Use a contingency search when the role is clearly defined, the market has people who fit, and you want to pay only when someone is hired. Consider a retained search when the role is senior, confidential or hard to define, and you want a recruiter committed to the search from start to finish. The difference is mostly about how the recruiter is engaged and paid, and that shapes how the search runs.
RecruitHook has recruited for law firms, CPA firms, family offices and companies of every size for more than two decades. We take both retained and contingency searches.
What is the difference between retained and contingency search?
| Contingency search | Retained search | |
|---|---|---|
| When the recruiter is paid | Only when a candidate the recruiter introduced is hired | Part of the fee is paid when the search starts, with the rest tied to milestones or completion |
| Exclusivity | Often not exclusive. A firm may use more than one recruiter | Usually exclusive to one recruiter for the search |
| Typical roles | Staff to senior professional roles with a clear brief | Senior leadership, partner-level and confidential searches |
| What the firm commits | Time to interview and give feedback | An upfront commitment and close involvement in the search |
| Main risk for the firm | Several recruiters chasing the same people | Paying before anyone is hired |
These are general descriptions. The exact terms, including any guarantee, are set in the agreement for each search.
When does contingency search make sense?
Contingency works well when you can describe the role clearly and the people who fit it exist in your market. A staff or senior accountant, a paralegal in a defined practice area, an executive assistant, a controller in a familiar industry: these are roles where a recruiter with strong relationships can move quickly.
It also suits firms that want to keep their options open. You owe no fee until you hire someone, and you decide how many recruiters to work with.
When does retained search make sense?
Retained search suits roles where the cost of a wrong hire, or of word getting out, is high:
- A partner or senior leader whose arrival will be noticed by clients and competitors.
- A replacement for someone who has not left yet.
- A role that is new to the firm, where the brief itself needs work before the search can start.
- A search in a thin market, where the right people are few and almost none of them are looking.
In these searches the upfront commitment buys a recruiter's dedicated, exclusive effort on your search.
What should you agree before any search starts?
Whichever model you choose, put these in writing first:
- The must-haves: the requirements a candidate cannot be hired without, separate from the nice-to-haves.
- The compensation range and how flexible it is.
- Location and office arrangement: on-site, hybrid or remote.
- Confidentiality: whether your firm's name can be shared, and when.
- The fee, any replacement guarantee and when payment is due.
- The interview process: who decides, how many rounds and how quickly you will give feedback.
How does RecruitHook run a search?
We talk through the role first: must-haves, nice-to-haves, deal breakers, compensation, location and whether it is remote, hybrid or on-site. We look at the people we already know, then source from the wider market. A recruiter speaks with every candidate before anyone reaches you, and you see a focused set of candidates, each with a clear reason they are on the list.
Any search can be run confidentially. A role can be presented without naming your firm until you are ready.
Frequently asked questions
Does RecruitHook do retained or contingency search?
Both. We talk through the role with you first and agree which model fits before the search begins.
Is retained search better than contingency?
Neither is better in general. Retained suits senior, confidential or hard-to-define roles. Contingency suits clearly defined roles in markets where qualified people exist.
Can I use more than one recruiter?
On a contingency search, often yes. On a retained search, the arrangement is usually exclusive. Check your agreement.
What does RecruitHook charge?
Fees depend on the type of search and are agreed with you before the search begins. We walk you through the options on a recruiting consultation.
Do candidates pay a fee?
No. Candidates do not pay RecruitHook.
This article is general information, not legal or employment advice. The terms of any search are set by the agreement for that search.
Hiring for a role that matters? Book a recruiting consultation or start with RecruitHook.