A Contingency Search Model is a type of recruitment method and contractual agreement where the recruitment firm provides a service of searching and identifying suitable candidates for a client company and the firm only receives a fee if they successfully place a candidate with the client company. The fee is typically a percentage of the candidate’s first-year salary and is paid only after the candidate has started working for the client company. This method is usually used for lower level or entry-level positions and is sometimes a more cost-effective option for companies that are looking to fill a large number of positions. The opposite form of contingency is retained.
Watch this video from FocusCore Japan, a Tokyo-based recruitment firm, talk with one of their clients about the difference between contingency and retained search.