Recruitment, without Recruiters
A Digital Recruiter that runs your entire hiring process. Sourcing, screening, shortlisting. Candidates ready to interview, all over email.
Trusted by top companies around the globe
We spent over a decade refining how the world's best teams hire. Now those proven processes are systemised for your roles.
We're not a fly-by-night AI outfit.
Referment has been a recruitment firm since 2016. Long before AI was the story, we were the people behind the hires for 15 of the top 20 hedge funds in the world, the most demanding clients in finance, where one bad placement can cost millions and timelines are measured in days.
We've lived the process. We've felt the pain of slow agencies, missed candidates, and broken pipelines. We know what good recruitment looks like because we've been doing it for nearly a decade. Then we built a better way.
Today we recruit everywhere. Legal roles in Dubai. Sales in New York. Engineering in London. Wherever you are, whatever the role, we can help.
No software. No setup. Just email.
Your Digital Recruiter is not a platform you have to learn. There is nothing to install, nothing to plug into your ATS, no logins to manage. You brief the role over email, you get updates and shortlists over email, and that is it.
It is the closest thing there is to having an in-house recruiter sat next to you, except it works through every weekend and evening, and only costs you anything if it finds you a hire.
Other ways you might hire, and how Referment stacks up.
Most SMEs choose between four traditional approaches. Here is what each one costs, what it takes from you, and where a Digital Recruiter is different.
| DIY (job board) | Recruiter | Embedded RPO | Internal talent team | Referment | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| What you pay | £100s in ad fees + your time |
£10–20k per hire (15–25% of salary) |
£8–15k/mo per recruiter + desk & tooling |
£50–100k+ salary + NI, pension, benefits, desk & tooling |
10% of first-year comp Only when you hire |
| Time to first shortlist | 2–4 weeks | 1–2 weeks | 1 week | 1 week | Days |
| Working hours | Spare time only | Mon–Fri, office hours | Mon–Fri, office hours | Mon–Fri, office hours | 7 days a week, around the clock |
| Onboarding | Job board accounts | Briefing call + contract | Multi-week setup | Hire & train them first | Nothing, just email |
| Lock-in | Per job | Per-role contract | 3–6 month minimum | Permanent hire | None. Pay only on hire |
Common questions
Quick answers about how Referment’s AI Recruiter works, what it costs, and how it differs from a traditional recruitment agency.
What is a Digital Recruiter?
A Digital Recruiter is Referment’s AI-powered recruiter that handles sourcing, screening, candidate management and shortlisting over email. It works like an in-house recruiter, without holidays, sick days, or an upfront retainer.
Is this just AI, or is there a real recruiter behind it?
AI does the heavy lifting on every CV review and shortlist decision, with a real recruiter overseeing the relationship. The experience for you is just clean, simple email.
How is Referment different from a recruitment agency?
Traditional recruiters charge 15–25% of salary on placement. Referment charges 10% of first-year total compensation, and only when your hire actually starts. Same contingent model, lower rate, AI doing the heavy lifting.
How fast will I see candidates?
Your first qualified candidate typically lands in your inbox within 2 to 3 days of briefing the role.
Is there a retainer or upfront cost?
No. There is no retainer, no engagement fee and no monthly subscription. You only pay when you hire. The fee is 10% of the successful candidate’s first-year compensation.
Less wasted time.
More people time.
Our Digital Recruiters handle the friction.
