The 8 metrics every recruitment agency must track

Without metrics there's no improvement. These 8 numbers tell you what's working, what's not, and where the money is.

Why most agencies operate on intuition

The agencies that grow have something in common: they know exactly which number they check on Monday morning. The ones that don't grow operate on intuition — and intuition is expensive.

The 8 metrics that matter

1. Time-to-Fill (TTF)

Days from position opening to offer accepted. LATAM benchmark: 35-45 days. Target: under 25 days for mid-management.

2. Submission-to-Interview Rate

Percentage of presented candidates who reach an HM interview. Benchmark: 40-60%. Below 30% = sourcing quality problem.

3. Interview-to-Offer Rate

Percentage of HM-interviewed candidates who receive an offer. Benchmark: 15-25%. Very low = intake is failing.

4. Offer Acceptance Rate

Percentage of offers the candidate accepts. Benchmark: 75-85%. Below 60% = compensation misalignment or process took too long.

5. Source of Hire

Where successfully placed candidates come from: LinkedIn, referrals, own database, job boards. Tells you where to invest sourcing time.

6. Revenue per Recruiter

Monthly revenue / active recruiters. LATAM benchmark: $8,000-15,000 USD per recruiter per month for healthy agencies.

7. Client Retention Rate

Percentage of clients who return in the next 12 months. Benchmark: 50-60% average, 70-80% excellent. The most ignored metric — a returning client costs 5-7x less than acquiring a new one.

8. Average Fee Size

Average fee per closed placement. LATAM benchmark: $6,000-12,000 USD. How to increase it: move toward more senior positions or specialize in higher-demand niches.