Ask The Recruiter Question: What is the difference between a retained search firm and a contingency search firm? David Hinsley Cheng Managing PartnerDRGFrom a bottom-line perspective, one major difference between retained and contingency firms is the professional fee. Contingency firms tend to charge fees lower than retained firms. Traditionally, contingency firms' fees are paid upon successful conclusion of a search. With a retained firm such as DRG, organizations are paying for a search consultant's time and efforts from the initial launch of the search. Serving as consultants, retained firms frequently spend considerable time before the start of a search to meet… Read More