The Price Is on the Page, Where It Belongs.
Most executive search firms make you schedule a call before they will tell you what anything costs. Here is every model, every fee, and every guarantee, in the open.
Contingency Search
Pay only when your person starts.
of first-year total cash compensation
- Cost to start: zero. Review candidates and conduct interviews at no cost, and pay only when you hire.
- Guarantee: 60-day free replacement
- Payment: 30 days after start date
Classic Retained Premium
Full-year protection on the hires that matter most.
of first-year total cash compensation
- Guarantee: 365-day full replacement
- Payment: three stages across the search
- Priority: the full system, front of the line, start to close
Standard Hybrid-Retained
Priority search. Shared commitment.
of first-year total cash compensation
- Guarantee: 6-month replacement
- Payment: split, engagement fee plus placement fee
- Commitment: dedicated search with skin in the game on both sides
Multiple Placement Package
Building an entire HR function at once.
- One retained engagement covers your first search
- Subsequent roles billed at the standard contingency rate
- Same candidate pipeline, so every additional hire comes faster and stronger
Contract & Interim
Bridge the gap without compromising quality.
- Billing: weekly, after hours are approved
- Contractors recruited the same way we recruit permanent hires
- Most convert to permanent placements
What the Percentage Is Calculated On.
Fee basis: all search fees are calculated on first-year total cash compensation, defined as base salary plus target annual bonus.
Excluded: equity, sign-on bonuses, relocation, benefits, and long-term incentive value.
No true-up in either direction: the fee is set on target bonus at the time of hire. If your leader overperforms and earns above target, your fee does not move. If the year comes in under target, it does not move either.
Unsure Which Model Fits? That Is the 30-Minute Conversation.
Most clients start there. Tell us the role and the situation, and we will tell you honestly which approach fits your search, including when a cheaper model is the right answer.
