Dedicated Resources
Your search isn't one of fifty — it's our priority. We commit focused time and expertise to your success.
Comprehensive Mapping
Our recruiters' deep industry networks ensure you see all qualified candidates, not just those actively looking.
Full Transparency
Real-time visibility into search progress, market insights, and candidate pipeline through our client portal.
Aligned Incentives
Our engaged model means we succeed when you succeed. We're partners, not vendors.
The Contingency Recruiting Trap
With contingency, your job order goes to 2-5 competing firms—each with multiple recruiters. That's 4-10 people racing to submit anyone who might fit before another firm beats them to it. No time for deep research when you're competing to be first. The result? 18% success rates and the same role open 6 months later.
4-10
recruiters competing
Racing to be first
1
dedicated recruiter
Deep research focus
The Contingent Trap
Traditional recruiting model
Industry research shows most contingent searches fail
- Juggling multiple roles
No dedicated focus on your search
- Active seekers only
A race against time and other firms for limited talent
- Weekly email (maybe)
Black box process with minimal updates
- Resume keyword matching
No deep research or headhunting
- Candidates bombarded with AI spam
Generic mass outreach damages your employer brand with top talent
75% report being ghosted after interviews
- Race to place anyone
Speed over finding the right fit
- High failure rate
Low upfront cost, but constant restarts
“It's now common for contingency search firms to only fill 10-20% of their job orders.”
— Recruiter's CoachThe Priority Advantage
Commitment-based partnership
Better than industry average—we don't give up
- Dedicated exclusively
One recruiter fully committed to your search
Access to 100% of the market, not just job seekers
- Real-time portal
Kanban tracking, video interviews, analytics
- Deep org research
Competitor mapping and strategic headhunting
- Professional outreach
Branded, personalized candidate experience
- Employer brand protected
Thoughtful outreach candidates appreciate—your reputation stays strong
- Find the right person
Aligned incentives for quality over speed
- Committed partnership
Engagement fee ensures dedicated focus
“When you actually put any money down on a search (engaged or retained) the success percentage jumps up to a staggering 92%.”
— ThinkingAhead Executive Search
Contingent: 2-5 competing firms × 2+ recruiters each = 4-10 people racing to be first on average
Result: No time for deep research. Surface-level searches. First candidate submitted wins—not the best candidate.
Engaged: 1 dedicated recruiter, 3x the success rate, zero competition. Time to find the right person.
The kicker: Engagement fee is credited toward your total—you're not paying extra, you're ensuring dedicated focus. Plus, you keep the Market Intelligence Report regardless of outcome.
A Proven 7-Phase Methodology
Every Priority Search follows our battle-tested process, refined over 20+ years and enhanced with modern technology.
Discovery & Alignment
Rapid deep-dive into your business, culture, team dynamics, and the strategic context of the hire.
Key Activities
- Stakeholder interviews
- Role requirements deep-dive
- Culture and team assessment
- Success metrics definition
- Search strategy development
Deliverable
Detailed position profile and search strategy document
Strategic Marketing
Professional marketing materials that elevate your opportunity above competitors. We research your company deeply, create polished brochures, and produce professional video presentations that give candidates compelling reasons to engage—before the first conversation.
Key Activities
- Deep research: Client company history, news, culture, and market position
- Target company analysis: Where top talent works today
- Professional brochure design for the opportunity
- Professional video presentation
- Competitive positioning and differentiation strategy
Deliverable
Premium marketing package: Multi-page brochure, video presentation, and research insights
Market Mapping
We map the entire relevant talent landscape, identifying both active and passive candidates across multiple sources.
Key Activities
- Strategic candidate identification
- Competitive landscape analysis
- Target company mapping
- Compensation benchmarking
- Initial qualification screening
Deliverable
Comprehensive talent map of qualified prospects
Strategic Outreach
Personalized, multi-channel engagement with top candidates, positioning your opportunity as a compelling career move.
Key Activities
- Personalized outreach campaigns
- Initial candidate conversations
- Interest and fit assessment
- Preliminary screening calls
- Candidate pipeline management
Deliverable
Engaged candidate pool with detailed interest assessments
Presentation & Selection
Curated shortlist presentation with full context, AI-generated match scores, and video interviews/transcripts/meeting summaries—often reducing the number of interviews required.
Key Activities
- In-depth candidate assessments
- Video interviews & transcripts
- Reference pre-checks
- Shortlist curation
- Detailed candidate profiles
- Presentation meeting
Deliverable
3-5 exceptional candidates ready for interviews
Interview Coordination
Full interview process management, keeping all parties informed and engaged while gathering actionable feedback.
Key Activities
- Interview scheduling
- Candidate preparation
- Feedback collection
- Process optimization
- Candidate communication
Deliverable
Streamlined interview process with clear decision path
Offer & Onboarding
Strategic offer negotiation and onboarding support to ensure a successful start for both parties.
Key Activities
- Compensation guidance
- Offer strategy consultation
- Negotiation support
- Acceptance facilitation
- Onboarding check-ins
Deliverable
Signed offer and successful candidate start
We Don't Just Post Jobs. We Market Them.
Every Priority Search includes custom video brochures and branded materials that position your opportunity as a compelling career move—not just another job posting.
Video Job Brochure
Compelling video content that showcases your company culture and opportunity
This example video brochure was created for Williams International to attract senior aerospace engineering talent. Custom videos like this help passive candidates see why your opportunity is worth exploring.
70% of top talent isn't actively looking. Custom branding helps us reach and engage passive candidates who would never respond to a generic job post.
No More Black Boxes
Track your talent pipeline like you track your projects. Most recruiters send a weekly email update. We give you a live dashboard with Kanban pipeline tracking, candidate video previews, and real-time analytics.
“Partners share information—vendors hide it.”
Real-Time Kanban Pipeline
See every candidate's stage at a glance—from Sourced to Hired
Video Interview Clips
Preview candidates before scheduling interviews
Analytics Dashboard
Track time-to-fill, source metrics, and search activity
Communication Hub
All messages and feedback history in one place
Mobile Access
Check your search status from anywhere, anytime
Full Transparency
No more black boxes—see exactly what we're doing
Engagement Models
Choose the engagement model that best fits your hiring needs and organizational context.
Accelerated Search
3-6 Week Timeline
- Dedicated recruiter (not juggling 50 roles)
- Active candidate sourcing from curated network
- Weekly status updates
- Basic client portal access (pipeline view)
- 30-Day Replacement Guarantee
Ideal for: Clear requirements, abundant talent pool, time-sensitive needs ($60K-$100K roles)
Priority Search
4-8 Week Timeline
- Everything in Accelerated, PLUS:
- Deep organizational research & candidate mapping
- Proactive headhunting of passive candidates
- Custom video job brochures for outreach
- Market Intelligence Report (yours to keep)
- Full client portal with Kanban, analytics, video interviews
- Weekly strategy calls
- 60-Day Replacement Guarantee
Ideal for: Critical hires, hard-to-fill roles, culture-sensitive positions ($80K-$175K+ roles)
Executive Retained Search
8-16 Week Timeline
- Everything in Priority, PLUS:
- Executive briefing videos for stakeholders
- Comprehensive candidate assessment packages
- Salary benchmarking and offer strategy
- Onboarding support
- 6-Month Replacement Guarantee
Ideal for: C-Suite, VP+, transformational leadership hires, succession planning ($175K+ roles)
Frequently Asked Questions
The engagement fee transforms our relationship from vendor to partner. It ensures we're dedicated exclusively to your search—not racing several other contingency firms. This commitment is why engaged searches achieve 92%+ success rates vs. 18% for contingency.
We have a 92%+ fill rate because the engagement model creates mutual commitment. The fee is credited toward your total, so you're not paying extra—you're ensuring dedicated focus. Plus, you keep the Market Intelligence Report regardless of outcome.
Traditional retained search often involves 33%+ fees paid in thirds regardless of outcome. Priority Search is engaged (not fully retained)—you pay a smaller upfront engagement fee that's credited toward total, with the remainder contingent on placement.
Engineering, Information Technology, Finance & Accounting, and Manufacturing—with 20+ years of experience placing technical and professional talent. Through our RIM Network partnership, we have access to 130+ specialized recruiters nationwide.
Immediately upon signed agreement and engagement fee. Most searches see first qualified candidates within 7-10 days. Priority Searches typically reach the offer stage in 4-8 weeks depending on role complexity.
Yes. Through our RIM Network partnership, we have access to 130+ specialized recruiters nationwide for roles outside our core geography. This allows us to provide the same high-touch service regardless of location.
Compensation benchmarking, competitor talent mapping, market availability analysis, and recommendations for improving your employer brand—yours to keep regardless of placement. It's valuable market intelligence even if the search direction changes.
That's exactly who Priority Search is designed for. Failed contingency searches are often our best clients because they understand the cost of the broken model. We often fill roles within weeks that have been open for months on contingency.
Contingency recruiters racing to place first increasingly rely on AI-enabled mass outreach—generic emails and texts sent to hundreds of candidates. This 'high-quality spam' damages your employer brand with top talent who've learned to ignore it. Our engaged approach is the opposite: deep research, personalized communication, and quality interactions. 75% of candidates report being ghosted by recruiters, and 72% share those bad experiences online. We ensure every candidate interaction reflects your company's values and professionalism.