The Six-Month Trap: Why Staffing Agencies Quietly Bleed You Dry

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A friend of mine who runs a seven-figure e-commerce brand called me last week. He was about to sign with a near-shoring partner for a few roles in Latin America. Before pulling the trigger, he wanted a gut check.

I looked into the company. It was a staffing agency.

What I explained to him next changed his decision and saved him from quietly bleeding tens of thousands of dollars.

The Hidden Math of the Staffing Model

Here’s how the offer was structured: $3,000 per month for a marketing specialist.

What wasn’t in bold print? The professional would only see $2,000 of that. The agency would pocket $1,000 every single month as a markup.

Run the numbers:

• 6 months: $6,000 in fees to the agency

• 12 months: $12,000 in fees

• 24 months: $24,000 in fees

• 36 months: $36,000 in fees

By the six-month mark, you’ve already paid the equivalent of a standard recruiting fee. Every month after that is just a middleman tax.

The Quality Gap

The financial drain is obvious. The hidden cost is the mismatch between what you think you’re paying for and what you actually get.

You believe you’re hiring for a $3,000-per-month role. You expect a certain level of skill and initiative. But the person in the seat is working a $2,000-per-month job.

That gap creates frustration on both sides. You’re disappointed with the performance. They feel underpaid for the expectations placed on them. It’s a model that sets both sides up to fail.

Now there is one narrow exception. 

For executive assistants, the staffing model can actually work. 

The reason isn’t cost. It’s training. 

An EA doesn’t just need to learn their role; they need to learn how you personally operate: your calendar, your preferences, the way you make decisions. 

In those cases, having an embedded partner guide both you and the assistant can add real value. That’s why we run a staffing-style model for EAs, but for no other roles

A Better Model: Direct Hire, Flat Fee

Recruiting partners like Go Carpathian work differently.

We charge a one-time flat fee to find, vet, and place a candidate. You hire them directly. They work for you, not for us. The salary you pay goes entirely to them.

If you hire a $3,000-per-month marketing specialist through us, your total cost over three years is $108,000 in salary plus a single recruiting fee. 

Compare that to $144,000 through a staffing agency, where $36,000 of that is markup with no added value.

The incentives are aligned. We only succeed if you get a long-term hire who sticks. That’s why every placement comes with a satisfaction guarantee. Staffing agencies get paid as long as they keep a seat filled, regardless of performance.

Why This Matters

This isn’t just about saving money. It’s about building a team that actually works.

Direct hiring means:

• Your team member is paid what you think they’re paid

• You build loyalty and culture directly with them

• You avoid the permanent drag of a middleman tax

Paying a subscription to keep one seat filled isn’t a hiring strategy. It’s a business tax.

Book a 30-minute Discovery Call.

Until next time,

Nathan