executive search without retainer is contingency recruiting just low priority by default
Hey everyone
I am a company owner currently trying to understand if our experience with recruiters is normal or if we are approaching it wrong. We have been using a mix of contingency non retained recruiters for a few senior hires and the pattern is pretty consistent. Strong initial activity then momentum drops, candidate quality becomes inconsistent, passive talent is limited, and it feels more reactive than structured.
Trying to understand if this is just how contingency recruiting works or if retained or exclusive search actually changes the depth of the candidate pipeline for senior roles. We are also looking at more specialized executive search firms that focus more on deeper market mapping and passive talent, and curious if that actually leads to better outcomes in practice or is it mostly just different positioning.
Would appreciate insights from anyone who has worked with both contingency and retained search models for senior or technical hiring.