind within your company—beyond the scope of any single project.
Your Next Step
About 80 percent of our capacity is tied up with existing clients. If you’re looking to fill key positions in the coming months, please contact us early on.
Mathias Mengel
Founder & CEO
As a specialist for recruiting topics with a focus on IT, he is the first point of contact for all questions relating to recruiting processes and digitalization in the company.
As an early adopter, he is always open to discussing current trends in these areas and ensures that Kooku’s processes remain lean and efficient as the company continues to grow.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Recruitment Agency for Small and Medium-Sized Businesses
What distinguishes a recruiting agency for small and medium-sized businesses from a headhunter?
A headhunter presents individual candidates and charges a percentage of the annual salary upon hire. A recruitment agency for small and medium-sized businesses integrates into your process and handles sourcing, direct outreach, candidate screening, reporting, and process management. When there are multiple open positions at the same time, this model is generally more cost-effective. With “Recruiting on Demand,” Kooku’s fees are typically 30 to 60 percent lower than those of traditional headhunting models.
What percentage does a recruitment agency charge?
Traditional recruitment agencies typically charge a percentage of the gross annual salary, payable upon hiring. The amount increases with the position’s salary, not with the effort involved in the search. Kooku uses a time-and-effort-based model for Recruiting on Demand and Interim Recruiting. You know exactly what you’re paying for before the project begins.
How much does a recruitment agency cost for a small or medium-sized business?
The costs depend on the model. Recruiting on Demand charges on a time-and-effort basis starting with one position; Interim Recruiting runs for three to twelve months starting with three positions; and Executive Search operates on a success fee basis starting at an annual salary of 80,000 euros. More meaningful than the unit price is a comparison with your vacancy costs. Depending on the role, an unfilled key position costs several hundred to several thousand euros per day.
How quickly does Kooku fill open positions at small and medium-sized businesses?
The project will begin within 72 hours of approval. The average time-to-hire for our projects is 28 days. This figure is significantly influenced by the role, salary range, location, and response time of the department.
What happens if you don't provide suitable candidates?
Our quality guarantee applies to Recruiting on Demand. If we do not provide at least three suitable candidate profiles in the first month, you will receive a 50 percent refund of the fee. We will determine together in advance, during the briefing, what constitutes a “suitable” candidate.
Can a recruiting agency operate without our applicant tracking system?
Yes. Many medium-sized companies do not use an ATS. Our recruiters bring their own structured approach for the duration of the project and document the pipeline, outreach, and reasons for rejection in a transparent manner. Upon request, we can subsequently assist with the selection and implementation of the company’s own system.
When is interim recruiting a better option than on-demand recruiting?
Recruiting on Demand is ideal for one to five concurrent vacancies and fluctuating demand, because you book capacity without a minimum term. Interim Recruiting is worthwhile for three or more positions over a period of three to twelve months—for example, for parental leave replacements, company growth, or setting up a recruiting infrastructure. For individual senior leadership roles, Executive Search is the right choice.
For which roles is external recruiting support particularly worthwhile?
External support pays off for roles with a tight candidate market, high value creation, and high follow-up costs in the event of a bad hire. These include tech and engineering positions, sales and key account roles, finance leadership, and product and design roles. For high-volume, general-market roles, a recruitment agency is usually the more cost-effective option.
Would you like more information on recruiting? Then feel free to read more about it in our recruiting blog.
Not sure yet?
Use one of the following options to obtain further information or call us directly:
+49 30 99 404 3660.
We look forward to getting to know you!
