RECRUITMENT SERVICES

Contingent Permanent Recruitment

Contingent recruitment for mid-level and professional hiring at growth-stage, founder-led, AIM-listed and PISCES businesses. Nearly three times the industry average fill rate.

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3×

The industry average fill rate vs contingency across group

No

CV databases or bought data - ever

16+

Years of specialist market experience

Contingent recruitment, done differently

Most contingent recruitment involves multiple agencies working the same brief simultaneously. The result is a race - firms send CVs quickly rather than carefully, candidates are approached by several recruiters at once, and your opportunity is distributed across the market before you have had a chance to control how it is positioned. The fill rate across the industry reflects that. Ours does not.

Where possible we work on a preferred or exclusive basis - one firm, one consultant, fully committed to your brief. Whatever the arrangement, our approach does not change: we take the time to understand the business context, the culture, and the profile of person who has succeeded in similar roles at similar businesses. We shortlist those in the market, not just those on the market. Every candidate we present has been spoken to, screened, and assessed against your brief before their CV reaches you.

Our contingent fill rate is nearly three times the industry average (calculated against published REC statistics). The reason is straightforward: properly worked briefs, direct approaches to passive candidates, and no reliance on CV databases produce better outcomes than volume contingent recruitment.

How we run a contingent assignment

We recruit the senior and mid-level professionals that growth-stage businesses need to scale - from the CFO who prepares you for your Series B to the COO who lets the founder focus on the business rather than running it.

Committed to your brief

We work with a small number of contingent clients at any one time so that every assignment receives proper attention. We take time to understand the role, the business, and what good looks like before we approach a single candidate. Speed matters, but not at the expense of quality.

Headhunting on every assignment

We do not rely on job boards or CV databases, and we never buy data. Every assignment uses direct approach methodology - identifying and contacting the right candidates whether or not they are actively looking. That is why our candidate quality is consistently higher than a standard contingent service.

Screened before you see them

Every candidate we present has been spoken to and screened against your brief. We will not send you a CV because it looks relevant on paper. We send you people we believe are genuinely right for the role, the business, and the stage of growth you are at.

Is contingent recruitment the right model for your hire?

Contingent works best when:

The role is mid-level and the candidate pool is broader. You want speed and flexibility without an upfront commitment. You are testing the market before deciding whether to escalate to a retained process. The hire is important but not the most senior appointment in the business.

Executive search may be more appropriate when:

The role is senior - CFO, COO, General Counsel or board level. The candidate pool is narrow and passive candidates need to be approached directly. Discretion is essential. The cost of a wrong hire is disproportionately high.

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