Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) about our Contingent Search Services

We often hear many of the same questions similar questions fromfrom prospective clients who want to know more aboutfurther understand our services and terms. We have developed the following FAQ to answer some common questions.

Q. What exactly does Continental Search do in a Contingent Search?

Continental Search & Outplacement, Inc. is a professional search firm that provides a valuable service to our clients. Our primary service is to identify, recruit, and refer candidates for potential hire for?by our clients. We earn our fee when a candidate we have referred to a client is hired.

Gosh, Why the middle man?that doesn’t sound like much effort to earn such a fee, does it? T Well, the process of filling a position for a client is much more involved than you might imagine. Please keep reading to understand just how much of our involvement is often required to complete a search assignment.

 

In the process of completing a search, our efforts include most, if not all, of the following:
  • Researching your company and the type of employee you like to hire;
  • Taking a complete job order and developing a working relationship with the hiring officials and/or HR representatives;
  • Locating the appropriate companies whose employees your company might find attractive;
  • Recruiting candidates considered to be desirable by your company, sometimes spending hours on the phone with them to ascertain their suitability to your company's needs;
  • Assisting candidates in producing a viable resume;
  • Presenting the candidate to the hiring official, including submitting the resume to the hiring official and/or HR representative;
  • Ensuring that the candidate is available and ready to telephone interview, and arranging for the telephone interview with both the candidate and the hiring official;
  • Performing follow-up with the candidate and the hiring official to ascertain continuing interest and provide timely and specific feedback;
  • Assisting in arranging a personal interview (including making numerous calls to the company, the candidate, and sometimes the hotel, rental car service, local real estate agent, and/or the local Chamber of Commerce to get a packet sent to the candidate);
  • Talking with the candidate’s spouse or significant other to determine their level of interest and to answer questions, if possible, regarding the location, company and opportunity;
  • Providing resources to cost-of-living comparison for the candidate to ensure that he/she is aware of the financial advantages of relocation to the area (this is done only after our research proves it actually is a financial advantage);
  • Preparing the hiring official and the candidate for the personal interview, often performing last minute or emergency duties to assure that "all things come together" for the interview;
  • Again, performing follow-up with the candidate and the hiring official to ascertain continuing interest and provide timely and specific feedback;
  • Talking with the hiring official to discuss the candidate's financial, professional, and personal needs in order to generate the most productive and attractive offer package;
  • Working with the hiring official to extend the offer;
  • Preparing the candidate to evaluate and respond to the offer;
  • Working with the candidate to secure acceptance of the offer; and
  • Coordinating with the hiring official and candidate to schedule a confirmed start date.

Once the offer is accepted, our work does not end there. We continue our efforts by:
  • Making sure the candidate resigns from their current employer, often times assisting them with creation of a resignation letter;
  • Informing and educating about a potential counter-offer, and preparing the candidate to reject a counter-offer from his/her current employer;
  • Assisting the candidate in relocation difficulties, if possible; and
  • Making sure to the best of our abilities that the candidate reports to work on the designated start date.

And, here is the best part: ALL OF THIS IS DONE WITH NO CHARGE TO YOUR COMPANY. Up to this point, our services are absolutely free.

Q. What is Continental Search’s fee for performing a contingent search assignment?

The incentive beauty of a contingent search is that our clients only pay a fee when they have hired a candidate whom we have referred to them.

Our standard contingent search fee is thirty percent of the candidate’s first year’s compensation. There is a minimum fee of fifteen thousand dollars. We do, however, recognize that most organizations have either budgetary constraints or cash flow concerns and may need alternate solutions. Therefore, we offer three fee alternatives so that you can select the option that works best for your firm.
  • Thirty percent of annual compensation base salary + anticipated first year bonus, paid one-half within thirty days of start date, and one-half within sixty days of start.

OR
  • Twenty-five percent\ of annual compensation base salary + anticipated first year bonus, paid within ten days of start date.

 

Q. Why should I work with Continental Search at a thirty percent fee when other search firms charge less?

Quality employers. Most recruiters have in place either a formal or informal process of evaluating current or prospective clients, and prioritizing their search assignments. One of the first criteria to consider when prioritizing them is the fee percentage a client is willing to pay for a search assignment. Any search assignment with a fee less than twenty-five percent would automatically be classified as ‘low priority.’ But, it’s not the recruiter who has given that search assignment a low priority. In fact, the moment an employer says that they will pay only a twenty percent or less fee, then they are implicitly stating that filling the position is a low priority for them. If all other factors are equal, then a recruiter will always refer a qualified candidate to the employer who has indicated by their actions that filling their position is a ‘high priority’ for them.

While many other search firms may be willing to work at substantially discounted fees (perhaps because they really need the business), think about how this will change if their business improves. Those recruiters will be less and less motivated to work on search assignments for clients who pay less than twenty-five percent fees. They will be devoting their efforts to those clients who are paying twenty-five to thirty-five percent fees because it is simple human nature to desire the highest possible return for one’s time and services.

At Continental Search, we understand that our clients usually require our assistance only to fill those positions upon which they’ve placed a high priority. We understand the importance of finding the right candidate for the position. We also know the effort required to successfully complete a search assignment. Therefore, we would be doing our clients a genuine disservice by allowing a search assignment to be performed with such a low priority attached to it. If our clients do not need the services we provide under a contingent search, then we will be happy to provide a menu of ala carte services and rates from which to choose.

 

Q. Why doesn’t Continental Search offer a guarantee period?

As previously stated, our primary service is to identify, recruit, and refer candidates for potential hire by our clients. We do not sell products for which a minimum lifespan or a level of output can be guaranteed. We work with people, not products, and it is neither practical nor legal to offer a warranty on another human being.

We are not empowered to make hiring decisions, nor are we authorized to make termination decisions on behalf of our clients. It is simply not possible to control or retain employees which a client selects for hire. The only true party in control of the decision to perform their job, collaborateparty in control of the decision to perform their job, collaborate, act within the law, and remain employed, etc., is the employee him/herself.

A secondary influence upon an individual’s employment term is the employer. An employer can provide an attractive work environment or an employee’s worst nightmare. The employer can also reorganize, downsize, or eliminate a position. Job responsibilities, hours, reporting structure, and compensation can be changed as well.

Continental Search can provide little, if any, influence upon either the employer or employee in an attempt to assure a minimum employment term for a given candidate. We do guarantee that we will perform our services with utmost professionalism, integrity, and enthusiasm, howeverbut, guaranteeing issues that are out of our control is simply not possible.

Contingency search is actually the ultimate service guarantee. We provide a service that requires our up-front investment of time, energy, and resources. Even when we have located, referred, and facilitated an offer to a candidate for our client, we often absorb major losses due to factors that are beyond our control. We perform a multitude of steps required in the recruitment process and never invoice our clients for the work, ... unless our client hires the candidate and until the candidate has begun work. What better guarantee could you ask for?

 

Q. Can Continental Search provide us with references from satisfied clients?

Absolutely! We’ll be happy to provide you with clients and/or candidates that would be happy to speak with you regarding our services. Please call us to request some references (888) 276-6789.

 

Q. How can our company start working with Continental Search to conduct a search?

A simple phone call is all it takes! Just call and tell us your specific needs. We’ll send you a search agreement and will be happy to begin your search once we receive the signed agreement back from you. Call Dan Simmons, CPC at (888) 276-6789.