The decision to choose contingency recruitment is usually made by a Hiring Manager and / or their HR Department. The company may contact several recruitment companies and may also utilise its own HR Team to recruit for them.

These roles are typically lower level or some middle management positions and the recruitment company will only get paid once the candidate is hired, usually between 10% and 20% of the candidate’s base salary.

Contingency recruitment will be successful in certain situations. However, there are many vacancies which are very technical or the supply and demand is high. As payment for services performed by the recruitment consultant are only paid once a candidate is engaged, they cannot afford to invest much time in the search beyond basic recruiting and submission of resumes.

There is a common misconception that search and selection is an expensive option. In fact, we offer the same rate to headhunt as we would on a contingency basis; the difference would be that we work exclusively with you.

Working exclusively with our clients means we are able to forge a genuine business relationship and offer the client a first class service. One of our recruitment consultants will either visit site to meet with you or carry out an in depth telephone conversation to discuss the vacancy.

We will dedicate more resources and energy to finding highly-skilled candidates who are not found on databases or registered on job boards. These passive candidates are high achievers, winners, accomplishers who will add value to your business.

A retained assignment is a recruitment solution that offers the client dedicated resources, to ensure that their critical vacancy is filled as quickly as possible with a highly qualified candidate.

Your vacancy may be confidential or requires a specific skill-set or project experience, ADE can search and select senior executives including Chief Executive Officers, Vice Presidents, Managers, Directors and the like.

The cost for retained search and selection varies from 20% to 30% of the candidate’s compensation package, depending on the role. A percentage of the fee is paid once all stakeholders agree on the assignment proposal and the balance when the selected candidate commences employment with the client.

A typical retained search process model would include:

1) Assignment Briefing

i) Search Consultant meets with the hiring executive and other relevant internal parties to understand the client’s management style, the organisation’s culture, structure and needs.

ii) Client discusses job description, person specification, benefit’s package and delivery timetable.

iii) Client agrees the retained assignment proposal and initial invoice issued to Client for payment.

iv) ADE to design and develop an advertising campaign, media plan and strategy to source key candidates.

2) Initial Selection

i) Recruitment Consultant proceeds to identify suitable candidates by using in-depth competency based interviewing techniques. From here we assess their motivation, career aspirations and commitment to the role.

ii) A short-list of suitable applicant resumes and interview notes are submitted to the client for review and consideration.

iii) Either the client or ADE carries out personality profiling on selected applicants for first stage interviews.

iv) Candidates, both successful and unsuccessful are contacted. Second stage interviews are arranged accordingly. (ADE mediates throughout the whole interviewing process).

3) Offer negotiation and On-boarding

i) Acting as the “honest broker” we negotiate the best possible compromise that will ensure an enthusiastic hire.

ii) We assist our clients through any additional assessments required and advise the candidate through the often traumatic resignation process.

iii) We will maintain contact with the candidate during any notice period and safe guard the client against any possible counter offers.

iv) When the candidate commencing employment with the client the second instalment of the fee is issued.

v) We will contact both the client and candidate during the first three months of employment to make sure all parties are satisfied.

Benefits to the employer?

• Candidates being interviewed specific vacancy – adding value through tailored questioning.
• Access to passive candidates who are not available elsewhere in the market place.
• A quicker recruitment process due to added resources and energy being dedicated to the position.
• Dedicated advertising and raising client profile.
• A client driven process, individually customized to them.
• One-to-one service to ensure each project is managed efficiently.
• Retained Recruitment Consultants handle a lower volume of assignments than contingency to ensure their results.