How the Two Methods Differ

• Because there are no guarantees of being paid at all, contingent recruiters are restricted in the time they can invest in any given project.
• Because retained search consultants work on a limited amount of projects, (one or two at a time), they are able to dedicate most, if not all of their attention to that hiring project.
• Contingent recruiting often presents their marketable candidates to multiple clients at the same time.
• Retained search never presents a candidate to more than one client at a time.
• Contingent recruiters usually send as many candidates as possible in order to assure a hire, resulting in a paid fee. Candidates are usually sourced from a large, common database or through advertisement.
• Retained search, through a time consuming, consultative process, submits a limited number of candidates to their client. This usually numbers between three and four, qualified candidates meeting their criteria.
• A contingent recruiter will often take on a project where multiple vacancies for the same position or ones of similar criteria exist.
• Retained search focus's on one specific position at a time.
• Contingent recruiting usually revolves around specific vertical industries.
• While retained search consultant also focuses vertically, they usually work in multiple vertical markets. The reason for this is that they perform according to specific function and do so across multiple, but limited industries. They are driven by the unique nature of each "original search" and have the capability and motivation to apply their process in achieving the best results.