Working with Recruiters - The Inside Story

Job seekers and hiring managers often think that recruiters (sometimes referred to as headhunters) are the answer to their employment problems. And, while a recruiter can be incredibly helpful, if not used in the right way, you may be disappointed with the outcome. We'll help you navigate through the world of executive search, helping you decipher the best options for your personal situation - whether hiring top sales talent or looking for your next sales job, we'll take the mystery out of working with an executive search professional.

Contingency vs. Retained
Which Recruiter is Right for You?

Whether you're looking for top sales talent to add to your team, or looking for your next career opportunity, recruiters - also known as headhunters or executive search consultants - may be a part of your search strategy. Search professionals usually fall into one of two categories - contingency or retained.

Contingency Recruiters

Contingency recruiters operate on volume. They get paid only when their candidate is successfully placed with a client company. Contingency firms can handle positions at any level, but most commonly work on positions under $100K.

In short, contingency firms are interested in activity that is "closest to the money." These activities include setting up interviews, prepping candidates and clients for upcoming interviews, pitching a candidate to a client - things that will lead to a pay day. Typically, a contingency headhunter works on multiple assignments at one time, submitting 3 reasonably qualified candidates for each open position. Communication will be at its best when one of their client companies has interest in your background.

There's a general perception among hiring authorities that contingency firms are less professional than their retained counterparts. There are few barriers to entry into the contingency search business, so unfortunately, there are some practitioners who tarnish the business for others. Avoid buying into these broad brush assessments. There are a number of highly ethical, highly skilled, contingency practitioners who do as good a job as any retained search firm. Work only with firms who are recommended by others or who can convince you of their high ethical standards. Make sure that your resume won't go anywhere without your knowledge.

Top-sales-jobs.com has put together a fact sheet with inside tips to help you navigate the ins and outs of Working with Contingency Recruiters We'll give you a great overview of what to expect when you get a call from a contingency search firm, regardless of which side of the desk you're sitting on!

Retained Recruiters

Retained firms are under contract with the hiring company to find the best person for the open position. Retained headhunters get paid throughout the course of the search - and in fact, get paid regardless of whether they actually fill the opening. Retained firms typically work on higher level positions - those with compensation packages in excess of $100K.

When a company hires a retained search consultant, the expectation is that they will see only a handful of candidates, all of whom meet their requirements to the letter. This means that if you have transferable skills, but have not worked in the industry the client wants to pull from, the retained firm will generally not speak with you.

Retained firms are "on the hook" until they fill the position. The hiring process usually takes more time - at least 4-6 weeks - to even present candidates. Total time to hire can be 3-4 months.

Top-sales-jobs.com has prepared insider tips on Working with Retained Recruiters to help you understand how to leverage these relationships, again, regardless of whether you're looking for your next opportunity or if you're interested in hiring a retained search firm to help your organization fill an open position. Understanding how recruiters work will help you leverage these relationships to a successful outcome.

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