Roughly two thirds of our business is retained and one third is on a success fee-only basis (also known as contingency).
For a retained search, we cover the entire universe of candidates as far as possible, providing full market maps to show the organisational structure of companies where potential candidates may be found. We provide detailed information on market compensation levels and provide a perspective on the strategies and business approaches of competitors. We aim to compile a shortlist of two to five candidates who fit the brief and who are interested in the role within four to six weeks. During a search, we supply regular reports to both line managers and HR as required.
For a contingency assignment, we provide candidates who are already known and available to us.
Fees are one third of total compensation for a search and 25% for a contingency assignment. Within this basic structure, we have a flexible approach; for instance, it may be that a fixed fee is appropriate, or a series of regular payments over a period of time.