Retained and contingent search are the two main models for working with a recruiting firm — but the difference between them isn’t always clear. Choosing the wrong model for your hire can cost you time, money, and a great candidate. Here’s a straightforward breakdown of both.
What Is Contingent Search?
In a contingent search, you pay the recruiting firm only if they successfully place a candidate. There’s no upfront fee, and you may be working with multiple agencies simultaneously competing to fill the same role.
Contingent search works well for roles that are easier to fill, where speed is the priority, and where there’s a reasonable pool of active candidates. It’s a lower-risk model financially, but it comes with tradeoffs — agencies working on contingency have less financial incentive to dedicate deep resources to your search, and the best passive candidates often aren’t reached through this model.
What Is Retained Search?
In a retained search, you pay a portion of the fee upfront to engage the recruiting firm exclusively. The firm commits dedicated resources to your search — typically a senior recruiter who conducts a thorough market mapping, proactively engages passive candidates, and works as a true partner throughout the process.
Retained search is the right model for senior and executive-level roles, difficult-to-fill positions, confidential searches, and situations where getting the hire right is more important than saving on the front-end fee.
How to Choose
Ask yourself these questions:
- Is this a senior or executive-level role? → Retained
- Is the role hard to fill or highly specialized? → Retained
- Do you need to reach passive candidates who aren’t on job boards? → Retained
- Is this a mid-level role with a reasonable candidate pool? → Contingent
- Is speed the top priority and the role relatively straightforward? → Contingent
The Broadreach Approach
At Broadreach, we offer both retained and contingent search depending on the role and your organization’s needs. We’ll always give you an honest recommendation on which model makes sense — because the right approach leads to better hires, and better hires are what we’re in business for.
Have a role you’re not sure how to approach? Contact Broadreach today.