Most buyers pick an engagement model before they understand the problem. They choose retained because a colleague did, or hourly because the budget is tight. The right model is the one that matches the actual scope, timeline, and stakes - not the one that is most familiar.
This guide covers all five models - retained, contingent, subscription, project-based, and hourly - plus the Sixth Structure for when the problem is not a hire. Each entry includes when to use it, what it actually funds, and what it is not built for.
THE MODELS
Complex role, thin market, or high stakes.
Retained Executive Search
Full-cycle search with upfront commitment. Every finalist arrives with a documented evidence file and a structured evaluation against a written definition of winning.
Clear specification, accessible market, parallel searches acceptable.
Contingent Search
No upfront fee. Paid on placement. Works best when the role is well-defined and the market has available candidates who match the specification.
Consistent monthly hiring volume, need embedded capacity.
Subscription (Embedded Recruiting)
A monthly retainer for a dedicated practitioner who operates as part of your team. Built for organizations with predictable, recurring hiring needs.
Defined program: facility opening, hiring class, or volume surge.
Project-Based (RPO)
Fixed scope, defined deliverables, defined close. The engagement ends when the program is complete.
Pipeline-building or market mapping without full-cycle search.
Hourly Research and Sourcing
Billed by the hour. Transparent pricing, inspectable process. Produces a pipeline - not a placed hire.
The problem is not a hire. It is the hiring system itself.
The Sixth Structure
Custom engagement. Starts with the actual problem, not a model. May begin with the Hiring Discipline Diagnostic.
Not sure which model fits your situation? Talk to a Practice Leader. Bring the problem, not the model.
The wrong model costs a fee. The wrong hire costs a year.
23 questions. About ten minutes. A scored read of where your hiring breaks.
