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"We need to hire — should we use recruitment or executive search?" It's one of the most common questions employers ask us, and the answer changes the cost, the timeline and the confidentiality of your hire. As a recruitment agency in Mumbai that has run both since 2001 — 5,000+ placements across 500+ client companies — here's the difference in plain terms.
Quick definitions
Contingency recruitment fills defined roles from the pool of active candidates — people applying to jobs, registered on portals or sitting in an agency's database. You pay a success fee only when a candidate joins.
Executive search (headhunting) is a proactive, targeted hunt for leadership talent. Most senior leaders aren't applying anywhere — they must be identified, discreetly approached and persuaded. Search is research-led, often retained, and built for passive candidates at the top of the market. See our executive search service for how we run it.
How the process differs
A search assignment runs: detailed brief → market mapping of every relevant leader in target companies → discreet, confidential outreach → leadership assessment against agreed competencies → deep reference checks → offer negotiation.
Standard recruitment runs: brief → database search plus advertising → consultant screening → shortlist → interviews → offer. It's faster and wider; search is deeper and more deliberate.
Confidentiality
Search exists partly because some hires can't be public. Replacing an underperforming incumbent, building a team for an unannounced expansion, or hiring against a sensitive growth plan all demand a process where neither the company's name nor the candidates' interest leaks. A retained search firm acts as the confidential buffer on both sides.
Cost and timeline
Contingency recruitment typically costs 8.33%–16.67% of annual CTC, paid on joining, with shortlists in 3–7 business days. Executive search costs more — often a retained fee of a quarter to a third of annual compensation, part-paid up front — and typically takes 6–12 weeks, because mapping and courting passive leaders can't be rushed. Full breakdown in our guide to recruitment agency fees in India.
When to use executive search
- C-suite, VP and Director-level appointments
- Niche leadership roles where only a handful of people in the market qualify
- Confidential replacement of a serving incumbent
- Business-critical hires where a mis-hire costs crores, not lakhs
When standard recruitment is right
For mid-level and clearly defined roles — engineers, accountants, sales managers, team leads — contingency recruitment wins on speed and cost. If the role has an established market of active candidates and you need someone productive this quarter, use permanent staffing. For first-line and middle managers, management hiring sits between the two: more assessment rigour than a standard search of the database, without the retained price tag.
What "retained vs contingency" means
Retained: you pay in stages (typically on commencement, shortlist and joining) and the firm works exclusively and exhaustively on your mandate. Contingency: you pay only if the agency's candidate joins — no placement, no fee. Retained buys dedication and depth; contingency buys speed and zero downside risk.
Rule of thumb: if the person you need is probably reading job ads, use recruitment. If the person you need is busy running a P&L and not looking, use executive search.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between executive search and recruitment?
Recruitment fills defined roles from active candidates using databases and advertising, usually on a contingency (success-fee) basis. Executive search is a proactive, research-led hunt for senior leadership talent — mostly passive candidates — often run confidentially and on a retained basis.
What does an executive search firm do?
It maps the market of relevant leaders, discreetly approaches shortlisted executives, assesses leadership competence and cultural fit, runs deep reference checks and manages confidential negotiations until the leader joins — delivering a small, thoroughly vetted shortlist rather than a stack of CVs.
How long does executive search take?
Typically 6–12 weeks from briefing to accepted offer, depending on seniority and rarity — versus 3–7 business days for a standard recruitment shortlist. Senior notice periods in India can add another 90 days before joining.
Need to hire a leader — confidentially?
25 years of discreet executive search in Mumbai. Tell us the mandate; we'll map the market.
Start a Confidential Search →Related reading: How to choose the best recruitment agency in Mumbai • How to reduce time-to-hire