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Looking to Hire

Hire Skilled Trades talent without running the search.

You run the shop. We run the search: sourcing, screening, offer management. No up-front fees, and a replacement credit if the hire does not work out.

Open the estimator

Talk to a recruiter+1 (888) 305-0102

Johnny, a heavy-duty mechanic, standing with arms crossed in a truck service bay

MasterTech recruits Skilled Trades technicians for employers across the United States and Canada on a direct-hire basis. We learn what you need, search our own network rather than a job board, verify tickets and experience, schedule interviews, and manage the offer.

We work on contingency: no up-front fees, the fee agreed to in writing before the search starts, and the invoice sent only after your new hire starts. If the hire does not work out shortly after they start, your fee converts to a transferable replacement credit and we restart the search.

The process

Four steps from search to start date.

  1. Talk

    A 15-minute call covers the role, the rate, the shift and the equipment. The fee is agreed to in writing before we start.

  2. Shortlist

    Tickets, licenses and hands-on experience are verified before a resume reaches your desk. You get a shortlist, not a stack.

  3. Interview

    Interview decisions stay with you. Meet candidates by phone, online, or in person. We’ll book the meetings and ensure attendance.

  4. Hire

    Offer, counter-offer and start date managed end to end. One invoice, after your new hire starts.

Fees

How much do recruitment agencies charge for a trades hire?

Permanent placement fees are quoted as a percentage of what the hire costs you in their first year, meaning wage plus burden rather than base salary alone. Most permanent-placement recruiters charge between 20% and 30% of the hire’s first-year employment cost, with the exact figure set by how hard the role is to fill and how many people are being hired. MasterTech works on contingency: the fee is agreed in writing before the search starts and invoiced only after your hire starts.

For example, a technician on $40 an hour with a 20% burden, working 40 straight-time hours a week across a 52-week year, costs $99,840 a year to employ. At a typical 20% fee, the one-time recruitment cost is $19,968. That same technician, billing 40 hours a week at a $150 charge-out rate, produces $312,000 of revenue, which leaves $212,160 of service profit. The fee is roughly five weeks of what the empty bay is already costing you.

Add overtime and both sides move. Overtime hours are paid at 1.5 times the hourly rate and billed to your customer at the same charge-out rate, so the sliders show you exactly where the extra hours stop paying for themselves.

Check the math with your own numbers in the estimator below.

Do the math first

What is the vacancy costing you?

dollars per hour, 75 to 350
dollars per hour, 20 to 100
percent, 10 to 40
percent, 1 to 200
hours, 0 to 60
hours, 0 to 60

An empty bay costs you

$17,680/month

$212,160 in lost service profit per year

Revenue per year
$312,000
Employee cost per year
$99,840

We work on contingency: no up-front fees, and you are invoiced only after your new hire starts.

Hiring models

Direct hire or temp staffing: which is right for a trades role?

The two models bill differently and suit different problems. MasterTech works on the direct-hire side.

  • Who employs the technician

    Direct hire
    You do, from day one
    Temp staffing
    The staffing agency does

  • When you pay

    Direct hire
    Once, after the hire starts
    Temp staffing
    An hourly markup for as long as they stay

  • Typical cost

    Direct hire
    Across the industry, typically 20% to 30% of first-year employment cost, paid once
    Temp staffing
    Ongoing markup on every hour billed

  • Best suited to

    Direct hire
    Roles you intend to keep filled permanently
    Temp staffing
    Surge work, seasonal cover, leave coverage

  • Available from MasterTech

    Direct hire
    Yes
    Temp staffing
    No. We do not offer temp or contract staffing

MasterTech places on a direct-hire basis only. Most good Skilled Trades professionals do not want temp or contract work, so most temp searches target a smaller and weaker pool than a permanent one.

Industries we recruit for

From diesel mechanics to data center professionals, we have you covered.

One recruiting team. If your shop runs it, we recruit for it.

Explore the industries we cover

Vehicles & Equipment

Shop & Facility

Energy & Infrastructure

Management & Support

Employer FAQ

Straight answers.

How much does it cost to hire through MasterTech?
MasterTech works on a contingency basis. Fees in Skilled Trades recruitment are normally quoted as a percentage of the hire’s first-year cost. The exact figure depends on how hard the role is to fill and how many hires are in the intake call; MasterTech agrees its fee in writing before any search starts.
Do you do temp staffing or only direct hire?
Direct hire only. MasterTech does not offer temp or contract staffing. Every candidate we place goes onto your payroll from day one, so there is no ongoing markup on their hours. Most good Skilled Trades professionals do not want temp or contract work, which is why a permanent search reaches a stronger pool.
How fast can you fill a role?
Depends on multiple factors: the wage, hours, location, scarcity and complexity of the role, as well as willingness to entertain or even support relocations. MasterTech is not compensated until the role is filled, so we are motivated to close roles within a matter of days or weeks.
What happens if the hire does not work out?
If the hire does not work out shortly after they start, your fee converts to a transferable replacement credit and we restart the search. If something unexpected happens, contact your recruiter, who will be happy to evaluate how we can help.
If I need to replace someone at a different location or a different job, can I do so?
Yes. The replacement credit transfers: apply it to a different role or a different location, and we start that search right away.
Which trades do you cover?
A growing list of industries: heavy duty diesel, aviation, CNC, welding and fabrication, electrical, industrial and millwright, marine, locomotive and rail, HVAC, power generation, alternative energy (wind, solar and battery storage), data centers, engineering and construction management, fire and security, packaging, injection molding, dock and door, telecommunications, industry professionals such as service managers and advisors, and technical sales.
Where do you recruit?
Across the United States and Canada. Searches run nationally rather than by branch, so a hard-to-fill role is not limited to the technicians who happen to live within commuting distance of one office.
Do you charge anything before we hire someone?
No. The search, the screening and the shortlist are unpaid work on our side. If none of our candidates are right, you owe nothing.

Talk to the MasterTech team

+1 (888) 305-0102