[solved] and retained search firms
A share of total compensation, or a fixed fee.
Retained search firms take on a search exclusively and charge a fee, typically 25% to 35% of the hire's first-year total compensation, usually in three installments that fall due whether or not a hire is made. [solved] also runs each search end to end, at a fixed fee set by the role's scope, with three-quarters of it due only when your hire signs. Every shortlisted candidate arrives with evidence of their work and identity verified.
What the fee looks like on your hire
Move the figure to your role's first-year total compensation, base plus bonus. The retained fee grows with it; the [solved] fee stays fixed.
$300,000
$55,000 to $85,000
Retained range: typical fees of 25% to 35% of first-year total compensation, base plus bonus. Fees and minimums vary by firm.
Side by side
How each works
Retained search firms
A retained firm takes on the search exclusively, maps the market for the role and presents a slate of candidates, often with a partner leading the work. The fee is committed at the start and falls due in stages, which funds a deep, dedicated search. Retained firms are the long-standing choice for senior and board-level appointments.
[solved]
One of our senior talent partners defines the role with you in one working session and confirms the direction with a few calibration profiles before anyone is contacted. Each shortlisted candidate is assessed on the outcomes you approved, identity verified, and arrives with a Candidate Evidence Brief.
When a retained firm is the better choice
- You are appointing a board-level or public-company leader, where an established firm's name and network carry weight.
- You want replacement coverage of up to a year.
When [solved] fits better
- The hire is consequential, and you want evidence before your team spends interview time.
- You want a fixed fee, known before the search begins.
- You want most of the fee tied to a signed hire. Three-quarters of the fee is due only when your hire signs, and the retainer is returned in full if the shortlist misses the criteria you agreed.
- You want to see the search as it moves, in one Hiring Workspace.
- You want a leadership search at a fixed fee of $20,000, whatever the compensation.
The board, my co-founder, and I were each describing a slightly different leader. We didn't realize how far apart we were until we saw the first profiles. Getting that disagreement out early saved us from rejecting good people.
Questions
How much do retained search firms charge?
Typically 25% to 35% of the hire's first-year total compensation, base plus bonus, usually in three installments. Fees and minimums vary by firm.
Is anything due before a hire?
A retainer begins the search: $2,500 for Specialist Search or $5,000 for Leadership Search. The balance is due when your hire signs. If the shortlist misses the criteria you agreed, the retainer is returned in full, and if you stop a search, the retainer carries over when the role reopens or a new search begins.
Is [solved] a retained search firm?
[solved] shares the retained model's commitment: a retainer to begin, one accountable team and a defined search. The fee is fixed by the role's scope rather than a share of compensation, and three-quarters of it is due when your hire signs.
How does replacement coverage compare?
Retained firms commonly offer 6 to 12 months, as part of fees of 25% to 35% of first-year total compensation. [solved] covers 90 days, or 180 days with Exclusive Search, starting on your hire's first day.
When is a retained firm the better choice?
For board-level and public-company appointments, where an established firm's name and network carry weight, and for buyers who want replacement coverage of up to a year.
Tell us about the role. Within one business day, we confirm whether we are the right firm to lead the search.
Bring the job description you have, or the role in your head. We define the role with you.
Sources: Staffing Advisors and Hunt Scanlon on retained fees; Clockwork Executive Search Performance Benchmark Report, 2020 to 2023 data; our team's record, as set out in How we measure. Last reviewed October 2026.