What is the New Hire Acquisition Cost Report?
An analysis of the total cost-per-hire for a specific role in your business. Based on your recruitment records we identify cost drivers and spend efficiency optimization recommendations.
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.
Who is it suitable for?
“We hire for this role frequently, but we don’t know what all those interviews and weeks of vacancy are costing us.”
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.
When is the right time for this?
This report can help when
- 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.
Why try the report?
Some of the cost you incur when hiring is worth it; some of it is friction you may have stopped noticing.
- 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.
Who should not buy it?
- 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.
What do you get?
Total acquisition cost for one hire, with cost components breakdown:
- Direct costs: for example, sign-on payments, visa/relocation spend
- Recruitment costs: recruitment and interview process cost
- Opportunity costs: lost productivity while the seat remains vacant
- Acquisition-cost efficiency evaluation
- Hiring-cost efficiency optimization recommendations tailored to your use case. This may include recommendations such as interview process changes, interview standardization, feedback & decision deadlines.
- A 25-minute delivery meeting
What information do you need to provide?
We will ask for information such as the job description & KPIs, country, vacancy details, recruitment spend, interview panel details. We check your submission and identify any missing information before marking data submission as complete.
How do you book?
Pay by cardCard payments are taken via the secure Revolut Business payment link provided for this service at checkout. Opens the payment terms., submit your information through the Client Portal and schedule your delivery meeting.
How much does it cost?
- $1,100 for one hire → $850 introductory offer until 15 November 2026
- $2,800 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.
How does the cost of the New Hire Acquisition Cost Report compare to a standard agency fee spend?
The Talent Ascent New Hire Acquisition Cost Report costs a fraction of the fee paid to fill the role it analyses. Because the fee is fixed and agency fees scale with salary, the gap widens as seniority rises.
| Base salary | Agency fee at 15% | Agency fee at 20% | Our report fee | Full fee as % of salary | Our fee as % of the agency fee | Agency spend ÷ our full fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $70,000 | $10,500 | $14,000 | $850 intro / $1,100 full | 1.57% | 9.5–12.7× | |
| $85,000 | $12,750 | $17,000 | $850 intro / $1,100 full | 1.29% | 11.6–15.5× | |
| $100,000 | $15,000 | $20,000 | $850 intro / $1,100 full | 1.10% | 13.6–18.2× | |
| $120,000 | $18,000 | $24,000 | $850 intro / $1,100 full | 0.92% | 16.4–21.8× | |
| $140,000 | $21,000 | $28,000 | $850 intro / $1,100 full | 0.79% | 19.1–25.5× | |
| $160,000 | $24,000 | $32,000 | $850 intro / $1,100 full | 0.69% | 21.8–29.1× | |
| $180,000 | $27,000 | $36,000 | $850 intro / $1,100 full | 0.61% | 24.5–32.7× | |
| $220,000 | $33,000 | $44,000 | $850 intro / $1,100 full | 0.50% | 30.0–40.0× | |
| $275,000 | $41,250 | $55,000 | $850 intro / $1,100 full | 0.40% | 37.5–50.0× |
What are the alternatives to the Talent Ascent New Hire Acquisition Cost Report?
| 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 optimizing 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 optimization recommendations | $1,100 · intro $850 | You want the complete number and to spend less on the next similar hire |
FAQ
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 optimized. 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 labeled 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 finalized 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.