10 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.
RPO — or Recruitment Process Outsourcing — refers to the outsourcing of a company’s recruitment process to an external provider. Depending on the company’s needs, they can outsource a portion of their recruiting efforts or everything to do with recruiting to the external RPO firm.
Not to be confused with staffing agencies, RPO takes a more proactive approach to recruiting. Generally speaking, staffing agencies respond to companies’ requests for temporary or permanent workers by sourcing, screening, and onboarding candidates.
RPO providers serve as an extension of a company’s HR department - owning, designing, and managing their entire recruitment process. Responsible for results, they promote a company’s employer branding, build talent pools, prioritize diversity hiring, and leverage predictive talent analytics to help you make better business decisions.
But that’s not all. In this guide, we’ve outlined everything you need to know about RPOs so you can decide if it's right for you and pick the right RPO for your business.
Best Recruitment Process Outsourcing Companies
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, resulting in 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 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 gave special attention to RPO companies that prioritize data-driven decision-making. These companies provide robust reporting and analytics capabilities, allowing you to measure recruitment performance, analyze key metrics, and make decisions based on solid insights.
If you're curious to know more about our evaluation process, check this article on how we assess HR software.
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Cielo
There are many reasons to praise Cielo, but we’re particularly impressed by its massive global reach, operating in more than 100 countries and providing support in 39 different languages.
PROS
CONS
Cielo is a specialized Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO) and total talent acquisition provider that’s dedicated to ensuring their clients attract and hire better talent faster, all while providing stellar candidate experience. Committed to providing tailor-made solutions, Cielo’s team will immerse themselves in your industry, brand, and values to drive tangible outcomes.
Agilent, Renovate America, Shawbrook Bank
The pricing of Cielo’s services isn’t listed on their website. Contact their sales team for a custom quote.
Best For
Companies looking for a global RPO partner, providing services, tools, and support in multiple languages.
Randstad
Randstad Sourceright doesn’t believe in “one size fits all”. They’re a results-driven, tech-enabled Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO) company with experience in diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) recruitment practices.
PROS
CONS
Randstad Sourceright has talent advisors around the globe that focus on identifying untapped human intelligence. They first invest the time to understand the unique needs of each client, then develop and deploy strategies that attract qualified talent.
BASF, UCB, Philips, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines
The pricing of Randstad Sourceright’s services and tech tools 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.
Orion Talent
Orion Talent's technology, combined with the expertise of their seasoned recruiting team delivers on all metrics. With their help, you can expect better candidate quality — all while reducing your costs per hire.
PROS
CONS
Having acquired Novotus and Accolo, two outstanding Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO) companies in the last decade, Orion Talent has all the expertise and technology to handle your recruitment processes from A to Z. Upon evaluating your specific needs and challenges, Orion talent will devise and deploy a recruitment strategy, as well as provide recommendations on tech tools that will suit your needs.
The pricing of Orion Talent’s services and tech tools isn’t disclosed upfront. Contact their sales team to get a custom price quote.
Best For
Companies across different industries looking for a tech-enabled recruitment process outsourcing company.
ManpowerGroup
ManpowerGroup is an expert in recruitment process design: it analyzes your process, then proposes and deploys improvements that’ll boost your recruitment’s efficiency and outcomes. The platform has been among the best RPO for clients and candidates across 80 countries for over 70 years.
PROS
- ManpowerGroup is one of the most seasoned RPO providers in the industry. The solution has been around for more than 70 years.
- ManpowerGroup provides contingent and permanent recruitment and workforce management solutions in over 75 countries.
- ManpowerGroup’s Expris focuses on supplying skilled IT professionals and project-based talent.
- ManpowerGroup’s end-to-end talent lifecycle solutions take care of sourcing, assessing, developing, and managing talent.
CONS
- Lacks transparent pricing information.
- Support is available via phone, ticketing, and office visit. No live chat or 24/7 customer support.
- Lacks online user reviews for reference.
ManpowerGroup is recognized by industry analysts as one of the best global Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO) providers for leveraging data-driven insights, best-in-class technology, and in-house expertise to find, engage and deliver talent that accelerates business performance. The RPO is one of the most seasoned vendors in the market, with 70 years of experience providing contingent and permanent recruitment solutions for clients across 80 countries.
The pricing of ManpowerGroup’s services isn’t detailed on their website. Contact their sales team to get a custom price quote.
Best For
ManpowerGroup is best for medium to large-sized organizations looking for a seasoned RPO whose recruitment process design and in-house experts are the talk of the town.
Alexander Mann Solutions
AMS can tackle recruitment needs for both long-term and short-term workers. The solution also works across verticals, including Tech, Finance, and Retail, making it best for several purposes: entering new markets, closing talent gaps, scaling project teams, or optimizing hiring processes.
PROS
- Alexander Mann Solutions (AMS) provides a full-fledged recruitment service: scoping, sourcing, interviewing, contracting, and onboarding talent.
- AMS has a vast of solutions: Permanent hiring, contingent hiring, hourly hiring, talent advisory, and employer brand advisory.
- 32 AMS’s entities are located across the regions: from the US to Germany, Spain, China, Singapore, and India.
CONS
- Undisclosed pricing structure. You have to contact the Sales team for more details.
- Very little information regarding the product can be found.
Alexander Mann Solutions (AMS) takes on a business’ recruitment challenges and promises to put them at the leading edge of talent acquisition. With AMS, you’ll find candidates using up-to-the-minute sourcing methodologies as well as have access to innovative technology to help you streamline processes and save costs.
The pricing of Alexander Mann Solutions’ services and tech tools isn’t disclosed upfront because they tailor their offerings to each customer’s unique needs. Contact Alexander Mann Solutions’ sales team to learn more.
Best For
Alexander Mann Solutions is best for enterprises counting on an end-to-end recruitment process outsourcing solution to help them enter new markets, close short-term/long-term talent gaps, scale project teams, or optimize hiring processes.
Sevenstep
Sevenstep tailor-makes their offerings to each of their clients’ needs. Their custom solutions together with their proprietary technology are guaranteed to deliver top talent.
PROS
CONS
Sevenstep designs and delivers end-to-end, as well as project-based Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO) solutions for both permanent and contingent hiring programs. Whether delivering across one country or several continents, Sevenstep’s RPO offerings transform recruitment processes and resources to deliver top talent with speed, efficiency, and insightful guidance.
The pricing of Sevenstep’s services and tech tools isn’t disclosed on their website. Contact Sevenstep’s sales team to get a price quote based on the needs of your business.
Best For
Sevenstep serves companies of different sizes in Health Care, Manufacturing, Tech, Retail, Financial Services, and more.
Korn Ferry
Korn Ferry is not only committed to bringing great new talent on board, but also to nurturing the talent you already have. They particularly focus on leadership development, which also complements their succession planning efforts.
PROS
CONS
Korn Ferry’s RPO division, Futurestep, aims to deliver sustainable growth by bringing together business, organization, and people strategies. They will work with you to develop your existing workforce as well as fill vacant positions throughout your company with the right talent.
The pricing of Korn Ferry’s RPO services and tech tools isn’t disclosed upfront. Contact their sales team to get a custom price quote.
Best For
Companies looking for an RPO partner with an emphasis on leadership 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.
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
- XOR is highly rated for its ease of use, simple and clean interface, and excellent customer support.
- Besides XOR's database of over 1,000,000+ candidates, they also use AI digital marketing, virtual career fairs, and referral programs to attract and source the best talent for any role.
- According to users, XOR's automatic scheduler allows for seamless scheduling of interviews with screened candidates, saving recruiters significant time and effort.
CONS
- Unlike some recruitment software, XOR cannot be used as a candidate engagement solution to nurture candidates and create personalized multistage email sequences.
- At this point in time, XOR does not integrate with frequently used ATS solutions like Lever, BambooHR, ADP, and Workday.
XOR is a recruitment solution that helps SMEs, large enterprises, and staffing agencies hire blue-collar and hourly workers in the United States. Rooted in AI, XOR's HR chatbot attracts candidates through various channels, evaluates them through a series of questions, and then automatically fills recruiters' calendars with interviews with the best candidates. It is easy to set up, and you can start having the first interviews with qualified candidates in under 5 days. Feedback from recruiters is collected and used to improve screening quality.
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. The timeline for the first interviews is between 2 and 5 business days. For more information, you can contact their sales team.
Best For
XOR can be used by SMEs, large enterprises, staffing agencies, and RPOs that are looking to scale their teams at speed while keeping costs low.
Use Cases: Why Use Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO)
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, sourcing and screening candidates, making offers and 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. RPO companies can help you build out new teams for product launches, location expansion, and more.
- Tapped internal resources: If your internal 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, they 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.
Considerations & Common Mistakes for RPO
It’s important to understand your hiring needs before outsourcing them. That way, you can tailor your search to a provider that is best suited to meet your needs — and you won’t be stuck paying for an RPO firm that isn’t delivering the right results. To ensure you make the right investment, consider the following variables:
- Employee status: First things first: 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.
- Firm size: RPO companies range in size from small to midsize to large. Here’s how they differ:
- Small RPO firms tend to be regionally focused and/or only focus on a few specialties or industries.
- Midsize RPO firms work regionally and nationally and cover a broader industry range.
- Large RPO firms recruit on a regional, national, and global scale 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: As we outlined in the previous section, RPO solutions range from full-service to project-based, to selective. Some will work within your company’s existing processes by identifying areas of improvement and owning their implementation/management. Others will come in and implement a brand new end-to-end solution. As you’re weighing your options, think about what you need and then discuss your needs with them to see how their services might be a good fit.
Benefits & ROI: How RPO Firms Can Help With Your Talent Acquisition & So Much More
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 recruiting and retention efforts:
- Find better, more qualified candidates: 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.
- Faster time-to-hire: With a more efficient recruiting funnel, you’ll not only find the best talent faster — you’ll be able to hire them faster too. This is because your RPO partner will create a better candidate experience, come up with a competitive offer based on their salary insights, and leverage your employer brand to show them why your company is a great place to work.
- Consistency in employer branding: Since RPO companies work as an extension of your HR team, they’ll act as representatives from your company and employer brand, not theirs. They’ll help evangelize your employer branding and company culture to attract and retain the best talent.
- Scalability: Leveraging market insights and talent analytics, RPO firms will build and manage a top-notch talent strategy for your company, ensuring it’s flexible enough to handle hiring needs of all kinds.
- 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: RPO firms approach recruiting with an eye on diversity, equity, and inclusion.
To see how all of this can actually improve your bottom line, check out our HR Tech ROI Calculators.
Pricing: What RPO Providers Cost
Pricing ultimately depends on your needs and the RPO solution you end up choosing. Typically, it is based on monthly fees, project fees, cost-per-hire fees, or a combination of the three. As you discuss your questions and needs with RPO providers, make sure to get a clear sense of how their pricing model works. Better yet, get a quote from them so you’ll know exactly how much their services will end up costing you.
Features: What You Can Expect From RPO Providers
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 a certain area of the recruiting process. In fact, there are a variety of 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, build employer branding, and more.
- Project RPO: Project RPO is when you’d outsource an end-to-end approach for a single, specific project, but keep day-to-day hiring and recruiting in-house. For example, if you’re launching a new product or opening a new store, you could use RPO to hire for that only. Then for other one-off hires, you’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.
Demo Questions: What to Ask RPO Firms About Their Recruiters, Sourcing, Staffing Experience & More
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 methodology do you use to find qualified candidates and hire the best talent?
- What recruiting functions are included in your solution?
- When, if at all, will our internal hiring managers collaborate with your team?
- How do you typically approach onboarding?
- Are employee retention efforts included?
- How does your pricing model work?
Implementation: How to Get Started With Outsourced Recruitment Solutions
Onboarding an RPO solution isn’t going to happen overnight. Their reps will need to work closely with your hiring managers to ensure they are equipped to own your company’s entire recruiting process. Be prepared to spend some time with them upfront to get them up to speed, and understand that your relationship won’t be the “set it and forget it” kind. There will be ongoing collaboration as your company grows and your hiring needs change.
To find out exactly how long this process will take, ask ahead of time what they’ll need from you to get started, and what you can expect on an ongoing basis.
Next Steps for Your Recruitment Process Outsourcing
Business process outsourcing has been around for a while — especially for recruiting. RPO firms lean on 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 company.
They’ll be your partners in talent strategy and use a combination of AI-powered recruitment technologies, proven talent marketing strategies, and smart employer branding efforts to help you build a scalable recruiting process and strong workforce.
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 a talent solution that works.
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