The cost of getting it wrong
What could a bad hire really cost you?
Most leaders underestimate it. The damage isn't just the salary — it's the lost months, the stalled initiatives, and the search you have to run all over again. Estimate yours below.
Role level
Annual salary for the role$200,000
$50K$600K
Estimated cost of a failed hire
$600,000–$1,000,000
3–5× annual salary in direct and downstream costs — plus 12–18 months to rebuild team trust and momentum.
Where the cost hides
Recruiting, onboarding & severance≈ $200,000
Lost productivity & ramp-up time≈ $280,000
Team disruption & morale≈ $160,000
Stalled initiatives & opportunity cost≈ $160,000
Our placements hold a 96% retention rate — against an industry average of 70–80% — and every one is backed by a one-year guarantee. Because the most expensive search is the one you have to run twice.
Get it right the first time — talk to us →Figures are illustrative industry estimates based on commonly cited multiples of annual salary (roughly 1–2× for mid-level roles and 3–5× for executive roles). Actual costs vary by role, industry, and circumstance.
Reduce the risk: choose the right search model
The single biggest lever on bad-hire exposure at the executive level is the search model itself. Read our retained executive search fees guide for a clear breakdown of fee structure, guarantees, and when retained beats contingency — and pair it with our executive salary guide for industry compensation benchmarks.