What does filling a role cost your business - beyond the cash spend?

Our open Cost Per Hire Calculator gives you the option to model this based on some general assumptions. The report runs an extended model of the tool on your actual records and provides consultative guidance on what you could improve.

This report is suitable in cases where

• You hire for the same type of position often.
• You are running the same process for several similar roles.
• You want to quantify the opportunity cost of hiring delays.
• Your team spends a lot of time interviewing and you want to quantify the productivity trade-off.

• You are reviewing your hiring approach for a role before hiring for similar vacancies again.
• You are about to hire for a role again, and the hiring process took too long last time you hired.

• Negotiating a lower salary or holding out on an offer to see more people can seem like the right decision.
• A founder who runs recruitment personally saves on agency fees - but sacrifices bandwidth on preparing for fundraising, product development, or customer engagement.
• A long interview process in search of the perfect candidate can quietly cost more than upskilling a candidate who was a 90% fit.

This report gives you visibility into the trade-offs in direct and indirect costs associated with your recruitment process.

• You require a review of total cost of hiring for more than 3 roles. In this case, please contact Talent Ascent to discuss your requirements and how we can tailor support for your business needs.
• You need to understand ROI on a particular role - how long it takes before your hire pays for itself. For this, we would recommend the New Hire ROI Report instead.

• Direct costs: for example, sign-on payments, visa/relocation spend
• Recruitment costs: recruitment and interview process cost
• Opportunity costs: lost productivity whilst the seat remains vacant
• Acquisition-cost efficiency evaluation
• Hiring-cost efficiency optimisation recommendations tailored to your use case. iThis may include recommendations such as interview process changes, interview standardization, feedback & decision deadlines.
• A 25-minute delivery meeting

• €950 for one hire → €750 introductory offer until 15 November 2026
• €2,500 for three roles if you book the 3-report pack

Payment is made at checkout by card. One report covers one hire in one country. See payment terms.

Route	What you get	Typical cost	When it’s the better choice
Work it out in-house	A spreadsheet of the direct costs your systems already capture; reconstructing the rest means sacrificing productive bandwidth elsewhere	Internal time	You hire rarely, the costs are simple, and interview time and the opportunity cost of the vacant role are not material
Ask your recruitment agency	A clear account of the agency fee for the placement; an agency may not see optimising your hiring spend as a priority	Included in the fee	The agency fee is the only material cost you need to understand
ATS / finance reporting	Recorded cash spend by requisition; interview time and the opportunity cost of the vacant role stay uncounted	Included in your tooling	You only need the booked cash figures, not the full economic cost
New Hire Acquisition Cost Report	The full acquisition cost - direct cash, recruitment fees, interview time-cost, the opportunity cost of the vacant role - with optimisation recommendations	€950 · intro €750	You want the complete number and to spend less on the next similar hire

How does the New Hire Acquisition Cost Report compare with the New Hire ROI Report?↓

The New Hire Acquisition Cost Report calculates your total cost-of-hire for a hire and where acquisition cost can be optimised. The New Hire ROI Report tests whether and when the hire creates sufficient value, how long payback takes and how vacancy or weak performance changes the result.

Can the New Hire Acquisition Cost Report measure cost-of-hire if the role has not been filled yet?↓

Yes, the Talent Ascent New Hire Acquisition Cost Report evaluates one completed hire - or the recruitment plan for one defined vacancy. Actual expenditure and client records are used where available. Planned activity is labelled as an estimate.

Is employee salary part of the new hire acquisition cost calculation?↓

The Talent Ascent New Hire Acquisition Cost Report treats salary as an ongoing operating expense. Salary data enters the New Hire Acquisition Cost Report calculus only where it is used to calculate payable agency fees and the cost of your interview panel’s time.

How is interview cost-of-hire calculated?↓

The New Hire Acquisition Cost Report uses the time spent by each participant and what a working hour of their time costs your business, based on comp and jurisdiction. The report outlines the hours, and the rate assumptions used.

How does Talent Ascent calculate the opportunity cost of the vacant role?↓

Talent Ascent uses the job description and relevant role performance targets the client supplies to estimate productivity opportunity costs. For example, this can include sales targets, role KPIs, average sales cycle for your business, delivery contributions allocated to this headcount.

Does the New Hire Acquisition Cost Report compare recruitment routes?↓

The New Hire Acquisition Cost Report evaluates the route used or planned for the hire and recommends efficiency improvements.

What are Revolut Business payment links?↓

Talent Ascent uses Revolut Business Banking, and you can make payments to Talent Ascent via the secure Revolut Business payment link provided for this service at checkout.

What is the Talent Ascent Client Portal?↓

Talent Ascent provides customers with access to a private client portal, hosted by Clinked. We collect relevant information and upload finalised reports via the Client Portal, which is accessible only to your business.

Have additional questions?↓

Contact us, or reach out to us via WhatsApp directly, and we will be happy to help.