Go Fractional vs. Robert Half: Which Executive Recruiting Partner Is Right for You?
Compare Go Fractional and Robert Half for executive hiring. Learn why Go Fractional’s fractional and interim-to-full-time model offers speed, flexibility, and access to founder-level talent.
May 18th, 2026
Finding the right executive talent is one of the most critical decisions a company can make. But traditional staffing and executive search firms often leave companies choosing between speed and quality, or flexibility and expertise.
Robert Half is one of the world’s largest staffing and recruiting firms, with over 75 years of experience placing professionals across finance, technology, legal, and administrative functions. Go Fractional offers a specialized alternative featuring a curated network of 10,000+ pre-vetted, multi-exit entrepreneurs and former C-suite executives available for fractional, interim, and full-time placements—giving companies access to founder-level talent with the ability to “try before they buy” and validate both subject matter expertise and cultural fit before making a permanent commitment.
This comparison breaks down the key differences between Robert Half and Go Fractional, helping you decide which partner is right for your executive hiring needs. Whether you need a fractional CFO to guide your Series B, an interim CTO during a transition, or a permanent COO to scale operations, understanding these two approaches will help you make a smarter decision.
Quick Comparison Table
| Factor | Robert Half | Go Fractional |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 1948 | 2021 |
| Headquarters | Menlo Park, CA | New York, NY |
| Company Size | 14,000+ employees globally | Boutique platform with 10,000+ vetted executives |
| Time to Hire | 2-8 weeks (varies by role level) | As fast as 3 days | Engagement Types | Full-time, contract, temporary | Fractional, Interim, and Full-Time | Search/Placement Fee | 20-30% of first-year salary | No placement fees | Try Before You Buy | Contract-to-hire available | Yes (interim-to-full-time conversion) | Talent Pool | Broad staffing network | 10,000+ pre-vetted, multi-exit entrepreneurs & C-suite executives | Best For | Mid-level to senior professionals | Startups, growth-stage, PE-backed companies |
About Robert Half
Robert Half is a global staffing and consulting firm founded in 1948 and headquartered in Menlo Park, California. As one of the largest specialized talent solutions firms in the world, Robert Half has over 14,000 employees and operates through a network of more than 300 offices worldwide, generating approximately $6 billion in annual revenue.
What Robert Half Offers
Robert Half provides staffing and talent solutions across multiple divisions:
- Executive Search: Retained and contingent searches for senior leadership
- Protiviti: Risk consulting and internal audit services (subsidiary)
- Contract Staffing: Temporary and project-based professionals
- Permanent Placement: Full-time direct hires across functions
- Specialized Divisions: Finance/accounting (Accountemps), technology (Robert Half Technology), legal, and administrative
How Their Process Works
Robert Half’s approach varies by service line:
- Initial Consultation: Discuss role requirements and company culture
- Candidate Sourcing: Leverage existing database and active recruiting
- Screening: Skills assessment, background checks, reference verification
- Presentation: Submit qualified candidates for client review
- Placement: Coordinate interviews, offers, and onboarding
Their Pricing Model
Robert Half uses various fee structures depending on service:
- Permanent Placement: Typically 20-30% of first-year salary
- Contract Staffing: Hourly markup on contractor rates
- Executive Search: Retained fees for senior positions
- Temp-to-Hire: Conversion fees after trial period
About Go Fractional
Go Fractional is a specialized talent platform founded in 2021 and headquartered in New York City. Our mission is to “Make the World Go Fractional” by connecting companies with founder-level executives on a fractional, interim, or full-time basis.
What Go Fractional Offers
Go Fractional provides the full spectrum of executive hiring:
- Fractional Executives: Part-time leadership (10-25 hours/week) for ongoing needs
- Interim Executives: Full-time temporary leadership during transitions
- Full-Time Placements: Permanent hires, often through our “try before you buy” model
- Interim-to-Full-Time Conversion: Start fractional or interim, convert when fit is validated
How Our Process Works
Go Fractional’s process is streamlined for speed and flexibility:
- Discovery Call: Free 20-minute call to understand your needs
- Candidate Matching: Pre-vetted executives presented within 3 days
- Interviews: You meet candidates and assess fit
- Engagement: Flexible terms—fractional, interim, or full-time
- Conversion (Optional): Transition to permanent if both sides agree
Pricing Model
Go Fractional offers transparent, flexible pricing:
- No Search Fees: No 25-33% placement fees
- Fractional Engagements: Monthly retainers based on hours/scope
- Cost Savings: Typically ~50% of full-time executive cost
- No Long-Term Commitment: Flexible terms, scale up or down as needed
Key Stats
- 10,000+ executives in our vetted network
- 4.7 stars on Trustpilot
- 300+ testimonials from clients and talent
- 3 days average time to match
Key Similarities
Before diving into differences, it’s worth noting where Robert Half and Go Fractional overlap:
- Experienced Networks: Both have access to qualified professional talent across multiple functions
- Flexible Engagement Options: Both offer alternatives to permanent full-time hiring (contract, temporary, fractional)
- Multiple Functional Areas: Both cover finance, technology, operations, and other business functions
- Quality Focus: Both emphasize placing qualified professionals who can deliver results
- National/Global Reach: Both can source talent beyond local markets
Key Differences
1. Executive Seniority & Specialization
Robert Half: Serves a broad range of professional levels, from staff accountants to senior executives. Their strength is breadth—placing professionals across many functions and seniority levels. Executive search is one service among many.
Go Fractional: Specializes exclusively in VP to C-suite executives. Every professional in our network is a senior leader—multi-exit entrepreneurs, former C-suite executives, and seasoned operators who’ve built and scaled companies.
Why This Matters: If you need a staff accountant or mid-level project manager, Robert Half is well-equipped. If you need a fractional CTO with three exits or an interim CFO who’s taken companies public, Go Fractional’s specialized network delivers.
2. Speed to Hire
Robert Half: Timelines vary significantly by role level. Entry to mid-level positions may fill in 1-2 weeks, but executive searches can take 4-8 weeks or longer due to the complexity of senior roles.
Go Fractional: Pre-vetted executives can be matched in as little as 3 days. Our talent pool consists of executives actively seeking fractional and interim work—they’re ready to engage immediately.
The Impact: Leadership gaps cost companies in momentum, decision-making, and team morale. A 3-day match vs. an 8-week search can mean the difference between capturing an opportunity and watching it pass.
3. Cost & Fee Structure
Robert Half: Placement fees typically run 20-30% of first-year salary for permanent hires. Contract staffing involves hourly markups. Executive search fees can be higher for retained engagements.
Go Fractional: No placement fees. You pay for the executive’s engagement time through flexible retainer arrangements. Fractional engagements typically cost ~50% of full-time equivalent.
The Math: - Robert Half: $75K placement fee + $300K salary + benefits = $425K+ first-year cost - Go Fractional: $0 search fee + fractional engagement = Dramatically lower total investment
4. Engagement Flexibility
Robert Half: Offers full-time permanent, contract, and temp-to-hire options. However, their model is primarily built around traditional employment arrangements—full-time roles or contractor positions.
Go Fractional: Built specifically for fractional work—ongoing part-time leadership engagements where an executive works 10-25 hours/week. This model didn’t exist at scale before platforms like Go Fractional.
Why This Matters: A fractional CMO at 15 hours/week can transform your marketing strategy while costing a fraction of a full-time hire. Robert Half’s contract staffing is designed for project work, not ongoing fractional leadership.
5. Try Before You Buy
Robert Half: Offers temp-to-hire arrangements for some positions, allowing companies to evaluate contractors before converting to permanent. However, this is less common for senior executive roles.
Go Fractional: Our interim-to-full-time model is core to our value proposition. Start with a fractional or interim engagement, evaluate fit based on actual performance, then convert to full-time when confidence is high.
The Risk Equation: Executive mis-hires cost $500K-$1.5M when you factor in salary, severance, lost productivity, team disruption, and opportunity cost. The “try before you buy” approach dramatically reduces this risk.
6. Talent Pool & Approach
Robert Half: Maintains a massive database of professionals across all levels and functions. Strength is in volume and breadth—they can fill many types of roles quickly.
Go Fractional: Our network of 10,000+ executives have actively chosen fractional work—available for interim, contract-to-hire, and remote engagements. They’re multi-exit entrepreneurs, former C-suite leaders, and senior operators who want flexibility and impact. They’re not settling for fractional—they’re selecting it.
The Quality Advantage: Executives who choose fractional work are often the highest-caliber talent. They’ve already had successful exits, built companies, and now want to apply their expertise where it creates maximum value.
When to Choose Robert Half
Robert Half remains a strong choice in specific scenarios:
✅ Mid-level professional staffing across finance, accounting, technology, legal, or administrative functions
✅ High-volume hiring needs where you need to fill multiple positions quickly
✅ Contract or temporary staffing for project-based work or seasonal needs
✅ Geographic coverage when you need local presence in specific markets
✅ Established enterprise with existing relationships and processes for working with large staffing firms
✅ Compliance-heavy industries where Robert Half’s established processes provide comfort
When to Choose Go Fractional
Go Fractional is the better choice when:
✅ You need leadership now, not in 6-12 months
✅ You want to validate fit before making a permanent commitment (try before you buy)
✅ Budget is a consideration—you need senior expertise without six-figure search fees
✅ You need fractional/part-time leadership (10-25 hours/week)
✅ You’ve been burned by previous executive mis-hires and want lower risk
✅ You’re a startup, growth-stage, or PE-backed company that values speed and flexibility
✅ You’re not a Fortune 500—and don’t need to pay Fortune 500 prices
✅ Cultural and team fit are paramount—you want to see the executive in action before committing
Can You Use Both?
Absolutely. Many companies use Go Fractional and traditional staffing firms for different needs:
- Different levels: Use Robert Half for mid-level professional staffing and Go Fractional for executive leadership
- Immediate coverage: Engage a Go Fractional interim executive while Robert Half runs a permanent search
- Complementary strengths: Robert Half for volume hiring, Go Fractional for strategic leadership roles
The approaches serve different needs and can complement each other effectively.
Client Success Story: Just Salad
Robert Half is a staffing industry giant with 75+ years of experience, massive scale, and the ability to fill professional roles across many functions and levels. For mid-level staffing, contract work, and organizations that need the infrastructure of a large staffing firm, Robert Half delivers.
Go Fractional offers a specialized alternative built for executive leadership. Our fractional, interim, and full-time model—with the ability to “try before you buy”—is ideal for companies that need VP to C-suite talent now, want to validate fit before committing, or need the flexibility of fractional arrangements.
The Decision Framework: - If you need mid-level professionals or high-volume staffing → Robert Half is well-suited - If you need executive leadership with speed, flexibility, and lower risk → Go Fractional is the smarter choiceexceptional results.
Why It Worked: A traditional search firm would have pushed for full-time placement with a 6-month timeline. Go Fractional understood that fractional leadership was the right fit for Uniswap’s needs and the industry’s pace of change.
The Bottom Line
Robert Half is a staffing industry giant with 75+ years of experience, massive scale, and the ability to fill professional roles across many functions and levels. For mid-level staffing, contract work, and organizations that need the infrastructure of a large staffing firm, Robert Half delivers.
Go Fractional offers a specialized alternative built for executive leadership. Our fractional, interim, and full-time model—with the ability to “try before you buy”—is ideal for companies that need VP to C-suite talent now, want to validate fit before committing, or need the flexibility of fractional arrangements.
The Decision Framework: - If you need mid-level professionals or high-volume staffing → Robert Half is well-suited - If you need executive leadership with speed, flexibility, and lower risk → Go Fractional is the smarter choice
Frequently Asked Questions
How does Go Fractional’s pricing compare to Robert Half?
Robert Half charges placement fees of 20-30% of first-year salary for permanent hires. Go Fractional has no placement fees—you pay only for the executive’s engagement time, typically at ~50% of full-time cost for fractional arrangements.
Can Go Fractional help with full-time executive hiring?
Yes. While we specialize in fractional and interim placements, many engagements convert to full-time. Our “try before you buy” model is actually one of the best paths to a successful permanent hire—you validate fit with real work before committing.
What types of executives does Go Fractional place?
We place VP to C-suite executives across all functions: CTO, COO, CMO, CFO, CRO, CPO, CHRO, CIO, CISO, and more. Our network includes 10,000+ multi-exit entrepreneurs and former C-suite leaders.
How quickly can Go Fractional find an executive?
We typically match companies with pre-vetted executives within 3 days. Because our talent pool consists of executives actively seeking fractional and interim work, there’s no lengthy sourcing process.
What’s the difference between Robert Half’s contract staffing and Go Fractional’s fractional model?
Robert Half’s contract staffing typically involves project-based work with an end date. Go Fractional’s fractional model is designed for ongoing executive leadership—a fractional CTO might work 15 hours/week indefinitely, providing continuous strategic guidance rather than completing a discrete project.
What if the fractional executive doesn’t work out?
That’s one of the key advantages of the fractional model—if it’s not a fit, you can adjust or end the engagement without the cost and complexity of terminating a full-time executive. There’s no severance and no $500K mistake. Plus, Go Fractional can replace your fractional executive in as little as 3 days at no additional cost—try doing that with a traditional search firm.
Ready to Get Started?
Skip the lengthy search and placement fees. Get matched with a pre-vetted fractional or interim executive in as little as 3 days.
Go Fractional: Fractional Talent, Full-Time Impact.
