Our placements stay 8 to 15 years. But if something goes wrong, you’re protected for up to 365 days.
Every Crucial Hire engagement includes a guarantee. Not a marketing promise. A contractual commitment that shifts the risk back to us – where it belongs.
The Guarantee by Engagement Type
Retained Executive Search
365-Day Guarantee
If the placed candidate leaves the organization or is terminated for cause within 365 days of the start date, Crucial Hire will re-run the full search at no additional professional fee. You pay only for agreed-upon expenses (travel, assessment tools, etc.).
Standard Hybrid-Retained
180-Day Guarantee
If the placed candidate leaves or is terminated for cause within 180 days, Crucial Hire will re-run the full search at no additional professional fee. Same terms as retained – we absorb the cost of getting it right.
Contingency / Engaged Search
90-Day Guarantee
Standard industry protection. If the candidate leaves or is terminated for cause within 90 days, we re-run the search at no additional fee. Covers most transitional risks in non-executive placements.
What the Guarantee Means in Practice
We re-run the entire search. At our expense.
This isn’t a partial credit. It isn’t a discount on the next engagement. If a candidate doesn’t work out within the guarantee window, we restart from Milestone 1 – discovery, sourcing, evaluation, presentation – and complete the search again. The only costs you bear are agreed-upon direct expenses like travel or assessments.
We’ve rarely had to use it.
In 20 years, our guarantees have been invoked only a handful of times. Not because we’re lucky. Because our process is designed backward from retention. We don’t fill seats. We find future leaders who earn promotions and stay 8 to 15 years. The guarantee is your insurance. The process is why you’ll probably never need it.
Why a 365-Day Guarantee Matters
Most search firms offer 60 to 90 days. That covers the “they didn’t show up” scenario. It doesn’t cover the far more common and far more expensive scenario: the person who shows up, looks good for a few months, and then the cracks appear.
Cultural misalignment reveals itself slowly. Poor leadership decisions compound gradually. A bad fit can take 6 to 9 months to become undeniable – long after a standard guarantee has expired.
A 365-day guarantee on retained searches means you’re protected through the full cycle of discovery. By the time a year has passed, you know whether this person can lead. If they can’t, we start over. At our cost.
That’s not a guarantee. That’s confidence you can take to your board.
Ready to Search With Confidence?
Book a free 30-minute consultation. We’ll explain exactly how the guarantee works for your specific search – and what timeline and investment to expect.