How we compare
Healthcare Headhunters recruits healthcare professionals for employers. No upfront fee. You pay only if you hire.
This is what we do all day: recruit healthcare professionals.
Choose the kind of help your opening needs, not just a name on a supplier list.
No upfront fee. You pay only if you hire.
Send Us Your Open RoleNamed service descriptions reviewed . Sources below.
Which recruiting model fits the problem you have?
A board appointing a system president may want retained executive search. A department covering shifts may need a staffing service. An owner replacing a practice administrator may want direct headhunting without an upfront search fee. Those are different buying decisions.
This table compares the models in general terms. The named companies are examples, not a claim that each offers only one service. Many firms offer several kinds of recruiting. We make no comparison of their quality, results, people or particular fees.
Ask each provider how it will find candidates for your exact opening. A large database can be useful, but a database entry does not tell you whether that person is available. A direct approach can reach someone who has not applied. It still takes a clear role and a reason to consider the move.
How do the recruiting models compare?
The table sets each model side by side: how it finds people, who it reaches, how it charges and when it fits. It describes general models, not named firms, and individual agreements and services vary. Use it to decide which questions to ask a provider before you sign anything for your opening.
| Model | How they find people | Who they reach | How they charge | When each fits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Executive search: Korn FerryIts executive-search service, not its complete range of services. | Target-company research, candidate databases, referrals and direct contact, followed by assessment. | Executives identified through research, including passive candidates and people considering a move. | Ask for the proposed engagement terms. We do not state this firm’s fees or replacement terms. | A senior appointment needing executive research and assessment. |
| Executive search: Egon ZehnderIts custom executive-search service. | A search shaped around the client’s industry, company, team and specific leadership appointment. | Leaders whose background fits the objectives of the particular search. | Ask for the proposed engagement terms. We do not state this firm’s fees or replacement terms. | A leadership appointment requiring a search customized to the organization. |
| Permanent placement: Robert HalfIts full-time recruiting service, not temporary staffing. | Specialized recruiting to match full-time openings with candidates in the fields it covers. | Candidates for permanent employment, including people reached through its recruiting network. | Ask for the full-time placement agreement. Temporary-staffing charges are not the same service. | A permanent hire within the professions covered by its specialist recruiting teams. |
| Recruitment: Michael PageIts published sourcing methodology applies across its recruitment services. | Targeted market research, professional networks, referrals and advertising. | People found through research and networks, as well as applicants responding to adverts. | Ask which service the proposal covers and review that agreement. We do not quote its fees. | An opening where its profession-specific sourcing and recruitment service fits the brief. |
| Temporary staffingA general model, not a description of any named firm’s full offering. | Recruiters find people available for an agreed assignment, using networks, databases, advertising or outreach. | Candidates available for temporary work. The channels vary with the agency and assignment. | The agreement defines the staffing arrangement and its charges. Permanent placement has a different agreement. | A temporary gap where the employer needs to settle assignment and employment terms before work starts. |
| Job boardsAn advertising channel, rather than a search firm. | You post the opening. Candidates decide whether to apply. | People who see the advert and choose to respond. | Advertising, subscriptions or other platform charges. You manage the hiring work. | An opening that attracts suitable applicants and a team with time to screen and contact them. |
| Healthcare HeadhuntersSpecialist contingency headhunters. | We define the work, map relevant backgrounds and contact people directly. | Healthcare professionals who may be working elsewhere and are not applying to adverts. | No upfront fee. You pay only if you hire. The signed recruiting agreement sets the fee and terms. | A healthcare opening where the right person is unlikely to appear in the applicant pile. |
Start with the work you need done.
If the opening is attracting suitable applicants, posting it may be enough. You still need someone to check licenses, discuss the schedule and keep the interview process moving. Think about who on your team can do that work before deciding an advert is the cheapest option.
If applicants are not a fit, ask what is missing. It could be the case mix, unit experience, location or reporting line. More applications will not fix a brief that describes the wrong job. We ask those questions before contacting candidates.
For contract cover, first establish who handles the employment arrangement, licensing and liability terms. Do not assume a permanent placement agreement covers temporary work. We confirm the arrangement for each engagement before anyone starts.
What should you check in the agreement before you start?
Ask when payment becomes due and what work it covers. Check how a replacement is handled. Make sure the person signing for your facility understands the terms. A recruiting model is not a substitute for a written agreement. Read it before the search starts, not after a candidate accepts.
We offer a candidate replacement guarantee on standard search agreements. The applicable period and exact terms are set out in the signed client recruiting agreement.
Our core service is permanent placement on contingency. You hire the person onto your payroll. We help define the seat, contact relevant people and check whether the job makes sense for both sides. You decide who to interview and who to hire.
We also ask how decisions will be made. If several stakeholders need to approve the appointment, name them at the start. A candidate should not learn about an extra decision-maker after accepting an offer. Agreeing the process early helps both sides make an informed choice.
We recruit across clinical professions and healthcare leadership. That includes physicians, advanced practice providers, nursing, allied health and practice operations. The screening depends on the actual work. A certificate alone does not establish that someone fits your unit or facility.
How permanent placement works · Our recruiting terms
Which sources support the named comparisons?
These are the firms’ own descriptions of the services discussed above. They support the stated sourcing methods, not a ranking or a claim about fees. Services can change. Check the current proposal for your opening.
- Korn Ferry: executive-search research and candidate contact
- Egon Zehnder: custom executive search
- Robert Half: specialized full-time placement
- Michael Page: research, networks, referrals and advertising
Source review: . General-model descriptions are not claims about a named firm’s full offering.
Company names are trademarks of their owners. We are not affiliated with them.
What happens next
- We review your role, responsibilities and location.
- Ivan or a senior team member will reach out soon.
- You meet a focused shortlist when qualified candidates fit the agreed search.
- Fees.
- No upfront fee. Pay only if you hire, under the signed agreement.
- Exclusivity.
- Set out in the signed client agreement.
- Confidentiality.
- We agree the brief before outreach. This is not a promise of absolute anonymity.
- No hire.
- No hire means no fee on standard searches.
What should you confirm before choosing a recruiting model?
Healthcare Headhunters compares business models, not assumed results at another firm. The names on this page identify familiar examples. A general description does not establish their current contract terms. Ask the provider what service it proposes for your actual opening and read the agreement before deciding.
Does this comparison state another firm’s placement fee?
No. The page describes general payment models rather than quoting a competitor’s contract. A provider’s proposal should identify its own scope and charges. Our fees are set in the signed client agreement.
Can an internal team and a specialist search work together?
Yes, when responsibilities and candidate records are clear. Tell us whom your team has already contacted and who will manage interviews. That helps avoid conflicting outreach and makes the employer’s decision path easier to follow.
Is temporary staffing the same as permanent headhunting?
No. Temporary coverage and a lasting appointment solve different problems. A firm may offer both services, but the engagement and responsibilities need to be clear. Our main service is permanent contingency search.
The Six-Step Search · Fee terms · Editorial policy · Positions index
What do you get at each step of the search?
Our process for every search: calibrate the seat with you, map the market, research the real people, reach out to each one personally, qualify them in live conversation, then hand you a short list with a written brief on each person and support through the offer.
Search Calibration
You get an agreed brief: the work, reporting line, credentials, schedule, and offer you can make.
Market Mapping
You get a search aimed at relevant backgrounds, including people working now who have not applied.
Professional Contact Intelligence
We check appropriate ways to reach the people identified for your search. You do not have to chase them yourself.
Persistent Personalized Outreach
We explain your actual job and follow up with people who may consider a conversation.
Live Candidate Qualification
You see people we have spoken with about the work, interest, and practical fit, not an unread resume pile.
Candidate Intelligence and Process Support
You get a written brief and support through interviews and offer discussions. You make the hiring decision.
How long will it take to see a short list?
That depends on the job, schedule, available people, and what your employer can offer. We discuss those constraints before outreach and update you as candidates respond. We do not promise a fixed shortlist date. We check the job brief before arranging interviews. Tell us which parts of the role you can change.
What if a candidate receives a counteroffer?
We ask why the person wants to move and discuss competing decisions before an offer. A counteroffer can still change their choice. Keep the duties and offer clear rather than assuming more money settles every concern. Tell us early if parts of your offer cannot change, so the candidate hears it from us first.
What are the replacement terms?
We offer a candidate replacement guarantee on standard search agreements. The applicable period and exact terms are set out in the signed client recruiting agreement. Ask us to walk through those terms before you sign, so you know how a replacement would work for your opening and who would start it.
What do we not do in a standard permanent search?
We do not bill standard contingency search by the hour or simply repost your job. Temporary coverage is a separate arrangement. Any retainer or different engagement must be agreed, not assumed. Tell us early if you need coverage while the permanent search runs.