A typical headhunter's fee is often paid by the hiring firm on the successful candidate's start date and is typically expressed as a percentage of the first-year pay that was negotiated in an offer letter (including any sign-on incentives). The typical percentage charge is between 20 and 25 %, but it can vary based on the type of job being filled and the firm the headhunter works with. It might be as low as 15 % or as high as 40% or more.