Retained Permanent Recruitment

A retained search is preferable in cases where a company has a pressing professional level need that requires a candidate who will hold key leadership responsibilities and whose services are integral to overall organizational success. The Retainer option is used primarily when a position must be filled within a specific period of time. The EMAC Group provides executive candidates on an exclusive basis. We guarantee an agreed-upon number of in-person interviews.

The Strategy

Under retained recruitment conditions, The EMAC Group acts as a fully 'outsourced' recruitment arm of your organisation and conducts a recruitment process on your behalf. The recruitment process is tailored to meet your organisation's specific needs, through detailed consultation and constant communication with you, the client.

With a retained assignment, the client generally pays one-third of the fee at commencement of the assignment; one-third upon delivery of a short list; and the balance upon successful placement of the Ideal Candidate.  In this way, you, as the client, are paying for a ‘service’ in recognition of the time and materials that are expended in conducting the assignment.

Many organisations are inclined to engage several recruitment agencies on a contingent basis, rather than a single agency on a retained basis – in this situation, a placement fee is only paid if and when a suitable candidate is found.  This method is not a reliable way to source employees, as recruitment agencies engaged on a non-exclusive contingent basis generally do not apportion the necessary resources and energy to the assignment, in the knowledge that other agencies are working on the same vacancy and that the chances of obtaining a fee are reduced. 

Retaining a single agency on an exclusive basis enables the client to hold the agency accountable for the recruitment process.  If multiple agencies are engaged, then control and accountability are lost, and the chances of finding a suitable candidate are reduced significantly.  Further justification for exclusive engagements can be found in this article – ‘Why Engage Us Exclusively?’

At The EMAC Group, two senior account managers are designated to all retained assignments that we undertake.  The recruitment process that we use is rigorous and parallel that of an offsite 'project management' methodology.  A detailed search is conducted to find Ideal Candidates, who are then subjected to a comprehensive screening and interview process.  Once a short list is determined, The EMAC Group will work closely with you to arrange interviews, undertake reference checks and to broker job offer to a network of recruiters, providing a certain anonymity to the search assignment and our clients.

The EMAC Group produces a detailed written proposal for all retained recruitment assignments.  The proposal contains an agreement which needs to be signed by the client before we can proceed. This service attracts a variable fee from 15-33% depending on the nature of the assignment.  Typically it is harder to find senior executive personnel and fees are generally higher for these types of assignments. 

Search Assessment Options

The EMAC Group offers a variety of search options that can be individually customized to specifically meet each client’s executive recruitment needs. The most common executive searches include:

Retainer / Executive Search The Retainer option is used primarily when a position must be filled within a specific period of time. The EMAC Group provides an extended guarantee and executive candidates are presented to you on an exclusive basis. We guarantee an agreed-upon number of in-person interviews. The EMAC Group provides executive candidates on an exclusive basis.

Engagement / Executive Search The Engagement option is for high-priority positions and is typically utilized for sales, marketing, and middle-management staffing needs. An engagement fee is required to begin the search, with the final payment due on the candidate's start date. We guarantee an agreed-upon number of in-person interviews, and provide an extended guarantee.

Contingency / Executive Search A Contingency search may be used for ongoing openings, typically for Sales or Support staffing and the search firm will only collect a fee if they find and place a suitable candidate for the position. The search process is usually less structured and less about a precise candidate “fit” and more about getting potentially qualified candidates in front of the client so that the client can make the final assessment.

Executive Search We work on a contingent or retained basis, and our search begins by identifying relevant executives and professionals in the local area, which means heavy exposure in the local market and thus strong candidates often without relocation. All Executive Search Fees are based on the level of service needed to fit your needs.

The EMAC Group continually develops new recruiting strategies, tools and methods to enhance overall recruiting efforts. Recruiting is a core part of our business. We make every effort to attract the best candidates available in today’s market and have adopted a unique and multi-faceted approach to recruiting.

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