Free Recruiter Timesheet Template
Retained search and fractional recruitment consultants who bill on a time basis need detailed timesheets to account for the full range of recruitment activities from role profiling and candidate sourcing through to interview coordination and offer management. A timesheet makes the professional effort behind a search visible to clients who might otherwise perceive recruitment as a simple task. It also supports invoicing on monthly retainer or milestone models.
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What should a recruiter put on a timesheet?
A recruiter timesheet records hours by client, role, and activity, with the date, the task, and the time spent. Note the assignment, whether the work was sourcing, screening, or shortlisting, and the role. Activity-level records support billing on retained or hourly search work and document the effort behind a placement.
Typical line items
- Date of work
- Client and role reference
- Activity (profiling, sourcing, screening, shortlist)
- Candidate or task detail
- Hours worked
- Billable or non-billable flag
- Hourly or retainer rate
- Running total for the assignment
How the work is charged
Recruiters on retained or hourly search usually log time against each role and activity. Where the fee is a placement percentage, the timesheet documents effort rather than billing directly, but hourly and project work is billed from the logged hours.
Payment terms and deposits
A timesheet supports an invoice rather than collecting payment itself. Retained search is commonly billed in stages, so keep entries dated and tied to the role so the client can follow the search.
Tax and compliance
If you are registered for sales tax or VAT, that applies on the invoice the timesheet supports, not the timesheet itself. Confirm the rules that apply to you.
Frequently asked questions
How do I track sourcing time when I am searching multiple databases and platforms simultaneously?
Log sourcing as a block of time against the specific role and note the platforms used, for example 'LinkedIn Recruiter search, XING, and CV database screening for CFO role at Kestrel Biotech'. Combining all sourcing activity into one entry per day is more practical than trying to split time by platform.
Should I bill for time spent coaching candidates before interviews?
If candidate preparation is part of your service agreement, yes. Log it against the relevant role and note the candidate and interview stage. Some recruiters include pre-interview candidate briefing in their retained fee; others treat it as an additional service. Either way, the timesheet record should reflect the actual work performed.
How do I handle a search that is taking significantly longer than expected?
Keep logging time accurately and communicate proactively with the client. A timesheet that shows hours invested in a difficult search is useful context for that conversation. If the role specification has changed or the client is unavailable for timely feedback, note these facts in your timesheet descriptions as they affect the pace of the search.
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Read the complete timesheet guide to see how to log hours and turn a tracked timesheet into an invoice.
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