For VP Sales, CRO, and other GTM leadership hires, Beacon runs retained search: exclusive, dedicated attention on your search, with pre-vetted finalists in an average of 3 weeks. Your role isn't competing with 30 other open searches on a recruiter's desk.
Get your free talent mapIn a retained search, you pay an engagement fee upfront to secure our exclusive, dedicated attention on your search — typically one-third at kickoff, one-third at shortlist, and the balance at placement. In exchange, your role isn't one of thirty open searches competing for attention; it's the priority.
We run retained search for VP Sales, CRO, and other GTM leadership roles, where the cost of a wrong hire and the cost of a slow hire both run high, and where the best candidates are employed, not job-searching, and only reachable through direct, confidential outreach.
Your search is worked first, not fit in around other open contingency roles.
We can approach passive, employed candidates directly without a public job posting, which matters for sensitive leadership replacements.
Every finalist is screened against our 3-part methodology: built not inherited, the number not the story, verified fit not assumed fit.
If a placed hire doesn't work out within the guarantee period, we re-run the search at no additional fee.
| Payment | When it's due | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Engagement fee | At kickoff | Search launch, role scoping, target profile built |
| Shortlist fee | At delivery of finalists | Sourcing, screening, and reference work on the shortlist |
| Placement balance | At start date | Offer negotiation and close support |
Total fees for a retained leadership search typically run 25–30% of first-year total compensation, split across the three payments above. The exact split and percentage depend on the role, seniority, and search complexity, and we agree on it upfront before any work starts.
We don't run every search on retained. For most AE, SDR, and CSM hires, contingency is the better model: you take on no upfront financial risk, and the candidate pool is usually broad enough that a dedicated exclusive search isn't necessary. Retained makes the most sense for VP Sales, CRO, and other roles where the search needs to be confidential, the timeline is under 30 days, or the candidate pool is small enough that only direct outreach will find them.
The honest take: retained search is not a one-size-fits-all upgrade. It's the right model when the stakes and the difficulty of the search justify locking in dedicated attention upfront. We'll tell you which model fits your search on the first call, even when that means recommending contingency and taking on more risk ourselves.
For the full breakdown of both models and when each one makes sense, see our guide on contingency vs. retained recruiting.
We define the role, the stage-specific profile that will actually succeed, and comp benchmarks, typically within the first 48 hours.
We go direct to passive, employed candidates who match the profile — they won't be found on a job board.
Every candidate is screened against our methodology before they reach you: verified track record, not just a polished resume.
You receive pre-vetted finalists, on average within 3 weeks of kickoff.
We help structure and negotiate the offer to close, and stay engaged through the start date.
A model where you pay an engagement fee upfront to secure a firm's exclusive, dedicated attention on your search, rather than paying only on a successful placement. A second payment is typically due at shortlist, with the balance due at placement.
For VP-level and above roles, confidential searches, roles you need filled in under 30 days, or searches where the candidate pool is small enough that passive outreach is the only way to find them. For AE, SDR, and CSM roles, contingency is usually the better starting point.
No. We work on both contingency and retained models depending on the role, timeline, and stakes. We recommend retained for VP Sales, CRO, and other leadership searches, and contingency for most AE and CSM roles. We'll tell you honestly which model fits on the first call.
Retained search fees are typically 25–30% of first-year total compensation for a leadership hire, split into three installments: roughly one-third at kickoff, one-third at shortlist, and the balance at placement.
We present pre-vetted finalists in an average of 3 weeks. Because retained search gives your role exclusive priority instead of competing with a recruiter's other open searches, it's typically faster than contingency for the same seniority of role.
Get a free talent map for your leadership search: qualified candidates matched to your stage, comp benchmarks, and market difficulty, delivered in 48 hours.
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