When the pressure is on to fill a critical role, especially at the leadership or technical level, some companies wonder: Can I hedge my bets by using both a retained search firm and a contingency recruiter for the same position?
It’s a fair question — after all, both models have their strengths. But mixing them on the same search comes with risks that can undermine your hiring goals.
Understanding the Two Models
Before diving into whether you should use both, let’s briefly clarify the two models:
✅ Retained Search
You pay a portion of the fee upfront to engage the firm exclusively.
Typically used for executive or highly specialized roles.
The firm conducts a deep-dive, consultative process to uncover and attract passive talent.
✅ Contingency Search
No upfront payment — you only pay if a candidate is hired.
Often used for mid-level roles or when speed is more important than precision.
Multiple firms may work the same search, racing to present resumes first.
So, Can You Use Both for the Same Role?
Technically, yes. Strategically, it’s almost always a bad idea.
Here’s why:
Conflicting Incentives Undermine Results
Retained firms are built to go deep: they conduct structured outreach, evaluate long-term fit, and protect your employer brand.
Contingency firms, by contrast, move quickly and broadly. Their incentive is to be first — not necessarily best.
When you engage both simultaneously, the retained firm’s methodical process clashes with the contingency firm’s speed-driven tactics — often resulting in chaos, not coverage.
Candidate Experience Gets Messy
If a candidate hears from two or more recruiters about the same role — or worse, gets double-submitted — your brand takes a hit. It signals disorganization and can make top-tier talent uneasy.
You May Lose the Trust of Your Retained Partner
Retained search is about partnership and commitment. If you break exclusivity mid-search and involve contingency firms, a reputable retained firm may withdraw entirely — especially if their contract includes an exclusivity clause (which most do).
It Dilutes Accountability
When multiple firms are in the mix, and no one has full ownership, finger-pointing can begin. Who’s responsible for candidate quality? Who owns communication? Who’s protecting your employer brand?
A retained search firm, working exclusively, owns the process end to end — and is fully accountable for results.
Are There Any Exceptions?
There are rare cases where a hybrid model can work, such as:
Multi-role searches: You use a retained partner for key leadership roles, and contingency firms for supporting positions.
Phase-based strategy: You start with a contingency search and convert to retained if early efforts fail (though this may affect perception).
Different territories or functions: For example, retained search for U.S.-based leadership, contingency for local hiring in satellite offices.
But even in these cases, transparency and coordination are crucial.
A Better Alternative: Strategic Sequencing
Instead of hiring both types of firms at once, consider sequencing your approach:
Start with a retained search for 4–6 weeks to focus on quality, outreach, and passive talent.
If needed, open the search to contingency partners later — or have your retained firm re-scope the strategy.
This protects the integrity of the search while still giving you flexibility.
Final Thought
You can use both retained and contingency firms on the same search — but doing so often compromises candidate quality, employer brand, and process control.
If the role is business-critical, leadership-level, or hard to fill, the smarter move is to commit to one model, usually retained, and give it the space to work.
Need help deciding the right approach for your open role?
JRG Partners specializes in retained executive search for high-impact placements. Let’s talk about what model best fits your needs — and how to get the best possible outcome.
To make the best strategic decision, it’s crucial to understand the core differences between these two approaches. For a complete side-by-side comparison, review our foundational guide:
🔗 Retained vs. Contingency: Which Is Right for Your Executive Hire?
