When a firm needs to hire a Senior Developer or Architect, they often choose to work with a recruitment agency. Top talent, like a developer certified in Adobe Experience Cloud, is in high demand, and difficult to secure. A recruiter can make connections and ease the hiring process. However, there are a few things that you should know when working with a recruiter. One of those is the difference between contingent and retained recruiting.
What is Contingent Recruitment?
Companies do not pay contingent recruiters until a candidate accepts a position at the hiring company. Contingent recruiters continually race the clock to provide a candidate, as companies are often still actively searching on their own while contingent recruiter works. Contingent recruiters often direct several qualified candidates towards the company in the hopes of getting the position filled faster.
The Pros of Contingent Recruiting
- There are no up-front fees.
- The recruiting agency only receives money if they successfully place a candidate within your firm.
- Often, contingent firms will engage with both you and the client, and help to expedite the hiring process.
- Specialized search firms often know of candidates that might not be actively seeking new employment.
- The placement fee is often lower than a retained search fee.
The Cons of Contingent Recruiting
- A contingent search firm determines how many resources they wish to dedicate to a search.
- The strategy or approach to finding talent is not necessarily customized to your specific needs.
- There is no obligation, apart from the desired fee, to ensure that a contingent firm will send candidates your way and not to another client.
What is Retained Recruitment?
Unlike contingent recruiters, retained recruiters search for an acceptable candidate for current openings and future openings within the company and receive their fee up-front. Retained recruiters work closely with their candidates and conduct interviews to determine each individual’s strengths, weaknesses, experience, and qualifications. As retained recruiters narrow down the list to an appropriate choice, they will help you fill your position by providing you with the best candidate selection.
The Pros of Retained Recruiting
- A retained recruiter will work with a client to determine the recruiting strategy, resources, and process to follow during the hiring process.
- Clients benefit from using the search agency’s sourcing tools and subscriptions, in addition to ongoing efforts on their behalf within the talent community.
- Typically, a retained recruiter has an area of deep expertise, such as Adobe engineers or architects and relationships within that industry.
- Retained recruiters thoroughly vet the candidates they present, expediting the hiring process.
- Often, a retained recruiter will work with a hiring company exclusively.
The Cons of Retained Recruiting
- The recruiting agency is on retainer, which means you are hiring them to work on your behalf, without the guaranty of a suitable candidate.
Knowing what’s right for you
The decision of whether to work with a contingent or retained recruiter depends on your specific needs. A retained search works best for clients seeking exclusivity and a customized, quality-driven approach. A contingent search is a better option for a client who wants to work with multiple search firms and avoid any financial risk.
How Can TechBridge Help?
Our goal is to bridge the gap between business and employee, matching qualified workers with the companies who need them. We are a full-service staffing and recruiting company that specializes in IT developers with experience in Adobe, Salesforce, Sitecore, and Magento. Whether you are looking for direct-hires, temp-to-hire, or managed partner solutions, we have the top talent you need.
Contact us today and let us bridge the connection between you and the right people for your project.
