The verdict in three sentences
An executive search firm that still receives CVs by email loses candidates, screening time and credibility with the banks, industrial groups and construction firms it serves. A site with 40 live roles published properly, a candidate portal that sorts applications by profile and a clear retained search offer costs £15,000 to £40,000 in London or C$20,000 to C$55,000 in Toronto, delivered in 6 to 10 weeks. With fees of 15 to 25% of first-year salary, a single senior placement covers the project.
The hidden cost of the inbox
The pattern is familiar: a role posted on LinkedIn, an email address at the bottom, then 150 to 400 CVs as attachments per position. The consultant opens each file, renames it, files it, answers follow-ups. Across 40 live roles, that manual screening easily absorbs 25 to 35 hours a week for a team of 4 consultants.
Time is not the only problem. A CFO at a bank in the City or on Bay Street does not send a CV to a generic inbox. They want to know who they are dealing with, how their data will be handled and whether the role is real. On the client side, an HR director judges the firm on its presence: practice pages, search method, timelines, references.
| Situation | With the inbox | With a site and candidate portal |
|---|---|---|
| Screening time per role | 6 to 9 hours | 1.5 to 2 hours |
| Usable CVs per profile | unsorted | filtered by sector, experience, location |
| Reusable talent pool | scattered across mailboxes | searchable database, with consent |
| Image with senior executives | weak | identifiable firm, clear process |
| Application tracking | none | acknowledgement, status |
| Data compliance | uncontrolled | retention and consent logged |
What the site must do
The site serves two audiences that should be separated from the homepage. For clients: one page per practice (finance and banking, industrial, construction and engineering, consumer and retail), the search method, average time to shortlist, replacement guarantees and a brief form. For candidates: a filterable list of roles (sector, city, seniority, indicative salary), one page per role, a CV upload that takes under 3 minutes on mobile, and a qualified speculative application.
Profile sorting relies on a few well-chosen fields: years of experience, sector, function, qualifications, languages, mobility. The consultant then opens a sorted list instead of an inbox. For confidential searches, roles stay anonymous: the site shows "Chief Financial Officer, industrial group, Toronto" without the client's name.
Compliance matters. In London, UK GDPR applies; in Toronto, PIPEDA governs private-sector personal data. In practice: explicit consent at CV upload, a stated retention period (24 months for example), rights of access and deletion, secure hosting.
Budget and payback
Here is a 2026 order of magnitude for the build.
| Scope | London (GBP, excl. VAT) | Toronto (CAD) | Timeline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Practice pages, simple roles list | 6,000 to 12,000 | 8,000 to 16,000 | 4 to 6 weeks |
| Filterable roles, blog, analytics | 12,000 to 22,000 | 16,000 to 30,000 | 6 to 8 weeks |
| Candidate portal, profile sorting, confidential roles | 22,000 to 40,000 | 30,000 to 55,000 | 8 to 10 weeks |
| Recruitment CRM / ATS subscription (alternative) | 1,500 to 6,000 a year | 2,000 to 8,000 a year | 2 to 4 weeks |
For reference, Kolonell's showcase grid runs from 800,000 to 3,500,000 FCFA (1,220 to 5,340 EUR), and a full applicant tracking application is a custom build starting at 2,500,000 FCFA (3,810 EUR).
| Role placed | Indicative base salary (2026) | Fee at 15% | Fee at 25% |
|---|---|---|---|
| Financial controller, London | £75,000 | £11,250 | £18,750 |
| Construction project director, London | £110,000 | £16,500 | £27,500 |
| Sales director, Toronto | C$170,000 | C$25,500 | C$42,500 |
| CFO, Toronto bank subsidiary | C$280,000 | C$42,000 | C$70,000 |
| Managing director, London | £220,000 | £33,000 | £55,000 |
These salaries are 2026 orders of magnitude for experienced executives and vary by group and package. The point is clear: one sales director placement at 20% earns C$34,000, more than the cost of a mid-range build.
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Mini case study
Daniel runs a 4-consultant search firm in Toronto with 40 live roles. He commissions a candidate portal site for C$38,000, with C$900 a month of maintenance, C$48,800 in year one.
CV screening drops from 30 to 10 hours a week for the team: 20 hours freed, roughly 900 hours over 45 weeks, reinvested in sourcing and client follow-up. The site also brings 6 inbound briefs in the year, 2 of them signed: a financial controller at C$120,000 and a CFO at C$280,000, both billed at 20%. Fees: C$24,000 + C$56,000 = C$80,000, about 1.6 times the year-one cost.
FAQ
How much does an executive search firm website cost?
In London, £6,000 to £40,000 excluding VAT; in Toronto, C$8,000 to C$55,000. A candidate portal with profile sorting sits at the top of that range.
How long does it take to launch?
Six to 10 weeks depending on the number of practices and the migration of existing roles. Writing the practice pages takes about 2 weeks of joint work.
How do we protect candidate data?
Explicit consent, a stated retention period such as 24 months, deletion rights and secure hosting, in line with UK GDPR or PIPEDA. CVs are visible only to authenticated consultants.
Can we post confidential roles?
Yes: the page shows function, sector and city without naming the client. Around a third of retained searches are handled that way.
Does the site replace LinkedIn?
No, it complements it: LinkedIn spreads the role, the site receives and sorts the application. Firms that route ads to their own site build a reusable pool of several hundred profiles a year.
Let's scope your project. We scope your practice pages, roles list and compliant candidate portal, with a launch in 5 to 8 weeks. Detailed quote within 48 h. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
