FAQ

Laperle is a recruitment agency that answers employers' real questions, not corporate talking points. We recruit for companies that have no time to waste and want qualified candidates, not applications to sort through. For 8 years, we have filled more than 1000 positions in sectors as different as construction, accounting, and sales. If you have a question about recruitment, headhunters, or how we work, you will probably find your answer here.

Recruitment

What is a recruitment agency and why would my company need one?

A recruitment agency takes care of searching, approaching, and selecting candidates on your behalf. Unlike a job posting, we don't wait for candidates to apply. We contact them directly, even if they are already employed elsewhere. That is what we call headhunting. For a company that doesn't have the time to sort through dozens of resumes or manage unproductive interviews, working with a recruiter means getting back time to focus on what truly matters: keeping your organization running.

Is a recruitment firm a good fit for Quebec SMEs?

It is actually an even better fit for SMEs than for large companies. A large organization generally has a dedicated HR team for recruitment. An SME, on the other hand, often assigns this mandate to a manager or director who already has far better things to do. Every hour spent going through resumes is one less hour on operations. A recruitment firm gives you access to a complete and structured process without having to build that expertise in-house.

How much does a headhunter cost?

Laperle's fees represent 17% of the hired candidate's annual salary. This amount is only invoiced at the time of hiring: without results, you pay nothing. We also offer a 3-month replacement guarantee starting from the employee's first day of work. If the candidate leaves or is not retained during this period, we restart the complete recruitment process at no additional cost.

Is headhunting only for senior leadership positions?

No. Headhunting applies to all types of positions, regardless of the level in the hierarchy. A bad director is costly, that is true. But a poor employee on the floor or an assistant who is not the right fit can have equally significant consequences on your operations. And a vacant position that lingers costs money every day. Headhunting allows you to fill any position quickly, with someone who truly matches your criteria.

You only pay if you hire: how does success-based compensation work with Laperle?

It is simple. We handle the needs analysis, prospecting, interviews, and candidate pre-selection. You only meet profiles that are worth your time, and until that moment, you have nothing to pay. The amount is due only on the employee's first day of work. And because we focus on lasting results, we include a 3-month replacement guarantee: if anything happens with the candidate within that period, we restart the process at no cost.

Fields

How do you distinguish a true top performer from a good interviewer in sales?

A true salesperson does not sell themselves through monologue. They ask questions, they listen, and they adapt their approach in real time. From the very first call, a good sales recruiter can feel it. The candidate who over-explains, who answers questions that were not asked, or who spends the entire interview talking about themselves without ever trying to understand your company is rarely the one who will close deals. We look for someone who is curious, efficient with their words, and capable of building trust quickly. That is exactly what we evaluate before presenting them to you.

What is the difference between a coordinator and an assistant?

The coordinator organizes. They plan your days, structure your files, act as the liaison between different stakeholders, and make sure deadlines are met. Their role is oriented toward managing flows, projects, and people. The administrative assistant frees you from repetitive daily tasks. They manage your correspondence, prepare your documents, coordinate your logistics, and make sure everything that needs to get done gets done, without you having to worry about it. One structures you, the other saves you time. In large organizations, the two often work in complementarity.

How do you validate proficiency with office tools before the interview?

Our process starts before the first meeting. We conduct a preliminary phone interview to evaluate the way the candidate describes their tool proficiency, the software they cite spontaneously, and the precision with which they talk about their work habits. We also look at their certifications, particularly Microsoft Office attestations for Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, which remain the reference in administrative settings. For candidates who advance in the process, practical tests can be used to validate the actual level on concrete tasks, such as formatting a document or managing a data table. We never present someone to you based on a self-assessment.

How do you choose the right accounting staff profile based on your company's size?

It depends primarily on your transaction volume and the complexity of your finances. A company just starting out can make do with an accounting clerk for data entry and outsource its financial statements to an external firm. But as revenue grows, your accounting firm's fees also increase. At a certain threshold, hiring an in-house accounting technician becomes more cost-effective than outsourcing all operations. For fast-growing companies or those managing multiple entities, an in-house financial controller or CPA quickly becomes indispensable. We help you assess which level of accounting staff truly matches your current needs, not what you think you need.

How does manufacturing recruitment work for highly specialized positions?

Niche plant positions are something we recruit for year-round. There is always someone in your region who has the experience you need, who has already worked with your type of product, or who masters the specific equipment on your production line. Our manufacturing recruitment is precisely about finding that person, wherever they may be. We are not limited to candidates who are actively looking. We prospect the entire market to deliver the right profile to you.

Headhunting

How does a headhunter manage to reach the best candidates?

It starts with research. A resume left on a job site a few years ago, an active or inactive LinkedIn profile, a mention in an industry article. Once the right profile is identified, we find a way to contact them. Our preferred approach is the phone, because it is direct and human. But if the number cannot be found, we do not stop there. Professional email, LinkedIn messaging, and if necessary, a call to the company where the person works to obtain their contact information. We do not lack imagination, and we do not let go until we have the person on the line.

What does a non-exclusive headhunting service concretely mean for the employer?

It means you keep all your options open. You can continue recruiting on your own, post your position on whatever platforms you want, call on other agencies at the same time, and work with us in parallel, with no base fees and no minimum commitment. If you find the candidate before we do, you owe us nothing. We are paid only if you hire someone we presented to you. In plain terms, calling on a non-exclusive headhunter means adding a resource to your recruitment efforts without taking anything away from what you are already doing.

How quickly can you realistically find a qualified employee through a headhunter?

Depending on the position and the availability of both parties, you can meet candidates in interviews in less than 48 hours. Prospecting, initial contacts, and pre-selection happen quickly when the mandate is well defined from the start. As for the start date, it is often a matter of notice period with the candidate's current employer. If you need someone quickly, we know it and we manage this aspect with the candidate to find the best way to accelerate their transition.

How can a recruitment service cost less than a vacant position that lingers?

An open position is a loss every week. Job ads running on employment platforms, management time spent sorting through resumes, directors mobilized for unproductive interviews, colleagues who must absorb the workload of the missing position, and clients who are waiting. All of this accumulates well before a hire materializes. A fast recruitment service gets you out of this cycle in a few days rather than several weeks. And since we are paid only upon hiring, every day we save you is a net saving for your organization.

Does the timeline change depending on location?

Yes, location has an impact. We cover all of Quebec, but the pool of available candidates is not the same in Montreal, Quebec City, or a more remote region. A highly specialized position located far from major urban centers will require more research and a broader network to identify the right profiles. It remains achievable in all cases, but a slightly longer timeline should be expected depending on the combination of position type and region. This is something we assess from the needs assessment to give you a realistic estimate from the start.

Can a recruitment firm in Montreal also cover Laval and the South Shore?

Yes, and well beyond. We cover all of Quebec. Our candidate pool includes the greater Montreal metropolitan area, Laval, the South Shore, Montérégie, the Laurentians, Lanaudière, Beauce, Abitibi, and other administrative regions depending on the mandate's needs. Regardless of where your company is located, our proactive approach allows us to find candidates wherever they are without limiting ourselves to those who live ten minutes from your office.

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