Pricing & Fees
Q: Is the $3,500 really a flat fee with no hidden costs?
A: Yes. $3,500 covers the full search, vetting, and placement for most roles. The only potential add-ons would be specialized assessments or background checks, which we discuss and get your approval for before ordering.
Q: How is the 20% executive fee calculated?
A: We calculate 20% of the hired candidate’s total first-year guaranteed compensation — base salary plus guaranteed commission/bonus.
Q: What happens if I need to cancel a search?
A: We structure cancellation terms to cover the work already invested in your search, not to penalize you for changing direction.
Single Placement: The $1,750 engagement fee covers the discovery call, job description development, and initial sourcing setup. If we haven’t presented any candidates yet and you need to cancel, that fee is retained — the search simply doesn’t launch.
Growth & Scale Partnerships: We operate on a monthly subscription model, so each month covers active searches, pipeline work, and candidate management already in progress. If you need to cancel, we’re happy to discuss timing with you, but the current month’s fee covers the work performed up to that point.
Executive Placement: The $10,000 engagement fee is a retained search retainer. It covers stakeholder interviews, executive profiling, and the first wave of passive candidate outreach. This fee is non-refundable once the search launches, per standard retained-search practice.
We always prefer to adapt the search strategy rather than cancel outright — if the role requirements have changed, we can usually pivot the search direction within the current engagement.
90-Day Guarantee
Q: What does the 90-day guarantee cover?
A: If a candidate we present leaves or is terminated within the first 90 days, we’ll find a replacement at no additional recruiting fee. This applies to Single Placement, Growth Partnership, Scale Partnership, and Executive Placement tiers.
Q: Does the guarantee restart if I hire a replacement?
A: Yes. Each replacement candidate comes with a full 90-day guarantee.
How We Work
Q: How fast can you start?
A: Most Single Placement searches launch within 48 hours of signing. Growth Partnership roles typically go live within the same week.
Q: Do I own the candidate list if I cancel?
A: Yes, any candidates we introduce become yours once the engagement closes.
Q: How is A Tier Hire different from a traditional agency?
A: Three key differences:
(1) Flat-fee pricing instead of 20–30% of salary
(2) 90-day guarantee instead of 30 days
(3) Local team based in Dublin that learns your culture, not a remote generalist. For C-suite and \$150K+ roles, we also offer a retained executive search model — the industry standard for high-stakes leadership hiring.
Industries We Serve
Q: Do you only work with certain industries?
A: We serve small businesses across all industries — restaurants, healthcare practices, retail operations, professional services, and more. Our model works anywhere you need great hires without a Fortune 500 budget.
Q: Do you work with businesses outside Dublin?
A: We’re based in Dublin, OH, and prioritize the Columbus metro, but we serve clients across Ohio for the right fit.