Permanent recruitment is the process by which a company hires a candidate for a permanent, open-ended position within the organisation. The candidate becomes a direct employee of the company, as opposed to temporary or project-based arrangements. This form of recruitment is the most common way to fill structural positions and build long-term teams.
For companies looking to strengthen their organisation sustainably, permanent hiring is the right route. It is not just about filling a vacancy, but about finding someone who fits the culture, ambitions, and future plans of the organisation. In this article, we answer the most frequently asked questions about permanent recruitment in Belgium.
How does permanent recruitment differ from other forms of recruitment?
Permanent recruitment distinguishes itself from other forms of recruitment in that the candidate joins the company immediately and directly under a permanent contract. There is no involvement of a staffing agency as employer and no predetermined end date. The goal is a lasting match between candidate and organisation, not addressing a temporary need.
The three most common forms of recruitment are:
- Permanent recruitment: the candidate joins directly under an open-ended contract. The focus is on long-term fit.
- Interim management: an experienced professional is deployed temporarily for a specific assignment, transition, or crisis. No permanent employment.
- Temporary staffing: the candidate is formally employed by the staffing agency and made available to the company, often for short-term assignments.
With recruitment and selection for permanent roles, the stakes are fundamentally different from temporary solutions. The selection process is more thorough, the screening more in-depth, and the attention to cultural fit greater. A mistake in a permanent hire has long-lasting consequences, both for the organisation and for the candidate.
Which roles are filled through permanent recruitment?
Permanent recruitment is used for all roles where continuity, built-up expertise, and long-term commitment are important. In practice, this often involves mid- to senior-level positions: people who lead a department, help shape strategic decisions, or bring specific expertise that the organisation structurally needs.
Typical roles filled through permanent hiring include:
- Management and leadership roles (team leaders, department heads, board members)
- Specialist roles in finance, HR, marketing, IT, operations, and legal
- Business development and sales roles at senior level
- Strategic staff roles reporting directly to senior management
- Roles where confidentiality and continuity are central
The higher the position in the organisation, the greater the impact of a good or poor hire. That is also why permanent recruitment for senior roles often involves more extensive screening, reference checks, and sometimes assessments.
What does a permanent recruitment process look like step by step?
A permanent recruitment process consists of multiple phases, from intake meeting to onboarding. The exact course varies by partner and by role, but the common thread is always the same: first understand what the company truly needs, then search in a targeted way, and finally make a well-considered match.
A typical process looks as follows:
- Intake and briefing: the recruiter immerses themselves in the organisation, the role, the team dynamics, and the expectations. This forms the foundation for everything that follows.
- Search and sourcing: actively searching for suitable candidates via their own network, databases, and direct outreach. Not waiting for unsolicited applications.
- Screening and selection: candidates are thoroughly screened on competencies, motivation, and fit. Only the strongest profiles proceed to the next round.
- Presentation of the shortlist: the company receives a limited number of carefully selected candidates, each with a detailed profile and concrete explanation.
- Interviews and evaluation: the company conducts interviews with the proposed candidates. The recruiter guides this process and provides advice.
- Offer and negotiation: once a choice has been made, the recruiter helps formulate a strong offer and assists with any negotiation.
- Post-hire follow-up: a good recruitment partner monitors the integration and remains available for questions.
The duration of a process depends on the seniority of the role, the availability of talent in the market, and the speed of decision-making within the company. For mid- to senior-level roles in Belgium, the typical timeframe is four to twelve weeks.
What does permanent recruitment cost a company?
The cost of permanent recruitment in Belgium is typically calculated as a percentage of the gross annual salary of the hired candidate. This percentage averages between 15% and 25%, depending on the seniority of the role, the complexity of the search, and the partner you engage. For executive search, rates are sometimes higher.
It is important to weigh this cost against the total cost of a poor hire or a long-standing open vacancy. An unfilled key role costs an organisation productivity, focus, and sometimes client confidence every month. A wrong hire has even greater consequences: severance costs, loss of knowledge, impact on the team, and a renewed search process.
What you get for the fee of a recruitment partner is not just a candidate, but a thorough selection process, market knowledge, network, and guidance throughout the entire process. That is a different value proposition than posting a vacancy and waiting.
When is an external recruitment partner the right choice?
Engaging an external recruitment partner makes sense when internal HR capacity is limited, the role is difficult to fill, or when discretion is required. Also for senior-level roles, where cultural fit and long-term impact are particularly significant, a specialised partner offers clear added value.
Concrete situations in which an external partner is the right choice:
- You are looking for a profile that is not actively seeking a new job and therefore does not respond to vacancies
- The role requires specific expertise that is difficult to assess internally
- You have little time to conduct an extensive selection process yourself
- Discretion is required, for example when replacing a current employee
- Previous recruitment attempts have failed or taken too long
- You want access to a network and candidate pool that you cannot reach internally
For companies active in the Brussels region or Flemish Brabant, local market knowledge is an additional advantage. A partner who knows the local salary scales, available talent, and specific labour market dynamics can work faster and more effectively.
How we help you with permanent recruitment
We support ambitious companies in Belgium in finding the right people for permanent roles at mid- to senior level. No pile of CVs, but a well-considered shortlist of candidates who truly fit your organisation, culture, and objectives.
- We start with a thorough intake to understand your needs, team, and strategy
- We search actively and discreetly, including among candidates who are not actively looking
- We screen on competencies, motivation, and cultural fit
- We guide you through the entire selection process, right through to hiring
- We follow up after the start to support integration
Our knowledge of the Belgian labour market, and in particular of Brussels and Flemish Brabant, enables us to work quickly and in a targeted manner. Want to know how we approach your next hire? Contact us and we will discuss together what we can do for you.
