Specialty leaderboard · Updated Oct 10, 2026
HR recruiters, Chicago
Fee models, from the firms' own websites: 1 contingency and 1 hybrid.
HR & Talent firms ranked
| Rank | Firm | Focus | Fee model | Terms | Open roles | Index score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Loftus & O'Meara Searchsince 1978 | Direct hire of executive assistants, administrative assistants, coordinators and business support staff | Not stated | Not disclosed | 0 | 41.3 |
| 01 | Watson Dwyersince 1990 | Administrative, accounting, finance, legal, IT, HR and marketing staffing | Contingency | Not disclosed | 0 | 41.3 |
| 03 | 180 Degree Consulting | HR, sales, accounting and finance recruitment, retained executive search and fractional executives | Hybrid | Not disclosed | 0 | 23.8 |
- 01Loftus & O'Meara SearchDirect hire of executive assistants, administrative assistants, coordinators and business support staff41.3Not statedNot disclosed0 open roles
- 01Watson DwyerAdministrative, accounting, finance, legal, IT, HR and marketing staffing41.3ContingencyNot disclosed0 open roles
- 03180 Degree ConsultingHR, sales, accounting and finance recruitment, retained executive search and fractional executives23.8HybridNot disclosed0 open roles
Score built from public signals · Fee model from firm websites · Terms reported by firms · Terms never affect the score
How these firms are scored
Rank here is within HR & Talent. Every score is built from public signals and measures specialisation and activity, not a guarantee of service quality. Terms, claiming and sponsorship never change it.
- Specialist focus
- 40%
- Market activity
- 35%
- Track record
- 25%
What HR firms charge
Market context · Fee survey
Collecting responses. No market range until enough firms answer.
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Hiring in HR & Talent?
Describe the role once. We route it to the Chicago firms that specialise in it, and they reply with their approach and terms.
Post a brief →HR recruiters in Chicago: questions
How do hr recruiters in Chicago charge?
Of the firms ranked here, by their own websites: 1 contingency and 1 hybrid. Most agencies charge a percentage of the hire's first-year base salary. Contingency recruiters are commonly quoted at around 15–25% and are paid only when you hire; retained and executive search firms often charge 25–35%, paid in stages as the search progresses.
How are hr recruiters ranked here?
Rank is within this specialty only. The biggest factor is specialist focus: the share of a firm's open roles that are in this field. Hiring activity and track record make up the rest. No firm can pay for placement.
Should I use more than one recruiter?
For contingency roles many employers brief two or three firms at once. Retained searches are exclusive by design. Posting one brief here sends it to the specialists and lets you compare their approach and terms before you commit.
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