Answer
Retained vs. contingency search: which do you need?
Contingency search fits important roles where you only pay when someone is hired and you want options moving in parallel. Retained search fits senior and executive seats you cannot afford to get wrong, where you want one firm's exclusive, dedicated capacity and the diligence a critical hire deserves. The more senior, confidential, or hard-to-fill the seat, the more it leans retained.
Contingency rewards speed and breadth, several firms may work the same role, and you pay only on a result. Retained rewards depth and certainty, one firm owns the search end to end and is resourced to reach passive candidates and vet them properly.
Bloom offers both, plus an engaged middle option, and recommends the model that fits the seat, not the most expensive one. The honest test: if getting this hire wrong would cost you real money or momentum, it belongs in a retained search.
Related
Can the same firm do both?
Yes. Bloom runs contingency, engaged, and fully retained search, and matches the model to the role rather than forcing one approach.
Which is more expensive?
Retained typically carries a higher, staged investment because of the exclusivity and depth. The right question is which model reduces the risk on that specific seat.
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Executive and management search for the green industry and the field services around it.