Why We Only Work on Retained Partnerships
Because you deserve a dedicated partner, not a competitor among many.
The Problem with Contingent Recruiting
Competing for Attention
You're typically one of 5+ agencies working on the same role. Your job req gets lost in the noise.
Working for Free
Agencies spend 60-80% of their effort on searches that never result in payment. That cost gets passed to you.
Race to the Bottom
When 5 agencies compete, they rush to submit ANY candidate first, not the RIGHT candidate.
No Commitment
Neither party is committed. The agency can drop your search if something better comes along.
The Retained Partnership Advantage
Exclusive Focus
We're your only recruitment partner on the search. 100% of our attention is on your success.
Higher Quality
We can be selective. We're not in a race. we're finding the RIGHT person, not just the first person.
Faster Results
Dedicated resources mean we fill roles 50% faster than contingent agencies. Average: 30-45 days.
Better Cultural Fit
We take time to understand your culture, not just the job description. Result: 93% retention at 90 days.
Aligned Incentives
We're paid to find the right person, not just to make a placement. Your success IS our success.
Full Commitment
Both parties are committed to success. We don't abandon searches, and you don't waste time with multiple agencies.
Contingent vs. Retained: The Real Difference
| Contingent | Retained (Alivio) | |
|---|---|---|
| Number of Agencies | 5+ competing | 1 (exclusive) |
| Payment Structure | Only if placement | Upfront/Monthly |
| Time to Hire | 45-90 days | 30-45 days avg |
| Quality of Candidates | First available | Best fit |
| Recruiter Focus | Split among many | Dedicated |
| 90-Day Retention | 68% (industry avg) | 93% |
Common Questions
"What if you don't deliver? I've paid upfront."
Great question. That's why we offer a 90-day placement guarantee and a 100% refund if we don't deliver your shortlist (Retained Search). You're protected, and we're motivated to deliver quality results quickly.
See Our Guarantees"Isn't retained more expensive than contingent?"
Short-term, maybe. Long-term, absolutely not. With retained, you get: faster hiring (saving time costs), higher quality (reducing turnover costs), and better retention (93% vs 68%). Calculate your actual cost of a bad hire or a 6-month vacancy. retained pays for itself.
Calculate Your ROI"We've always used contingent agencies. Why change now?"
The recruitment market is shifting. By 2026, contingent recruiting will be commoditized by AI job boards and automated sourcing. The agencies that provide real value. strategic partnerships, quality over quantity, dedicated focus. are all moving to retained models. Don't get left behind with agencies who are fighting for survival.
"What if we need to fill multiple roles quickly?"
Perfect! That's exactly when retained makes the most sense. Our AI Talent Partner retainer model ($3K-5K/month) gives you unlimited hiring across all roles. You're not paying per placement. you're paying for dedicated recruiting capacity.
See AI Talent Partner PackageReady for a True Partnership?
Let's discuss how a retained partnership can transform your hiring process.