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Recruitment Turkey - Your Recruitment Agency in Istanbul

The human factor is the most vital element for the success of an enterprise. Outsourcing recruitment services to the right agency in Turkey is a crucial decision. If you are building up a newly formed team or if you are in the restructuring or growing phase, you can trust our Recruitment Turkey service.

Turkey offers a cost-competitive and large labor force. More importantly, high-skilled employees graduated from internationally reputable universities make significant contributions to their employers not only at the local but also at the international level. This is one of the reasons why several global giants have determined Istanbul as their headquarters to manage regional operations. Turkish employees are considered to be highly committed and hard working.

Thanks to our many years of recruitment experience and a good understanding of client needs, we can identify local personnel who can adapt to your global culture. With our expertise, we ensure the best matches to sustain long term success.

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Get in touch with us

Portrait of Emrah Ulku, Project Manager at FMC Group

Mr. Emrah Ülkü

Project Manager

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+90 212 363 80 54
e.ulku@fmcgroup.com

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Recruitment Scope

All mid and senior-level positions. We have expertise in finding candidates in niche markets as well as in general industries. Our recruitment team in Istanbul is keen on selecting highly motivated candidates who have an international business mentality and local expertise.

By being determined to understand our client’s needs and company culture, we follow a unique approach in each search and selection project. We use customized recruitment methods and tools to ensure that both our clients’ and the candidates’ expectations are met on a mutual level.

Our search and selection service targets long-term cooperation between our clients and the candidates through objective and transparent communication.

Advantages of Recruiting with FMC Group

We offer

  • 20+ years of recruitment experience in Turkey for international clients
  • understanding our clients’ needs, the local dynamics, and the importance of a good cultural fit
  • selection of highly motivated and reliable candidates with an international business mentality
  • much more than pre-selecting candidates, we support our clients during the whole interview process up to the contract negotiations
  • to work like your own local HR department as a real partner and your consultant
  • to select candidates that are willing to establish long term co-operation with our clients

Our Recruitment Service Offering in Turkey

Job Description: After assessing our clients’ business targets, FMC Group writes up a job description and re-designs the job profile requirements according to the local understanding.

Advertisement: FMC Group prepares a corporate advertisement and publishes it on online job portals.

Database Search: FMC Group checks and contacts the suitable candidates in its database to check their interest in the position.

Direct Search / Headhunting: FMC Group makes a direct search by contacting candidates who have similar job experience in the related sectors.

Pre-Selection of Candidates: FMC Group evaluates all applications given the listed qualifications and carries out written and oral communications.

Face-to-Face Interviews: FMC Group conducts a long list of face-to-face interviews, assesses the candidates in line with the listed criteria, and selects a shortlist of the best candidates.

Reporting: FMC Group delivers a complete report of the short-listed candidates, including their evaluations, resumes, and profiles.

Joint Interviews: FMC Group invites our clients to conduct joint interviews with the shortlisted candidates.

Reference Checks: FMC Group makes reference checks on the selected candidates by phone interviews.

Personality/Talent Assessment: FMC Group applies an individual assessment on the selected candidate and provides a report on the candidate’s competencies and personality.

Contract Negotiations: FMC Group supports the contract negotiations until the employment of the selected candidate.

Remuneration Packages and Side Benefits for Employees

In Turkey, in addition to the remuneration system, non-monetary incentive systems, social benefits, and personal relationships at the workplace are very important in personnel management.

Either net or gross salaries might be agreed with the employees, according to the company principles, usually the same for all employees. However, most employees prefer to agree on net due to the increasing tax deduction in gross salary each following month which makes a significant shrinkage in net salaries at the end of the year. The financial managers of the companies prefer gross salaries to have each month the same employee costs.

Salaries can be determined on the basis of 12 months, but from 13 up to 16 salaries are also widely practiced. Employees expect salary increases each year, mainly to protect their income levels against the relatively high inflation rate in Turkey. A clear remuneration system should define when and under which conditions salary increases are made. The Turkish employment market is highly flexible, and employee fluctuation can be very high. Therefore, any remuneration system should be designed in such a way as to give employees the chance to obtain a long-term, performance-based salary increase, in particular the instruments of employee development and advanced training must be properly utilized.

Moreover, upon introduction of a remuneration system companies should primarily ask themselves the following questions:

Q: In which currency should the salaries be? In the local currency, in Euro (or another foreign currency), or should only some salaries be in the local currency and others in other currencies?

A: All these variations are conceivable. Basic workers or clerks mostly get their wages paid in local currency, while employees at the managerial level might receive their salaries in Euro or USD. The payment of salaries in foreign currencies is restricted to certain conditions (subject to changes).

Q: How should the inflation adjustment be made?

A: For salaries paid in local currency, a salary adjustment can be made once or twice a year in line with the official inflation figures. If inflation runs higher than 10%, then a twice-yearly adjustment is to be recommended.

Q: Should part of the salary be performance-related?

A: Most companies define a certain portion of their sales and management team’s salaries as variable and performance related. The required performance assessments are mostly carried out through performance reviews, often involving agreements on KPIs and objectives, sometimes with MBO systems. However, the offered salary package always consists of the monthly or annually fixed amount and the variable is to be mentioned additionally. Thus, fixed salary is the main criteria for the employees in Turkey before they make a decision to change their employer.


The most common side benefits included in the remuneration packages in Turkey are:

Company car – Employers usually work with fleet leasing companies, paying a fixed monthly amount including insurance and maintenance costs, as determined in a long-term contract. Paying a car allowance instead of providing a company car is not a common practice in Turkey, and most employees do not accept it. Employees are usually allowed to use the car for private purpose under certain conditions.

Transportation from/to the workplace – For the positions where company car is not provided, employees’ transportation to and from the workplace is usually taken care of by the employer, either through the payment of a transportation allowance or by organized bus transportation from/to certain collection points or their homes. This benefit is not provided for remote positions, but for hybrid positions either public transport or taxi costs are covered according to the number of office days.

Private insurance – Since the benefits of the Turkish social security system frequently do not meet the expectations of the employees, regardless of the level, white collar employees often lay claim to supplementary private health insurance. As almost all multinational companies offer it to their employees, it can be a meaningful extra benefit for qualified employees to ensure long employment with the company. Management positions are usually offered private insurance for the family as well.

Lunch – It is an almost universal practice in Turkey that companies provide lunch to their employees. There are different systems: Either a free meal is served in the company cafeteria or kitchen, or food is ordered from outside at the company’s expense, or a meal card is provided which can be used in various restaurants. As meal cards are not allowed to be used in shopping in supermarkets, some companies pay the same amount as cash for the benefit of the employees. Should the paid amount exceed the limit determined by the tax office, the difference must be taxed as fringe benefits together with the salary.

Mobile phones – The allocation of mobile phones is being handled analogous to company cars, meaning that it is relevant for top managers, executives of the sales department, and the field sales force. Besides, this benefit can be offered to other positions depending on the communication needs.

Employee development and advanced training – Advanced training is motivating for the employees, and should be designed according to the needs of the position and the perso.  The training can be related to developing both soft and hard skills, as well as fostering the company culture and team spirit.

Additional voluntary benefits – Besides, additional benefits granted by the employer, particularly when they have a personal touch, are popular and common practice in many Turkish companies. Employees can be motivated strongly through small gifts or additional payments at the New Year, Bayram (religious holidays), or on other occasions. After the pandemic, home office support has become common for remote positions, such as support for internet and electricity costs, or equipment. Besides, some companies provide contributions to the private pension system, which provides additional income to retirement income as a complement to the social security system. Fitness center membership, birthday leave, or psychological support can be alternative benefits.

Working Hours in Turkey

The working week cannot exceed 45 hours. Work over forty-five hours a week and within the framework of the conditions set out in the law are considered overtime. The wage for each overtime is calculated by increasing the normal hourly wage by fifty percent. A maximum of 270 hours of overtime may be worked annually.

Vacation Days for Employees in Turkey

Employees who have been employed for at least one year are entitled to annual paid vacation. Depending on the length of employment, employees must be given the following minimum number of paid vacation days for each completed year of employment:

  • 1 – 5 years: 14 days
  • 5 – 15 years: 20 days
  • 15 years and over: 26 days

Notice Period for Employees and Probation Period

The probation period for an employment contract cannot exceed two months. The parties can terminate the employment contract within the probationary period without notice or compensation.

The notice period is:

  • Up to 6 months: 2 weeks
  • 6 months – 1.5 years: 4 weeks
  • 1.5 years – 3 years: 6 weeks
  • Over 3 years: 8 weeks

ISKUR logoFOREIGN MARKET CONSULTING İNSAN KAYNAKLARI DANIŞMANLIK TİC. LTD. ŞTİ.
Özel İstihdam Bürosu Olarak 10/05/2019 – 09/05/2022 tarihleri arasında faaliyette bulunmak üzere, Türkiye İş Kurumu tarafından 06/05/2019 tarih ve 1868131 sayılı karar uyarınca 406 nolu belge ile faaliyet göstermektedir. 4904 sayılı kanun uyarınca iş arayanlardan ücret alınması yasaktır. Şikayetleriniz için aşağıdaki telefon numaralarına başvurabilirsiniz. İstanbul Çalışma ve İş Kurumu İl Müdürlüğü: 0212 249 29 87 İstanbul Çalışma ve İş Kurumu İl Müdürlüğü Şişli Hizmet Merkezi : 02122910925

Disclaimer: Although we carefully researched and compiled the above information, we do not give any guarantee with respect to the actuality, correctness, and completeness.