Retained vs Contingent Search: What Founders Aren’t Being Told
When it comes to hiring senior GTM leaders, the choice between retained and contingent search is more than a pricing model—it’s a reflection of your hiring philosophy.
When it comes to hiring senior GTM leaders, the choice between retained and contingent search is more than a pricing model—it’s a reflection of your hiring philosophy.
Hiring the wrong senior commercial leader isn’t just a setback—it’s a six-figure mistake with downstream consequences. Mis-hires in GTM leadership often cost companies hundreds of thousands in salary, lost revenue, and team churn.
In the past, executive search firms succeeded by leveraging broad industry networks and focusing on pedigree: the right title, at the right company, with a solid CV. But today’s go-to-market (GTM) landscape is radically different—and those old rules no longer apply.