Your article presents excellent strategies for companies of all sizes to consider. I would like to share metrics when one of our clients used “The final stage model.” DuffyGroup was contracted to work on a search for an SVP Operations and spent 341.5 hours on our research efforts for a total cost of $42,687.50. Had the client company utilized retained search services, with the position being filled with “an internal candidate”, they would still be under contract to pay the associated fee to the contracted firm. By utilizing DuffyGroup, they paid $42,687.50 and received not only recruiting research services but competitive intelligence information and a slate of viable candidates but with no back end fee. A fee based on a 30% retainer would have been $172,500. As compared to our fee, client company would have realized a savings of $129,812.50 in this hypothetical situation.

Business leaders need strategic sourcing and recruiting partners more than ever. We add value by helping sift through the candidates companies do not want, we urge candidates not looking to move…to re-consider and make a move, and we do so in a cost effective and efficient manner resulting in increased profitability for the company. Thanks for sharing a menu which will help business and recruiting leaders select the best approach for their organization.

Human nature, being what it is, is very hard to change. I see this as probably one of the biggest obstacles to building an internal “team” (be it one or one hundred) with the facility to do executive recruiting.

I’d love to only work on a project basis on this type of a model and I’m working towards doing just that. After 13 years in the industry, I’ve kept myself current by working directly for a company as a consultant doing sourcing or full life cycle, and the idea of working in a company is great. I can see the perspective of not wanting a maverick but if this person is offsite and paid a base and bonus with great benefits, some recruiters would be interested in doing this.
For me, it’s more of the satisfaction of doing a great job and having strong relationships. I work tons of hours and working for a company is more friendly to a work life balance. So I’d say it depends on the person. Most recruiters go to work every day and have to follow process in order to be successful. I see no reason that they can’t be effective inside as well!

I was just meeting with some folks on Fri., here at the new job, & getting to know them … Interestingly the topic you write about here was a major part of our conversation! In fact, I was bragging to them about how when I was a Cisco; the last hire I had sourced via an internal-ExecSearch model saved us a fee of ~$140K. Pretty sure that kind of cost-savings is still attractive to TA Leaders today, as we are recovering from the big R.

Cheers,
Jer