How headhunter fees really work: recruiting, headhunting & executive search Success fee, staged assignments and executive search fees: how much a headhunter costs in Italy, what you get for each model and why the right hire is an investment, not a cost. Recruiting, headhunting & executive search: the differences between the three services Recruiting, headhunting and executive search are three levels of the same pyramid. Here is what each service covers, which candidates it targets, how fees work and when to choose it. What does a headhunter do? A headhunter is an authorised recruiter who identifies and approaches qualified, often already employed professionals on behalf of a company. Here is how the role works, how it is regulated in Italy and why companies rely on it.