commission-splits
Staffing firms do not have split issues at the edge. They have them at the core. The client owner, the recruiter, the delivery team, the branch, and sometimes another office all have a plausible claim on the same economics. The challenge is not proving one universal ratio. The challenge is
pay-mix
Staffing and recruiting pay mix works differently from most sales models because the key economic unit is often gross profit, not just booked revenue. That is the right starting point. The harder question is how much volatility the firm wants each recruiter or desk to absorb. If the answer is
quota
Staffing quota is measured in gross profit, not revenue — and the GP curve for a perm desk looks nothing like a contract desk. Most firms set a single GP target anyway.
ramp
Staffing has the longest ramp in sales — 9-12 months to a full desk. The industry defaults to recoverable draws. The research says that's the wrong instrument.
draws
Staffing uses draws more than almost any other industry — and gets them wrong more than almost any other industry. The GP accumulation curve is the root cause of both.
accelerators
Staffing comp is built on gross profit, not revenue — and that one difference changes almost everything about how accelerators work. Here's what to know before you design one.