11 Best Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO) Companies
The best RPO companies, reviewed and rated by our HR tech experts. Find feature comparisons, pricing info, and more below.
Best Recruitment Process Outsourcing Companies
Recruitment process outsourcing (RPO) refers to outsourcing part or all of an organization’s recruitment process to an external provider. RPO companies serve as an extension of the organization’s talent acquisition department—owning, designing, and managing their entire recruitment process.
In this guide, we’ve outlined everything you need to know about the best RPO companies in the business so you can confidently decide whether their services are right for your organization.
We selected the best RPO companies based on their ability to deliver optimal recruitment outcomes, adapt to client-changing needs, leverage technology for efficiency, and make data-driven decisions. We attended demos, gathered insights from industry experts, and collected feedback from users. Here's a breakdown of what we looked for:
- Optimal recruitment outcomes: We made sure the chosen RPO companies have a proven track record of success. It’s important that they have a deep understanding of your industry and can effectively navigate its unique challenges. Their expertise allows them to tailor recruitment strategies specifically to your industry and, hence, convert to higher-quality candidates and better hiring outcomes.
- Adaptability: We looked for RPO partners who could keep up with evolving recruitment needs. Whether you're experiencing rapid growth or facing unexpected hiring challenges, these adaptable companies can adjust their services to fit your recruitment process with little to no friction.
- Leveraging technology and tools: This factor plays a crucial role in enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of the recruitment process. With the right technology, such as applicant tracking systems (ATS) and innovative recruitment software, the RPO company can streamline workflows, improve candidate experiences, and manage data effectively.
- Data and analytics: Making informed decisions is crucial, and that's why we shortlisted RPO companies that prioritize data-driven decision-making. These companies provide robust reporting and analytics capabilities so you can measure recruitment performance, analyze key metrics, and make decisions based on solid insights.
Read more about our software evaluation process here.
Cielo
XOR
Analytics Search
ADP
Randstad
PeopleScout
Orion Talent
ManpowerGroup
Alexander Mann Solutions
Sevenstep
Korn Ferry
Pierpoint
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Cielo
We’re particularly impressed by Cielo’s massive global reach: It operates in 113 countries and provides support in 51 different languages.
PROS
- Full-service RPO provider with a strong global footprint.
- Provides solutions for both permanent and temporary employment needs.
- Roll out new features regularly.
- Highly customizable, region-specific solution.
- Full-service RPO provider with a strong global footprint.
- Provides solutions for both permanent and temporary employment needs.
- Roll out new features regularly.
- Highly customizable, region-specific solution.
CONS
- Undisclosed pricing. Can be pricey and overkill for small businesses.
- Not the most user-friendly solution.
- Undisclosed pricing. Can be pricey and overkill for small businesses.
- Not the most user-friendly solution.
Every time we revisit Cielo, they seem to have rolled out another cool new feature.
The latest addition is the AI-powered TA tool named Digital Accelerators. This tool can source, match, engage, and auto-schedule interviews with potential candidates. It can optimize job ads, personalize engagement, tailor interview questions based on job descriptions and applicant profiles, and provide data-driven analysis.
Another plus about Cielo is that this platform can handle both permanent and contingent hiring needs. In other words, you can use its services to recruit full-time employees, independent contractors, freelancers, SOW staff, and anything in between. The talent search capability is also huge owing to the global footprint Cielo has built out over the years. To date, Cielo has operated in 113 countries and has served clients in 51 languages.
However, with full-cycle, region-specific solutions come significant trade-offs, such as a high price tag. Cielo caters primarily to multinational companies willing to invest thousands of dollars to streamline their recruitment processes and tackle their high-volume hiring challenges. Teams with only a few hires throughout the year and budget constraints will find this RPO vendor overkill.
Additionally, Cielo’s UI is not very user-friendly, and it will take time to get the services up and running compared to more lightweight solutions such as XOR. To be fair, though, if you prioritize data analytics, what you’ll get from this RPO tool is worth the initial wait and investment.
Agilent, Renovate America, and Shawbrook Bank are some of Cielo’s customers.
Custom pricing is available on request.
Best For
Large, multinational enterprises looking for a global RPO partner will likely make the most of Cielo.
I love the digital accelerators; they are plug-and-play and allow us to hire top talent quickly. RPO is fast-paced and can get hectic, but with Talentcloud, it's like Cielo has thought about all of the pitfalls a recruiter can experience. From speed to shortlist, time to hire, quality of hire, and even candidate experience, they have it all covered. So much of the recruiting process is automated; the recruiter and candidate are reminded of the next step, and interviews are self-scheduled. Reporting and recruiting metrics are there to help with decision-making.
The market intelligence provided is very helpful in sourcing. The way the candidates feel by the end of the process makes me so happy, especially when compared to most other experiences they have. The AI with human intelligence saves so much time!
We were looking to deliver world-class customer service. We needed to differentiate ourselves and were going through a brand change, so we needed to make a significant statement. That included our ATS. Cielo has a reputation for meticulous communication and making customers feel extremely special and appreciated. They utilize AI backed by actual human intelligence, which was the final selling factor. Cielo has the perfect formula: people, process, and technology. They know that "The pace of change will never be this slow again."
After working with a variety of other systems, it takes a bit to get used to the automated parts of the process touchpoints. Sometimes I am looking for a specific candidate, but the artificial intelligence has not included this candidate as part of the selection process. Getting the integration done can be tedious if you want it done right, but it deserves the effort and time.
Cielo doesn't try to be everything; it focuses on being the best talent acquisition partner it can be. All they want to do is help the companies they work with be better than their competition.
Partnering with a company like Cielo can lead to a shift in your brand and your hiring process. It will definitely improve your candidate experience, so take advantage of all their offerings.
Yes, constantly improving. They change with the market and understand what we are up against and how things are changing.
Cielo is good for all types of companies, especially RPOs.
Cielo is not good for a very small organization.
XOR
XOR is an AI recruiting solution that uses an all-encompassing HR chatbot to screen candidates, reach out to them using their preferred communication channel, evaluate their qualifications, and connect them to a recruiter through automated scheduling.
PROS
- All-in-one platform for chatbot, scheduling, virtual career fairs, video interviews, and referral programs.
- Money-back guarantee for positions unclosed over 90 days.
- Easy implementation and navigation.
- Timely and helpful customer support.
- Language support includes German, English, French, Japanese, Romanian, Russian, Spanish, and Chinese.
- All-in-one platform for chatbot, scheduling, virtual career fairs, video interviews, and referral programs.
- Money-back guarantee for positions unclosed over 90 days.
- Easy implementation and navigation.
- Timely and helpful customer support.
- Language support includes German, English, French, Japanese, Romanian, Russian, Spanish, and Chinese.
CONS
- Minimum payment requirement of $5,000.
- Report customization options could be improved.
- Limited Help Center and self-service features.
- Minimum payment requirement of $5,000.
- Report customization options could be improved.
- Limited Help Center and self-service features.
XOR is made for teams looking to optimize candidate communication. The HR chatbot is the heart of this tool. This conversational AI is specialized in engaging candidates via multiple channels: people applying through job boards, the ones who have texted in to apply, individuals visiting your career sites, and those who are already in your ATS.
Back in 2020, customizing the chatbot’s questions and answers usually required contacting XOR support. Now, the software is much more flexible: it allows users to DIY how the chatbot assists candidates with minimal assistance from XOR’s side.
We like that you can call candidates through XOR, too. When you do so, the platform transcribes your phone conversations directly into your inbox—definitely handy for future reference and team coaching.
XOR dashboard serves as a single source of truth for all candidate communications. Things can easily get complicated with multiple channels in place, so we’re glad to see auto-applied tags based on candidate actions and stages.
However, the reporting feature is where this vendor falls short. XOR’s standard reporting dashboard is not bad, yet it doesn’t give you the freedom to fully customize it the way you want.
The XOR support team has been attentive and helpful in answering user queries. Unfortunately, as a fan of solid self-help support, its bare-bones help center didn’t live up to our expectations.
The last and perhaps most important thing to note about XOR is its required minimum payment of $5,000, which prices out many start-ups and small businesses. A money-back guarantee is offered for positions left unclosed over 90 days, which offers some peace of mind, though.
Mosaic, MARS, Leprino Foods, IKEA, Manpower, Pursuit, and Sutter Health.
XOR charges $500 per hire, with a minimum payment of $5,000 for 10 hires. If open positions remain unfilled for over 90 days, you get your money back. For more information, you can contact their sales team.
Best For
XOR is ideal for midmarket, large enterprises, and staffing agencies that hire blue-collar and hourly workers in the United States.
Analytics Search
Analytics Search is laser-focused on SMBs whose in-house candidate sourcing and screening processes are identified as less efficient. Pricing based on a fixed hourly rate means the selective RPO doesn’t charge additional placement fees when you hire someone they refer.
PROS
- Strong sourcing solutions.
- Full-circle communication with dedicated CMS on performance and insights on process improvements.
- No placement fees. No long-term commitment required.
- Strong sourcing solutions.
- Full-circle communication with dedicated CMS on performance and insights on process improvements.
- No placement fees. No long-term commitment required.
CONS
- Not ideal for end-to-end RPO.
- Tech capabilities and global footprint are not on par with major brands.
- Requires a minimum commitment of 10 hours per pipeline.
- Not ideal for end-to-end RPO.
- Tech capabilities and global footprint are not on par with major brands.
- Requires a minimum commitment of 10 hours per pipeline.
Unlike other RPO providers on this list, Analytics Search doesn’t do a bunch of RPO services but is laser-focused on helping SMBs with candidate sourcing.
The process starts with an in-depth discussion with the RPO sourcers so they can fully understand your ideal hire profile. It’s nothing new in this space, yet Analytics Search is one of the few, if not the only, that are upfront about what they do best AND what they do not, which we truly appreciate. This means they won’t try to keep you but be transparent from the start if the positions you’re looking for aren’t their specialty.
Following the discussion is an initial list of recommended prospects Analytics Search sends over to ensure alignment on target profiles. Then, the RPO provider will start the search and typically deliver within 5 to 7 business days. While the delivery time is not incredibly fast, the quality and clarity are spot on. You get the data you need on the prospects: their names, social profiles, companies, job titles, and contact information. The recommended candidates are highly relevant to your target profile. What’s more, there are weekly meetings where the RPO recruiters share feedback and offer insights and data points on improving your recruiting process.
Interestingly, Analytics Search’s pricing is hourly based and has no placement fees. Bear in mind, though, this RPO vendor does require a minimum commitment of 10 hours per pipeline.
By now you probably notice Analytics Search is not an ideal choice for enterprise RPO. When it comes to global presence and tech stack, it’s unfortunately not the best bet either. St. Petersburg, Florida is its one and only office (verse Randstad having 35 and Cielo having 17 worldwide), and other than X-Ray and Power Searches on search engines, there’s no notable tech investment from this vendor to be found in the past few years.
Valet Living, Squire, and Xvoucher.
Analytics Search operates on an upfront hourly rate pricing model. Its sourcing services start at $140 hourly, with a minimum commitment of 10 hours per pipeline.
Best For
Analytics Search is worth considering if you’re an SMB looking for extra help to increase top-of-funnel applicants.
ADP
Owing to its versatile HR technologies and the people behind the recruitment training product AIRS, ADP RPO provides great services for midsized teams to outsource their recruitment processes and payroll.
PROS
- Native, all-in-one technology suite for recruitment, payroll, and compliance.
- 17 RPO service centers in 14 countries and provide services in 42 different languages.
- Dedicated team of AIRS-certified recruiting professionals.
- Native, all-in-one technology suite for recruitment, payroll, and compliance.
- 17 RPO service centers in 14 countries and provide services in 42 different languages.
- Dedicated team of AIRS-certified recruiting professionals.
CONS
- Technology options outside ADP’s dedicated HR tools are limited.
- Technology options outside ADP’s dedicated HR tools are limited.
ADP RPO's cloud data ranks second on this list—behind only Korn Ferry. With 40 million data points collected from over 30 million employees and 90,000 organizations worldwide, ADP gains the intel needed to understand what effective recruitment and retention strategies look like for its clients.
To know exactly how customers feel about ADP RPO services, we contacted some for feedback. What they loved most about this vendor was the analytics that allowed them to benchmark industries and be more proactive in adapting to the talent market and economic trends.
In terms of ADP’s recruitment expertise, two things that caught our attention. First, each client, whether they outsource a part, some, or their entire recruitment process, receives a dedicated recruiting team. Second, the recruiting team members are thoroughly trained—each has earned 8 AIRS recruitment certifications and undergone over 30 TA training classes—and, according to some we spoke to, are knowledgeable and represent the clients’ brand well with the candidates.
One downside of this RPO firm is that if you exclude all ADP products, there are very few HR technology options left to choose from. ADP HR systems aren’t bad—they are quite the opposite—but this lack of choice does restrict flexibility for certain users.
The Hershey Company, Sparkle, IMI Americas Inc. & more.
ADP RPO has custom pricing.
Best For
ADP RPO is an excellent choice for midsized companies to outsource recruitment and payroll processes.
Randstad
Randstad Sourceright has one of the most capable advisor teams in the RPO space. This vendor has a solid track record of delivering excellent talent strategies and technologies based on customer needs.
PROS
- Offers managed services programs (MSP), career coaching, and outplacement alongside RPO.
- Talent intelligence services provide access to crucial local talent market insights.
- Project RPO available as a short-term recruitment solution.
- Offers managed services programs (MSP), career coaching, and outplacement alongside RPO.
- Talent intelligence services provide access to crucial local talent market insights.
- Project RPO available as a short-term recruitment solution.
CONS
- Lacks pricing transparency.
- Candidate experience isn’t very positive, with most complaints about not hearing back from Randstad recruiters after applying.
- Lacks pricing transparency.
- Candidate experience isn’t very positive, with most complaints about not hearing back from Randstad recruiters after applying.
Randstad Sourceright has a very solid talent advisor team. Once you engage their services, you’re supported by a team of advisors who will invest the time to 1- get to know your hiring needs in detail and 2- conduct market intelligence research to pinpoint the segmented target audience and design strategies that attract the right fit.
This commitment doesn't stop at research but extends to strategy deployment. The RPO recruiters are proactive at tapping into both external sources and the client’s internal talent pool and alumni database. Along the way, they make sure to offer intel on improving areas and insights into market trends that can refine the client’s existing recruitment process.
In addition to the enterprise RPO model, Randstad offers Project RPO—a similar service but applied to a defined recruitment project. We can imagine this will be handy for those entering new territories or sectors facing seasonal peaks in hiring demand, like retail.
However, this platform isn't a budget-friendly solution. Our research suggests its pricing is as high as Ceilo's, which may not be feasible for some SMBs.
We also spoke with individuals who have interacted with Randstad as job seekers. Unfortunately, their experiences were not universally positive. Many criticized Randstad's recruiters for not following up promptly or even failing to respond at all after email or phone screenings.
BASF, UCB, Philips, and KLM Royal Dutch Airlines.
Randstad’s pricing isn’t disclosed upfront because they tailor their offerings to each customer’s unique needs. Contact Randstad’s sales team to learn more.
Best For
Randstad is best suited for global businesses aiming to expand their talent search and management options across the Americas, Europe, and Asia Pacific regions. It's particularly helpful for those seeking to forecast talent needs and balance headcount.
PeopleScout
PeopleScout’s global presence is impressive, and the firm’s veteran advocacy also makes it a no-brainer for hiring U.S. Military veterans.
PROS
- Solid experience in veteran recruitment.
- Offers multi-country RPO, project-based RPO, talent advisory, and managed service provider services.
- Global presence with clients in 70+ countries and headquarters in Chicago, London, and Sydney.
- Newly released Accelerate model provides comprehensive recruitment features.
- Solid experience in veteran recruitment.
- Offers multi-country RPO, project-based RPO, talent advisory, and managed service provider services.
- Global presence with clients in 70+ countries and headquarters in Chicago, London, and Sydney.
- Newly released Accelerate model provides comprehensive recruitment features.
CONS
- High-end pricing.
- Accelerate model lacks out-of-the-box integration with other HR systems.
- High-end pricing.
- Accelerate model lacks out-of-the-box integration with other HR systems.
Owned by TrueBlue, PeopleScout is an end-to-end RPO company with multi-country services and talent advisory capabilities. The firm’s global footprint is second only to Ceilo on our list: serving over 300 global clients in more than 70 countries and over 20 languages, with offices in Chicago, London, Sydney, Toronto, Montreal, Bristol, Krakow, Gurgaon, Bangalore, New Zealand, and Singapore.
Besides its renowned global presence, veteran recruitment is another area where PeopleScout shines. It has its own Veteran Talent Community, which provides clients with access to thousands of active and passive veteran candidates. As we investigated customer records, it became apparent that most clients who have stayed with PeopleScout for years and even decades are those with high-volume veteran hiring demands.
In mid-2023, PeopleScout introduced its tech-powered RPO model, Accelerate, combining its recruiting professionals and a pre-configured Affinix talent acquisition technology suite, which can be up and running in just two weeks. Unfortunately, this model falls short regarding integrations—it can’t connect with any third-party HR system, meaning you either have to give up on your beloved existing tech stack or opt for the custom (and, of course, pricier) model PeopleScout offers.
Similar to options like Randstad, Ceilo, and Manpower Group, PeopleScout is also enterprise-level oriented and isn’t the right fit for startups and small companies.
PeopleScout has custom pricing.
Best For
Enterprise-sized businesses looking to outsource a portion or all of their global recruitment processes will likely benefit from PeopleScout services.
This was a business development alternative for agencies. While the core of business and contracts we generated was from warm leads or cold calling, certain employers either just used Peoplescout, or it was a great alternative if you needed to get a job or a few on your job board quickly. There was the ability to drill down by job specializations or company specializations. This was useful because if you were a Continuous Improvement recruiter, you wouldn't "bid" on a finance job. This helped keep agencies streamlined and working in their own lane. This was particularly useful because you may already have a candidate pool ready to go rather than starting from scratch.
If you are doing business development and getting nowhere or getting ignored due to company gatekeepers, Peoplescout is a great alternative to get a job or two on your board. You can search for jobs on the platform very easily by your personal specialization. While most of the companies on Peoplescout use the automated feature, some will schedule meetings or intakes with the group for Q&A. The feedback provided from candidate submissions is pretty good.
Peoplescout is a great resource for agency recruiters. It's a platform for different agencies to compete to fill hard-to-fill positions from various companies. Since we had to do business development, this was an alternative to cold calling. I used it for a couple of years. If you were struggling to sign contracts with businesses, this is a great alternative to bid on jobs on Peoplescout. When we first purchased it, we didn't know we would be competing with so many other organizations.
You are competing with various agencies. Since you are competing with so many agencies, it's likely that you have some strong warm candidates in your pool. If a candidate that you found goes and applies directly, you will not get paid for your placement, even if they had applied previously and were declined.
Korn Ferry and SmartRecruiters are probably the two biggest competitors. I have used SmartRecruiters, which is pretty similar, but I think Peoplescout has a better job board. SmartRecruiters does seem to have a bigger client base at this time. I have not used Korn Ferry as they are a competitor of Kelly, so that would be a conflict of interest for me.
How many of your recruiters are going to use this? You do have to pay by the number of users, and if you know some will not use it at all, it's best to start with one account and go from there. Don't let your agency recruiters rely solely on the jobs on Peoplescout. As a full desk recruiter, business development is still a key function, and you don't want them to shy away from warm leads or cold calling altogether. The fixed rate that each company sets and the percentage that Peoplescout keeps to turn a profit is often much less than a contract you could have negotiated on your own.
Peoplescout now has MSP capabilities, whereas before they were strictly an RPO provider.
Peoplescout is good for small to mid-sized agency companies.
Large companies would not benefit from Peoplescout, unless they are posting hard-to-fill jobs on Peoplescout.
Orion Talent
Orion Talent has a huge database of military and tech candidates and a team of seasoned recruiters that make them a top choice for employers hunting for talent in those fields.
PROS
- GuideOn - Orion Talent's technology platform comes with robust tech tools to streamline the entire recruiting process.
- Rich built-in talent database of military and technical talent.
- Available RPO solutions for enterprises, short-term hiring projects, and contingent talent needs.
- GuideOn - Orion Talent's technology platform comes with robust tech tools to streamline the entire recruiting process.
- Rich built-in talent database of military and technical talent.
- Available RPO solutions for enterprises, short-term hiring projects, and contingent talent needs.
CONS
- Limited multi-national RPO services compared to competitors.
- Doesn’t have a strong global footprint. No offices in APAC, MENA or Europe.
- Limited multi-national RPO services compared to competitors.
- Doesn’t have a strong global footprint. No offices in APAC, MENA or Europe.
Having acquired Novotus and Accolo in the last decade, it’s probably not an exaggeration to say that Orion Talent has some of the most comprehensive expertise and technology to handle full-cycle recruitment processes.
Getting on a demo with the RPO firm, we were quickly impressed with Orion Talent’s sales rep. They didn’t rush to close the sale. Instead, the call was informative and on point. The RPO vendor took the time to understand the challenges we were facing and what we needed, then returned to us with a unique recruitment strategy and a list of tech tools they believed would fit our goals.
Lately, Orion Talent has launched a new hiring service tailored for the aviation maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) industry. Despite being new, the product inherits extensive experience in filling veteran roles of the RPO company. Thanks to that, it has gained the trust of multiple brands, including FEAM Aero and Loar Group.
However, we suspect companies seeking multi-national RPO services won’t be satisfied with Orion Talent's offerings. Compared to other vendors mentioned in this buyer guide, U.S.-focused Orion Talent falls short in terms of its global footprint.
The pricing of Orion Talent’s services and tech tools isn’t disclosed upfront.
Best For
Midmarket organizations looking to fill military and technical roles will likely benefit from using Orion Talent RPO services.
ManpowerGroup
ManpowerGroup has been around for over 70 years and has provided RPO services for clients and candidates across 80 countries. It is also renowned for its bespoke talent training product.
PROS
- 70+ years of RPO experience.
- Tailored product (Experis) for IT professional resourcing and project-based talent hiring.
- Strong global presence (3,500 branch offices across 75 countries) with support for multiple languages.
- Advanced cloud data security and compliance solutions for healthcare clients.
- Academy Services programs offer specialized skills training in collaboration with IT businesses and educational institutions.
- 70+ years of RPO experience.
- Tailored product (Experis) for IT professional resourcing and project-based talent hiring.
- Strong global presence (3,500 branch offices across 75 countries) with support for multiple languages.
- Advanced cloud data security and compliance solutions for healthcare clients.
- Academy Services programs offer specialized skills training in collaboration with IT businesses and educational institutions.
CONS
- Candidate experience leaves room for improvement. Recruiters don’t follow up promptly with candidates.
- Candidate experience leaves room for improvement. Recruiters don’t follow up promptly with candidates.
ManpowerGroup is the third-largest RPO company globally (behind Adecco and Randstad) and boasts over 70 years in the business of placing contingent and permanent hires. This extensive tenure, combined with a client base of 100,000+ companies worldwide, positions ManpowerGroup as one of the most seasoned vendors in the market.
We were particularly drawn to ManpowerGroup's Academy service programs. Among all the RPO companies we've reviewed, few match this robust emphasis on talent training products.
Specifically, this vendor will shortlist candidates that meet the minimum entry-level criteria and then enroll them in Academy Learning Pathway Cohorts. These bespoke programs are designed to fill candidates’ skill gaps, and there are client assignments along the way to ensure they will perform well on the job.
Furthermore, given that upskilling and reskilling of staff is no longer an optional extra for businesses but a vital to-do, the option to extend programs to offer ongoing training to the workforce truly makes ManpowerGroup stand out in the marketplace.
Some good news for healthcare businesses: ManpowerGroup has recently announced partnership with ClearDATA to deliver dedicated cloud security, compliance tech, and expert support for those in the industry.
However, we were disappointed to find that the candidate experience across all of ManpowerGroup's franchises is not consistently positive. Many candidates have complained about recruiters' slow response to emails or return calls.
Not disclosed.
Best For
ManpowerGroup is best for large-sized organizations seeking an RPO partner with a strong skills training solution built-in.
Alexander Mann Solutions
AMS stands out for its solid expertise in executing DEI-embed RPO programs and early career recruitment strategies.
PROS
- Deep understanding of early career and DEI hiring.
- AMS One offers flexibility, providing both end-to-end solutions and seamless integration with existing technology stacks.
- AMS Verified allows talent leaders to search for and compare verified talent technology solutions.
- Deep understanding of early career and DEI hiring.
- AMS One offers flexibility, providing both end-to-end solutions and seamless integration with existing technology stacks.
- AMS Verified allows talent leaders to search for and compare verified talent technology solutions.
CONS
- Limited experience in military recruitment.
- Limited experience in military recruitment.
AMS stands shoulder to shoulder with reputable RPO brands like Cielo and JP Morgan. To date, the London-based vendor has over 1,000 experienced sourcers and TA experts, offers over 175 different options in its talent technology community, and comes with a strong global presence. India and the Philippines are the two markets where it is particularly well-known for its in-depth local knowledge.
AMS One is a new RPO offering that AMS launched in 2023 to provide users with a better level of flexibility, and it does deliver. As an AMS One customer, you can opt for the end-to-end RPO solution that covers your recruitment process from the get-go—sourcing, screening, and interview scheduling up to offer management and beyond. Alternatively, if your existing tech stack is already in good shape, you can simply keep it and integrate your recruitment with AMS One in a fully integrated way.
After looking into AMS’s customer base, we’re convinced this vendor has really good early careers services built-in. AMS’s campus recruitment strategy is scalable, with a global reach and a focus on diversity. This has helped the RPO company sustain its relationships with notable brands like Nestlé, Delta Air Lines, and Rolls-Royce.
All that said, AMS is on the more expensive side. Additionally, compared to other RPO companies we’ve reviewed, this vendor has limited capability regarding military hiring.
The pricing of AMS’ services and tech tools isn’t disclosed.
Best For
AMS is best for enterprises counting on an end-to-end recruitment process outsourcing solution to help them enter new markets and/or foster diversity hiring.
Sevenstep
Sevenstep’s talent trend reporting is highly sophisticated, and it has quite a solid client portfolio in the American and EMEA markets.
PROS
- Specializes in filling tech positions for Americans and EMEA-based companies.
- Advanced proprietary data analytics.
- Specializes in filling tech positions for Americans and EMEA-based companies.
- Advanced proprietary data analytics.
CONS
- Presence limited to the U.S., the U.K., and Canada.
- Presence limited to the U.S., the U.K., and Canada.
Sevenstep's RPO offerings are particularly favored by companies in North America or Europe, and it's not hard to see why. Founded in 2007, the vendor has maintained a sharp focus on providing talent solutions in specific regions where its human expertise and tech stack shine: the U.S., U.K., and Canada.
Sevayo Insights is Sevenstep's data analytics tool, and it's one of our favorites. This feature lets companies use data from their talent systems, going back as far as 12 years, to discover insights into the past and forecast future trends. We interviewed some of Sevenstep’s customers, and it became apparent how big of a role these analytics played in helping them spot issues and picture what kind of talent they'd need in the future.
Our main gripe about this vendor, however, is its relatively weak global presence. Sevenstep only has four delivery centers: two in the U.S., one in the U.K., and one in Canada. There are no footprints in Asia and Africa.
Sevenstep pricing is tailored to each customer’s requirements.
Best For
Sevenstep works best for companies based in the U.S. and Europe, particularly those looking to fill tech roles.
Korn Ferry
Korn Ferry is committed not only to bringing great new talent on board but also to nurturing the talent you already have. The vendor particularly focuses on workforce development, which goes hand in hand with its succession planning efforts.
PROS
- Intelligence cloud powered by over 5 billion data points.
- Offers services for multiple business challenges: recruitment, employee engagement, sales strategies, pay structures, and workforce development.
- Strong global footprint.
- Intelligence cloud powered by over 5 billion data points.
- Offers services for multiple business challenges: recruitment, employee engagement, sales strategies, pay structures, and workforce development.
- Strong global footprint.
CONS
- Doesn’t offer short-term RPO services.
- Doesn’t offer short-term RPO services.
The amount of data Korn Ferry used to train its HR technology is nothing short of impressive. Over 5 billion data points, ranging from engagement survey responses to rewards data and assessment insights power the intelligence cloud and make it one of the most capable recruitment engines available.
Creating career job architecture with this cloud is very easy. It can craft job descriptions and job evaluations almost instantly, so very little work from the user end is needed. We also like that the technology frequently goes over career paths and workforce designs to keep them relevant to the client’s business strategy.
A cool feature this vendor offers that other RPO firms we tested don’t is Success Profiles. It’s quite handy in helping you determine the skill set, behaviors, and mindsets needed of a candidate to be a good fit for any given role.
We should also mention Korn Ferry’s Pay, given how much clients praise this tool. Owing to the system’s vast pay data, the vendor’s technology can suggest compensation plans that consider both the client’s business strategy and their employees’ needs.
We generally expect short-term RPO services to be available in addition to enterprise RPO offerings. Unfortunately, Korn Ferry is all about the latter, not the former, just yet.
Korn Ferry’s pricing isn’t disclosed.
Best For
Companies looking for an RPO partner with an emphasis on workforce development and succession planning.
We use Korn-Ferry as part of our intake call when recruiting for executive positions. Part of the process includes the headhunter getting a deep dive of the position. The headhunter learns why the role is vacant and what type of projects/mandate the executive needs to accomplish. The headhunter also works with the internal recruiter to make the external offer.
- They have a deep network of passive professionals.
- They have bundled their TA services into offering other HR services such as Compensation, Benefits and Leadership Development.
- They have a great reputation as well.
We purchased Korn Ferry services for executive recruitment and have been using it for over 10 years. Our brand is a regional brand in the healthcare space. However, it doesn't have the visibility to recruit executives in higher-levels such as Finance, IT and Tech. In order to get the visibility of our employer brand we hired Korn-Ferry to see who they had in their executive network that wanted a change of pace and considered healthcare.
They can be expensive.
They are not just a staffing agency anymore they offer a suite of HR services and products.
- They should be aware that they have exhausted all their internal recruiting resources.
- Korn Ferry tends to have an automatic retainer for a search. Hence even if you cancel the position you may still have to pay them.
- The department needs to be prepared giving quick feedback when hiring presented candidates to keep the process moving along.
Large organization with deep pockets and ability to pay a premium.
Small organizations. There are many small boutique start-up firms that will give you a good contract and essentially work on competition for your behalf.
Pierpoint
Pierpoint has evolved significantly since 2021. Originally a staffing agency, the platform now covers almost any service you could ask for from an RPO partner: Enterprise RPO, project RPO, hybrid RPO, as well as recruiter-on-demand.
PROS
- Places talent across various regions, including the US, Canada, Europe, Middle East & Africa, Latin America, and Asia Pacific
- Supports in-person, remote, and hybrid models.
- Dedicated industry-specific solution architects for clients.
- Good track record of delivering results to mid-sized organizations.
- Tailors talent acquisition strategies to match client's needs.
- Option to choose technology and integration preferences.
- Great integration capabilities.
- Custom reporting package to keep clients well-informed.
CONS
- Talent coverage is primarily concentrated in North America, resulting in limited availability in other regions.
- Lacks a free trial option, and pricing is available upon request.
Pierpoint, with over two decades of experience, is a trusted name in the RPO field. They've earned their reputation by combining tried-and-true strategies with the latest RPO innovations to cater to a wide range of industries, from consumer goods and healthcare to technology and manufacturing.
For those whose talent needs span across continents and involve various work modes, Pinpoint can be a great choice. They provide comprehensive support in the US, Canada, Europe, Middle East & Africa, Latin America, and Asia Pacific, accommodating in-person, remote, and hybrid needs.
Pierpoint has a strong track record of delivering results, particularly for mid-sized organizations. They offer personalized talent acquisition strategies, along with industry-specific solution architects to cater to your unique needs. Flexibility is also a key feature. You get to choose your preferred technology and integration options, and Pierpoint seamlessly fits into your existing toolkit. Plus, they offer custom reporting packages to keep you informed every step of the way.
However, it's important to note that Pierpoint's talent coverage heavily favors North America, representing 62%. So, if your hiring focus is on regions like Asia Pacific or the Middle East & Africa, you might want to explore other options. Additionally, while it's not uncommon in this industry, Pierpoint doesn't provide a free trial, and their pricing details are not publicly available.
Pierpoint has served organizations like Accenture, Acceptance Auto Insurance, and Chipotle.
Pierpoint has custom pricing.
Best For
Pierpoint works best for midsized to large enterprises to place candidates in tech, life sciences, medtech, manufacturing, and consumer goods industries in the US, Canada, and Europe.
Avra
Avra is one of the most hands-on and advisory-based firms we’ve seen in the RPO world. They like to go in and not only help you find top talent but also identify ways to fix your recruiting processes.
PROS
- The team at Avra prefers to work with a guaranteed outcomes-based approach.
- They bring years of experience to the table with a unique roster of talent professionals and consultants.
- Avra is a very referrals-based RPO, which speaks to lengths on their client satisfaction and professionalism.
- The team at Avra prefers to work with a guaranteed outcomes-based approach.
- They bring years of experience to the table with a unique roster of talent professionals and consultants.
- Avra is a very referrals-based RPO, which speaks to lengths on their client satisfaction and professionalism.
CONS
- Since the company is currently relaunching after merging two smaller firms, the team might face some changes that require extra bandwidth to navigate.
- Avra is all about working side-by-side with your team to help put together the best workforce. Hence, companies expecting more of a, let’s say, nearly automated approach to the RPO model might not be the best fit.
- While somewhat international in scope, the Avra team is quite focused in the US. Companies looking to hire in other jurisdictions might find their range limited.
- Since the company is currently relaunching after merging two smaller firms, the team might face some changes that require extra bandwidth to navigate.
- Avra is all about working side-by-side with your team to help put together the best workforce. Hence, companies expecting more of a, let’s say, nearly automated approach to the RPO model might not be the best fit.
- While somewhat international in scope, the Avra team is quite focused in the US. Companies looking to hire in other jurisdictions might find their range limited.
We first heard about Avra through a friend. After exploring more and even hearing the experiences of some of the companies they have worked with, it was refreshing to learn of an RPO with such a ‘doer’ mentality, where they try to own as many recruitment and HR processes as you let them, on top of their strategic advisory services. They have provided this “people teams as a service” approach at places like Grindr, Sika, and Crux.
To go with an old adage (yet paraphrased), they try to teach you to recruit better instead of simply recruiting for you. Their services run the gamut from performance to compensation, employee experiences, and restructuring. They also offer a fractional ‘Biz CHRO’ approach, where one of them can help oversee your human capital evolution as if another member of your team.
Avra is the result of the recent merger between two smaller RPO firms, Avra Talent and Mindhire. While they used to operate as an almost entirely referrals-based business, they’re currently broadening their scope. Some of the stats we got from them are that they can reduce cost per hire by 50%, grow teams by 2-3X, and hire the majority of your C-suite. One of our favorite things about Avra is that they aim to not only enable your organization’s growth but unlock the full potential of your current and future workforce.
Avra are currently partnered with over 25 leading tech companies. Some recent names include Grindr, FastGrowingTrees, Crux, Sika, Brave Health, and A.Team.
Pricing for Avra is customized based on client needs, but generally speaking, their model is a monthly retainer for embedded talent support on a batch of roles.
Best For
US businesses in tech and other industries looking for a hands-on and tailored approach to recruitment and other human capital services. Since it can be customized to the client’s needs, Avra is a good fit for companies at all stages of their lifecycle.
Features: What You Can Expect From RPO Agencies
RPO companies essentially become your recruiting department. But you don’t necessarily need to use them for an end-to-end approach if you’re only looking for help in certain areas of your recruiting process. In fact, there are various RPO models that offer a different range of services. For example:
- End-to-end RPO: This full-service option handles all workforce recruitment activities for full-time employees. This includes everything from sourcing and screening candidates to making offers and onboarding new hires, building talent communities, leveraging data insights and other metrics to make smart hiring decisions, building employer branding, and more.
- Project RPO: Project RPO is when you outsource an end-to-end approach for a single, specific project but keep day-to-day hiring and recruiting in-house. For example, a retailer could use RPO to staff the newly opened store only. Then, for other one-off hires, they’d manage that internally as needed.
- Selective RPO: Selective RPO is when you outsource a specific part of the recruiting process. For example, you could just outsource the candidate sourcing and screening process if you’ve identified that as your least efficient in-house function.
Use Cases: Why Use Recruitment Process Outsourcing?
There are a variety of reasons why companies engage RPO firms. For starters, RPO allows companies to use their internal resources for business-building activities (not for time-consuming tasks like writing job descriptions, talent sourcing and screening, making offers, negotiating salaries, etc.). Other common use cases include:
- Increase in hiring needs: If your company is growing and you know you’ll be hiring a lot of new employees over a period of time, RPO might make sense as these companies can help you build out new teams for product launches, location expansion, and more.
- Tapped internal resources: If your internal talent team is unable to keep up with growing hiring demand and it’s taking too long to hire the right candidates, you might want to consider RPO. Similarly, if your internal recruiting process just isn't working well, your resources might be better spent on outsourced recruiting.
- More accountability: RPO firms use data and analytics to help you make better, faster hires, build strong employer branding, and meet your goals at scale. As a strategic partner, recruitment process outsourcing companies are motivated to succeed and reach your goals just as much as you are — and they provide metrics to show you what’s working and what’s not.
Benefits of Recruitment Process Outsourcing Services
Companies typically hire RPO firms to save time and money on recruiting. But that’s really just a fraction of the benefits you can reap. Here’s what to expect when you outsource your recruitment efforts:
- Find qualified candidates faster: Improve your talent pool by spending time only on the most qualified candidates. Plus, you’ll be able to build talent communities for niche and in-demand roles to source and engage qualified talent faster.
- Improve time-to-hire: RPO partner brings TA experts and advanced technology to equip you with the competitive edge you need to not only find the best talent faster but hire them faster too.
- Boost your employer branding: Since RPO companies work as an extension of your HR team, they’ll act as representatives from your company’s employer brand, not theirs and show talent why your company is a great place to work.
- Scalability: By leveraging market insights and talent analytics, RPO firms can help you build and manage a talent acquisition strategy that is specifically tailored to your hiring needs.
- Cost savings: You’ll likely see a reduction in your cost-per-hire since you’ll be able to hire better candidates faster.
- Better workforce: Top RPO firms approach recruiting with an eye on diversity, equity, and inclusion. According to recent data, organizations excelling in DEI are 2.4 times more likely to outperform their peers financially. On the other hand, 39% of job seekers avoid job opportunities due to perceived inclusivity issues, and 52% of employees consider leaving within two years for the same reason.
Considerations and Common Mistakes When Choosing an RPO Partner
Understanding your hiring needs before outsourcing them helps you narrow down your search to the right service providers and prevents you from wasting time and money on the ones that aren’t delivering the right results. Some key variables to ensure you make the right investment include:
- Employee status: Are you looking for permanent employees or temp workers? RPO partners only focus on the former, so if you need temp help, staffing agencies might make more sense.
- RPO company size: Small RPO partners tend to have a presence in the USA and maybe a few other countries. They are also typically focused on a few specialties or industries. Midsize RPO firms usually have a wider regional presence and cover a broader industry range. Large RPO companies can handball national, regional, and global recruitment for the broadest range of industries. What’s more, they’re typically owned by Professional Employer Organizations (PEO) and can help you with other human resource functions you might want to outsource.
- Scope of services: RPO solutions range from full-service to project-based, to selective. Some will work within your company’s existing recruitment processes by identifying areas of improvement and owning their implementation/management. Others will come in and implement a brand new end-to-end talent solution.
Recruitment Process Outsourcing Pricing
Recruitment process outsourcing costs vary, and most vendors don’t disclose their pricing. However, RPO companies typically charge monthly fees, project fees, cost-per-hire fees, or a combination of the three.
RPO Services Vs. Staffing Agencies: Full Comparison
What’s the difference between RPO services and staffing agencies? This question may pop up as you seek outside help to fulfill your recruitment needs. The following table lists the key factors that will help you distinguish these two models:
Demo Questions to Ask RPO Firms
As you think about your hiring needs, you should also prepare a list of questions to ask the RPO companies you’re considering for your company’s recruitment. Here are some questions to ask:
- What recruiting functions are included in your solution?
- Can you provide details about your recruiting team's experience and expertise?
- What industries and job roles do your recruiters specialize in?
- What sourcing strategies and channels do you utilize to attract top talent?
- Can you share examples of successful sourcing campaigns or initiatives you've implemented for similar clients?
- How long have you been providing RPO services? What types of organizations have you worked with?
- What technology platforms and tools do you utilize to streamline the recruitment process?
- What key performance indicators (KPIs) do you track to measure the success of your recruitment efforts?
- How do you ensure compliance with relevant employment laws and regulations during the recruitment process?
- How flexible are your contract terms? Can they be adjusted to meet changing requirements?
- What level of support can we expect from your team throughout our engagement?
- How often do you communicate with clients? What channels do you use for collaboration and updates?
- What is your pricing structure, and what factors influence the cost of your services?
- Can you provide insights into the potential return on investment (ROI) of partnering with your RPO firm?
Can you provide case studies or testimonials from clients that highlight your success in staffing positions similar to ours?
Recruitment Process Outsourcing FAQs
What is recruitment process outsourcing?
Recruitment process outsourcing is where an organization outsources some or all of its recruitment processes to an external provider. RPO companies often leverage technology and their personnel’s expertise to handle tasks such as sourcing, screening, and hiring candidates for their clients. This arrangement allows companies to access specialized talent acquisition services for better hiring outcomes while focusing on core business operations.
What is the difference between BPO and RPO?
Business process outsourcing (BPO) involves contracting third-party service providers to handle non-core business functions such as customer support, finance, or human resources. RPO is a subset of BPO that concentrates solely on outsourcing recruitment tasks like sourcing, screening, and hiring candidates. In short, BPO covers a wide range of business processes, while RPO is focused exclusively on recruitment needs.
What services do RPO providers offer?
Top RPO agencies provide a range of services tailored to optimize talent management processes, including contingent workforce solutions, executive search, niche talent acquisition (healthcare, tech, pharmaceutical, etc.), talent consultancy services, employer branding and candidate experience enhancement, recruitment technology integration, diversity and inclusion initiatives, workforce planning and analytics, onboarding and employee retention strategies, and compliance management.
Who is RPO for and who is it not for?
RPO companies are best placed to help organizations with frequent or high-volume hiring needs, entering new markets, or who need to free up internal resources. RPO companies are not a good choice for organizations that hire sporadically or that have urgent or temporary staffing needs. Staffing agencies are a better alternative in these circumstances.
What is the best recruitment process outsourcing company?
Some of the best recruitment process outsourcing firms are Cielo, Randstad Sourceright/Randstad Enterprise, PeopleScout, Orion Talent, ManpowerGroup, Alexander Mann Solutions (AMS), Sevenstep, Korn Ferry, Pierpoint, XOR, and ADP RPO.
Final Advice on Choosing Recruitment Process Outsourcing Companies
Recruitment process outsourcing companies lean on AI-powered recruitment technologies, proven talent marketing strategies, and their own innovative strategies to source, screen, engage, hire, and onboard the best candidates — all so you can spend your internal resources on other productive business areas and build a high-performing team.
If you’re not sure where to start, assess your existing recruiting practices to see if anything is stopping you from attracting and hiring top talent quickly. From there, you can work with RPO experts on recruiting strategies that work.
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