Retained search
Also known as: retained recruiting
Retained search is an external recruiting model in which the client pays the recruiter in committed stages across the search, rather than only on placement. It is typically used for senior or business-critical roles and aligns the recruiter's focus with the client's priority.
Because the recruiter is engaged and paid throughout, a retained search is worked exclusively and in depth, instead of competing for attention against a stack of other roles.
That is the core contrast with contingency recruiting, where the fee depends on a placement. Retained engagements are commonly paired with a replacement guarantee that covers an early departure.