Retained search operates on a fundamentally different philosophy from contingent recruiting. While contingent recruiters work on multiple searches simultaneously and get paid only when someone is hired, retained search firms like Thomas Brooke invest dedicated time and resources into understanding your specific needs before beginning the search process.
This approach starts with comprehensive discovery to understand not just the job requirements, but the complete context of why you’re hiring. We explore your company’s long-term goals, culture, and strategic objectives to ensure every candidate we present aligns with your broader vision. This depth of understanding simply isn’t possible when recruiters are juggling dozens of searches and racing to fill positions quickly.
The Strategic Advantage of Partnership
Deep Industry Expertise: Our retained search process leverages over 30 years of specialized knowledge in coatings, polymers, and specialty materials to identify candidates who truly understand your industry’s unique challenges.
Access to Top Talent: While contingent recruiters often work with actively job-seeking candidates, our retained approach gives us time to research and engage passive candidates who aren’t actively looking but represent the best talent in the market.
Thorough Vetting Process: We don’t blast you with numerous candidates hoping something sticks. Instead, we conduct comprehensive evaluations to present only candidates who meet both technical requirements and cultural fit criteria.
Strategic Competitive Research: Our dedicated approach allows us to conduct thorough market research, understanding compensation trends and competitive landscapes that inform better hiring decisions.
Ongoing Consultation: Throughout the search process, we remain engaged as your trusted advisors, adapting our approach if your needs evolve and providing market intelligence that supports your decision-making.
Quality Over Speed
Contingent recruiting emphasizes speed above all else. While this might seem attractive, it often leads to surface-level candidate evaluation and poor long-term outcomes. One client came to us after a contingent recruiter placed a technical leader who looked impressive on paper but lacked both the cultural fit and deep technical knowledge the role required.
Through our retained search process, we identified a candidate who not only met their technical requirements but aligned perfectly with their company culture and long-term objectives. That hire has been successfully leading their team for years, delivering the results they needed from day one.
The True Cost of Quick Fixes
Higher Turnover Risk: Contingent recruiting’s emphasis on speed often results in poor cultural fits that lead to higher turnover and repeated hiring costs.
Limited Candidate Pool: Contingent recruiters typically work with readily available candidates rather than researching the best possible talent for your specific needs.
Minimal Client Collaboration: The transactional nature of contingent recruiting means less time understanding your unique requirements and company culture.
Surface-Level Evaluation: Without the time investment that retained search allows, candidate evaluation remains superficial, missing critical factors that determine long-term success.
Building Trusted Partnerships
Our retained clients share confidential strategic information because they know we’re invested in their long-term success, not just closing a quick deal. This trust allows us to provide objective advice about candidates and market conditions, serving as true partners in your talent strategy rather than just vendors filling requisitions.
We guarantee our placements for a full year because we’re confident in our thorough process. This isn’t just a warranty – it’s a commitment to ensuring every hire delivers the results you need for sustainable success.
Ready to Experience the Difference?
If you’re tired of recruiting partners who prioritize speed over quality and volume over results, it’s time to experience what retained search can do for your organization. At Thomas Brooke, we don’t just fill positions – we build the strategic talent foundation your company needs to thrive in the competitive specialty materials industry.
