With a number of companies, this already happens when you go through recruiters. You don't see how much money you're paying, as it's factored in before you see

With a number of companies, this already happens when you go through recruiters. You don't see how much money you're paying, as it's factored in before you see the offer. If you look at it from the perspective of the employee, it's quite possibly their biggest single expense all year. 20-30% of salary is common. It's easy to see why recruiters are paranoid about getting stiffed by the hiring company. Unfortunately, it also puts you at a disadvantage when negotiating with the hiring company. The next guy who applied for the same job but didn't have to go through the recruiter would cost the company the same even if they earned 20% larger checks. Still, as bad as recruiters are, the companies themselves are worse, by and large.