Permanent recruitment is a structured process in which a company or recruitment agency searches for a candidate for a permanent position within an organisation. The goal is not only to fill a vacancy, but to find a professional who contributes to the growth and culture of the company in the long term. In this article, we answer the most frequently asked questions about how permanent recruitment works in practice.
What are the steps in a permanent recruitment process?
A permanent recruitment process follows a number of fixed steps: from mapping the client’s needs to the final offer to the selected candidate. Each of these steps aims not only to match the right competencies, but also the right personality and ambitions.
Most recruitment and selection processes proceed as follows:
- Intake interview: The recruiter maps out the vacancy, the company culture, and the client’s expectations.
- Drawing up a job profile: Based on the intake, a detailed profile is created that serves as a guide for the search strategy.
- Active search and sourcing: The recruiter actively searches via network, job boards, and direct candidate outreach.
- Screening and interviews: Candidates are screened by phone and in person on competencies, motivation, and cultural fit.
- Shortlist presentation: The client receives a selection of the most relevant profiles, with in-depth notes on each candidate.
- Client interviews and debriefing: The recruiter guides the interview process and provides advice during the evaluation.
- Offer and onboarding: After the selection, the recruiter supports the salary negotiation and the first steps of onboarding.
A good recruitment process therefore does not stop at the offer. Guidance during the transition period makes an important difference to the long-term success of the hire.
What is the difference between permanent recruitment and interim management?
Permanent recruitment focuses on filling a permanent position within an organisation, while interim management provides a temporary solution for a specific need or period. The fundamental difference lies in the duration and nature of the collaboration between the professional and the company.
In permanent recruitment, the candidate becomes an employee of the client. The match is aimed at the long term: the professional grows with the organisation and becomes a structural part of the team. Interim management involves an experienced professional being deployed for a defined period, for example during a restructuring, a temporary replacement, or a specific project.
The choice between the two depends on the situation:
- Do you have a structural need for a certain profile? Then permanent recruitment is the right approach.
- Is it a temporary or project-based challenge? Then interim management offers more flexibility.
- Is there urgency and do you want to move quickly without a long-term commitment? Interim management is also a logical choice in that case.
Both forms of recruitment require thorough knowledge of the market and the profile, but they call for a different approach and a different relationship with the candidate.
How long does a permanent recruitment process take on average?
A permanent recruitment process takes on average between four and twelve weeks, depending on the level of the position, the complexity of the profile, and the availability of candidates on the market. For senior or specialised roles, this can extend to three to four months.
The timeline is influenced by various factors:
- Scarcity of the profile: The more specific the requirements, the more time the search takes.
- Speed of decision-making by the client: Fast feedback rounds shorten the process considerably.
- Availability of candidates: Many strong profiles have a notice period of one to three months.
- Number of interview rounds: The more steps in the selection process, the longer the process takes.
A realistic plan helps to manage expectations effectively. It pays to agree early in the process on clear timelines and decision moments, so you do not lose good candidates to competitors.
What does permanent recruitment through an external agency cost?
The cost of permanent recruitment through an external agency is typically a percentage of the gross annual salary of the hired candidate, with fees in Belgium averaging between 15% and 25%. The exact percentage varies depending on the complexity of the profile and the level of the position.
At most agencies, the following principles apply:
- The fee is only invoiced upon a successful placement.
- A guarantee period is often provided: if the candidate leaves within a certain period, a replacement is offered or a partial refund is made.
- For executive search or highly specialised profiles, a retained model may apply, whereby an advance payment is requested at the start of the process.
Although the cost may seem significant at first glance, it does not outweigh the costs of a bad hire. A failed recruitment quickly costs a company the equivalent of six to twelve months’ salary, when you factor in lost productivity, re-recruitment, and onboarding.
For which roles is permanent recruitment most suitable?
Permanent recruitment is most suitable for mid- to senior-level positions that require strategic insight, leadership experience, or specialised expertise. These are roles that have a direct impact on the functioning, culture, or growth of an organisation.
Typical positions for which permanent recruitment offers strong added value:
- Management and executive roles (CEO, CFO, COO, HR Director)
- Senior-level commercial profiles (Sales Manager, Business Development Director)
- Specialist roles in finance, legal, marketing, or operations
- Positions where cultural fit and long-term commitment carry significant weight
- Roles that are difficult to fill through standard job boards due to scarcity or discretion
For junior-level positions or temporary roles, other forms of recruitment or temporary staffing are often more efficient. But once a position carries strategic weight and requires a long-term commitment, a well-considered permanent recruitment process offers the best guarantee of a sustainable match.
How do you choose the right recruitment partner for permanent hires?
You choose the right recruitment partner for permanent hires based on sector knowledge, local market expertise, transparency in approach, and the extent to which the partner invests time in understanding your organisation. An agency that merely forwards CVs is not a strategic partner.
When making your choice, pay attention to the following elements:
- Specialisation: Does the agency have experience with the types of roles and sectors relevant to you?
- Local knowledge: Does the partner understand the Belgian labour market, including salary benchmarks and language dynamics?
- Approach: Does the agency work with an in-depth intake and a limited, high-quality shortlist, or does it rely on volume?
- Transparency: Are the terms, guarantees, and expectations clearly communicated?
- References: Does the agency have demonstrable results with comparable assignments?
A good recruitment partner asks the right questions before starting to search for candidates. The quality of the intake interview is often already a good indicator of how the rest of the process will unfold.
How we help you with permanent recruitment
At Skill&Will, we combine market knowledge, network, and a human approach to connect you with professionals who truly fit your organisation. What we concretely do:
- We conduct an in-depth intake interview to understand your organisation, culture, and strategic goals
- We actively search through our extensive network in Belgium, with a particular focus on Brussels and Flemish Brabant
- We thoroughly screen candidates on competencies, motivation, and cultural fit
- We deliver a concise shortlist with high-quality, insightful candidate profiles
- We guide you through the entire selection and negotiation process
Would you like to know how we can approach your next hire? Contact us and we will schedule a no-obligation introductory meeting.
