Fee Agreement & Engagement Tiers

How we work, and what it costs to get it right.

We publish how we work, not a single rate. A confidential executive search and a same-week contract fill are not priced the same. Every engagement is scoped to the role and confirmed in a written fee agreement with no hidden costs. Here are the highlights. The number lives in your tailored agreement, one request away.

Standard on every search
One senior point of contactWe run it from intake to close. No junior handoff.
Vetted shortlist, not a resume dumpOnly genuinely-interested finalists, with our read.
Confidential by defaultConflicts respected, your search never mass-blasted.
Replacement guaranteeEvery placement, backed. We replace, not just refund.
No upfront cost on contingencyThe risk to begin is mine, not yours.
Direct hire · permanent placement

Three ways to hire us, from zero risk to fully retained.

Pick the depth the search demands, or tell us the role and we'll recommend one.

Pay on hire

Contingency

Professional and individual-contributor roles where speed matters and you want zero risk to begin.

  • No upfront cost — pay only when your hire starts
  • A vetted shortlist, not a resume dump
  • 90-day replacement guarantee
Request the fee agreement →
Most chosen

Retained Search

Director, VP, and mission-critical or confidential hires you cannot afford to get wrong.

  • Exclusive, fully-resourced search with full market mapping
  • Confidential, with off-limits protection and a live pipeline
  • Extended replacement guarantee
Request the fee agreement →
By invitation

Executive & Board

C-suite, founder, and board-level mandates, handled with full discretion at the top of the market.

  • Founder-led, with the deepest investigative research
  • Leadership assessment and a first-90-days onboarding partnership
  • The longest guarantee window
Request the fee agreement →
Contract · flexible · interim

On-demand talent, without the headcount or the liability.

Full W-2 employer of record on every contract. We handle payroll, benefits, and compliance.

Pay for hours worked

Contract Staffing

Surge, seasonal, and project needs: on-demand talent without adding headcount.

  • Full W-2 employer of record — payroll, taxes, benefits, compliance
  • Scale up or down on notice
  • First-shift satisfaction guarantee
Request the fee agreement →
Try before you commit

Contract-to-Hire

See how someone performs on the job before you open permanent headcount, with a clean path to convert.

  • A declining conversion path, waived after a set period
  • Convert early, or let the contract run its course
  • Replacement guarantee on conversion
Request the fee agreement →
Built for scarcity

Specialized & Cleared

Hard-to-fill niche, security-cleared, compliance-heavy, or senior interim roles.

  • Specialist sourcing for scarce skill sets
  • Clearance and credential verification
  • Interim leadership for gaps at the top
Request the fee agreement →
Risk reversal

What stands behind every placement.

Guarantees are the point. We'd rather earn your trust than ask for it.

Replacement Guarantee

If a placement doesn't work out within the window, we re-run the search and find a replacement at no additional fee. We replace. We don't just refund.

90-Day Standard, Extended at the Top

Ninety days is the baseline. Retained and executive searches carry extended guarantees, up to six to twelve months. The higher the stakes, the longer we stand behind the hire.

No Upfront Cost on Contingency

On contingent search you pay nothing until your new hire starts. On contract, you pay only for hours worked. The risk to begin is mine, not yours.

Confidential & Discreet

Your identity and the fact that you're hiring stay protected. We reach passive talent your job post will never surface.

One Senior Point of Contact

We run your search from intake to close. No junior handoff, no black box. One accountable recruiter across every industry and level.

Straight answers

Before you ask for the agreement.

Why don't you list your fees?

Because the work isn't one price. A confidential C-suite search and a same-week contract fill take different effort, carry different risk, and deserve different terms. Every engagement is scoped to the role, the seniority, and the discretion it requires, then confirmed in a written fee agreement with no hidden costs. Tell us the role and you'll have your number fast.

When do I pay?

On contingency, nothing until your hire starts. On retained search, on defined milestones. On contract, only for hours worked. It's all spelled out in the agreement before anything begins.

What if the hire doesn't work out?

The replacement guarantee covers it: within the window, we re-run the search and deliver a replacement at no additional fee. Ninety days is standard, with longer windows on retained and executive searches.

Do you work outside these tiers?

Yes. For teams hiring across several roles, a partnership arrangement can cover multiple searches under one engagement. Ask and we'll scope it.

Request your fee agreement.

Tell us the role and the must-haves. We read every request ourselves and reply within one business day with your tailored agreement.

No obligation. Fully confidential. A reply within one business day. Or email hunter@placement.solutions.