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Contingency vs. Retained Recruiters: What is the Difference?

• Post author By Jörgen Sundberg

What most people don’t realize is that there are two different types of recruiters/headhunters out there. Recruiters work on either a Retained or a Contingency basis. What are the differences and how does it all affect you as a job seeker? This is my attempt at explaining how it works.

Working on a retained basis means the recruiter will charge an upfront fee to the client to conduct a search. They will operate on an exclusive basis meaning the job will only be filled through this recruitment company. These recruiters work very closely with their clients and will take their time and use an agreed methodology to find the best person for the job. The process is usually rigorous with a shortlist of anything from three to ten names being presented before interviews commence. In a perfect world, the retained recruiter will be able to present five candidates with the ideal skills, location, salary, etc. and all the client has to do is pick the one they like the most.

A retained recruitment assignment doesn’t come cheap; the client will expect to pay up to 50% of the projected first annual salary of the successful candidate. Companies will request a retained search when they are looking to fill a senior position and sometimes when all other cheaper search options have been exhausted.

Contingency:

Contingency search, on the other hand, is when the candidate is the bargaining chip. Contingency is sometimes described as No Win, No Fee (or even No Cure, No Pay). It is what it says on the tin, a service performed by a recruitment company for free until the day a candidate represented by them takes a position with their client. Recruiters working on this basis often have to compete with the client’s internal HR department, advertising, direct applicants, and typically one or more other recruitment companies.

The trick here is to represent the best candidate or candidates and to do this faster than the other channels. If for instance, the vacancy is hard to fill, chances are there will only be a few candidates out there qualified for the position. Getting to these before everyone else is vital for the successful no-win, no-fee recruiter.

Difference in methodology:

The retained recruiter takes their time to get things right using processes and agreed methodology, knowing they will eventually fill the position thanks to their exclusivity terms. The contingency recruiter will be a lot quicker and most probably deliver more candidates to increase the odds of making a placement.

Another difference is that the retained recruiter has signed up to a service level, sometimes a retained search can be challenging and these projects can be rather lengthy. The contingency recruiter will simply move on to another vacancy or client where they believe they can get a more straightforward win.

Implications for you the candidate:

So what does this mean to you? If you are approached about a vacancy, ask the recruiter how they got the assignment and what the competition is. If you are dealing with a retained recruiter, you are more likely to get full briefings on the role, the interviews, a potential offer and so forth. Having said that, contingency recruiters tend to be more proactive and have better sales skills – something that can certainly help you get the perfect job.

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• Tags Contingency , Contingency Recruitment , difference , methodology , Recruiter , Recruiters , Recruitment , retained

By Jörgen Sundberg

Founder of Undercover Recruiter & CEO of Link Humans , home of The Employer Brand Index .

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Official Worksite for Location-Based Pay Purposes

Fact sheet: official worksite for location-based pay purposes.

Certain location-based pay entitlements (such as locality payments, special rate supplements, and nonforeign area cost-of-living allowances) are based on the location of the employee's official worksite associated with the employee's position of record. The official worksite generally is the location where the employee regularly performs his or her duties. If the employee's work involves recurring travel or the employee's work location varies on a recurring basis, the official worksite is the location where the work activities of the employee's position of record are based, as determined by the employing agency, subject to the requirement that the official worksite must be in a locality pay area in which the employee regularly performs work. An agency must document an employee's official worksite on the employee's Notification of Personnel Action (Standard Form 50 or equivalent). (See "Duty Station" blocks 38 and 39 of the Standard Form 50 showing the city/county and state in which the official worksite is located.)

Temporary Changes in Work Location

An employee's work location may change on a temporary basis. Such a change may or may not affect the employee's official worksite, as explained in the following paragraphs:

• If an employee is in temporary duty travel status away from the official worksite for his or her position of record, the employee's official worksite and associated pay entitlements are not affected.
• If an employee is temporarily detailed to a position in a different location, the employee's official worksite and associated pay entitlements are not affected.
• If an employee is authorized to receive relocation expenses under 5 U.S.C. 5737, in connection with an extended assignment resulting in temporary change of station, the worksite associated with the extended assignment is the official worksite. (See 41 CFR 302-1.1.)
• If an employee is temporarily reassigned or promoted to another position in a different geographic area, the temporary work location is considered the official worksite for pay purposes.

Teleworkers

An agency must determine and designate the official worksite for an employee covered by a telework agreement on a case-by-case basis using the following criteria:

• The official worksite for an employee covered by a telework agreement is the location of the regular worksite for the employee's position (i.e., the place where the employee would normally work absent a telework agreement), as long as the employee is scheduled to report physically at least twice each biweekly pay period on a regular and recurring basis to that regular worksite.
• In the case of a telework employee whose work location varies on a recurring basis, the employee need not report at least twice each biweekly pay period to the regular worksite established by the agency as long as the employee is performing work within the same geographic area (established for the purpose of a given pay entitlement) as the employee's regular worksite. For example, if a telework employee with a varying work location works at least twice each biweekly pay period on a regular and recurring basis in the same locality pay area in which the established official worksite is located, the employee need not report at least twice each biweekly pay period to that official worksite to maintain entitlement to the locality payment for that area.
• The official worksite for an employee covered by a telework agreement who is not scheduled to report at least twice each biweekly pay period on a regular and recurring basis to the regular worksite is the location of the telework site (i.e., home, telework center, or other alternative worksite), except in certain temporary situations, as explained under "Temporary Telework Arrangements," below.

Temporary Telework Arrangements

In certain temporary situations, an agency may designate the location of the regular worksite as the official worksite of an employee who teleworks on a regular basis at an alternative worksite, even though the employee is not able to report at least twice each biweekly pay period on a regular and recurring basis to the regular worksite. The intent of this exception is to address certain situations where the employee is retaining a residence in the commuting area for the regular worksite but is temporarily unable to report to the regular worksite for reasons beyond the employee's control. The fact that an employee may receive lesser pay or benefits if the official worksite is changed to the telework location is not a basis or justification for using this temporary exception. A key consideration is the need to preserve equity between the telework employee and non-telework employees who are working in the same area as the telework location. Also, the temporary exception should generally be used only in cases where (1) the employee is expected to stop teleworking and return to work at the regular worksite in the near future, or (2) the employee is expected to continue teleworking but will be able to report to the regular worksite at least twice each biweekly pay period on a regular and recurring basis in the near future. Examples of appropriate temporary situations include:

• Recovery from an injury or medical condition;
• Emergency situations preventing an employee from regularly commuting to the regular official worksite, such as a severe weather emergency or a pandemic health crisis. (For instance, in the aftermath of a hurricane or flood, an employee may be forced to temporarily relocate, making commuting to the regular worksite twice each biweekly pay period on a regular and recurring basis not possible. If the employing agency sets up telework arrangements for the employee, a temporary exception to the twice-a-pay-period requirement would be appropriate.);
• An extended period of approved absence from work (e.g. paid leave);
• A period during which the employee is in temporary duty travel status away from the official worksite; or
• A period during which an employee is temporarily detailed to work at a location other than a location covered by a telework agreement.

An exception is not appropriate in all time-limited situations. For example, assuming there are no additional circumstances such as those described above that would make an exception appropriate, an agency should designate the employee's telework site as the official worksite in situations such as the following:

• The agency hires an employee under a temporary or time-limited appointment and authorizes the employee to telework, but the employee is never scheduled to work at, or report at least twice each biweekly pay period to, the regular worksite (or expected to do so in the near future); or
• An employee changes his or her place of residence to a distant location where commuting at least twice each biweekly pay period on a regular and recurring basis to the regular worksite is not possible (i.e., the employee no longer has a residence in the commuting area for the regular worksite and thus cannot reasonably be viewed as being part of the local labor market for the regular worksite).

Other Benefits

The location of an employee's official worksite may affect other benefits. Information on an employee's travel, transportation, and relocation benefits and entitlements based on his or her "official duty station" (as defined by the General Services Administration (GSA)) may be obtained from at GSA's website . Information on an employee's entitlements to overseas allowances and benefits may be obtained from the Department of State's website .

• Guide to Processing Personnel Actions - Chapter 23
• Locality-based comparability payments - 5 CFR part 531, subpart F
• Special rate schedules - 5 CFR part 530, subpart C
• Cost-of-living allowances and post differentials, nonforeign areas - 5 CFR part 591, subpart B
• Pay and Hours of Work Fact Sheets

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Guide to Seek Clients for New Chartered Accountants in Practice

First question that comes in fresher chartered Accountant’s mind who is planning to start his own practice is “How to get the work”. Believe me, getting work is not very difficult task, provided you have good contacts and references. And contacts can be developed over a period of time, until then you must have patience. In this article, I will provide you with few tried and tested tricks and tips that will make your survival easier in early days of practice.

Firstly, one should prepare a list of person from whom he can ask for work; they may be your relatives, friends, principal, clients which you had handled during the internship days. Generally, your principal provides you some work on assignment basis, but for that you have to impress him/her with your dedication and sincerity during your internship days.

Secondly, try to maintain constant touch with the clients which you had handled during your articleship period, there are fair chances that they may give you small but recurring assignments such as filing of TDS returns, Service tax returns etc. This work may not be very remunerative but it will provide you a steady source of income. You can also request your client to recommend your name to other persons.

Thirdly, try to meet seniors in the profession, they will be very happy to see a new entrant, chances are that they may give you some work on the spot or after few days. Prepare a list of well known Chartered accountants of your city, call them and ask for a meeting, seek their guidance and remain in constant touch with them.

There are many other ways in which you can get work:

1. Enter a networking agreement with an established firm which don’t have an office or branch in your city.

2. Visit government departments regularly, try to establish and maintain contacts with the officials there.

3. Look for the entities who want to outsource their accounting work.

4. Try to obtain the bulk return filing assignment at the discounted fees of various companies having salaried employees.

5. Join an association; it will help you to develop contacts.

6. Use online forums and platforms  etc to get in touch with some of the bright members of our profession.

7. List your business online.

8. Do some post qualification certification courses; it will help you to stand apart from the crowd.

9. Try to grab small assignments such as return filing, stock audit, registrations under various acts etc.

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we need fresh C.A ‘S FOR OUR COMPANY IN VIJAYAWADA, ANDHRA PREDESH URGENT

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Work from home on assignment basis

S Bhat (CA) (56 Points)

 100 Replies

sanjay dm (auditor) (115 Points) --> Replied 05 March 2008

Online classes for CA CS CMA. Professional courses for GST, Tally, Others & Books

jaswinder (company secretary) (20 Points) --> Replied 12 May 2008

hi, every one.i am co.sec. in prct.i was in job from last 2 years,but know i am a mother of a small baby.i want to do work from  home.i have expriance of all sect work , account & taxtation work.i requried help of all.i am a needy person.i am ready to do all work  of profestional

I am also interested in doing job from home on assignment basis.

Vidya (Student) (789 Points) --> Replied 28 July 2008

Please let me in which place is your friend put up. There are few jobs available on assignment basis in Chennai. But she might have to go to client's place to complete the work. However it will only on seasonal basis.

Arul (20 Points) --> Replied 07 August 2008

I am also interested in doing job from home on assignment basis. hello friends tell me some.. i can travel arround Tamilnadu... no pbm for me

V.Arul, 9843115081

dear friends,

 just type - accounts writing work from home  on internet   or type- data entry work from home on internet. probably you,ll find a lot of agencies which help you to get such work for which that agency charges a small commission.

please let me know how far any of you was successful in getting work as advised by me. do write to me at my email address

thankyou and best of luck

Gayathri (Chartered Accountant) (286 Points) --> Replied 12 August 2008

Even I want to work frm home.I reside in   extreme north of b'lore, most of the companies are situated in south & east of b'lore. moreover I don't have a good commuting facility frm my place. Being a CA final student I find it easy to work frm home in my spare time. Please tell me what kind of work I can do from home.

Hi.. I am a CA-final Student.. I am also interested in work at freelance, ie on asignment basis.. My key skills include project finance and accounting..

Madhusudhana Rao Konduri (ACCOUNTANT) (255 Points) --> Replied 17 August 2008

Hi friends i am also interested in doing work on assignment basis and i had well versed knowledge in finalisation of accounts,filing of Returns(e-tds,Roc,etc) and please forward any such type of jobs i will do it

Thanking you

K Madhusudhana Rao

SP (ca) (22 Points) --> Replied 26 August 2008

I am a CA based in Bangalore. I am not working at present. I would like to do assignments from home or on contract basis. If anyone has any information on the same, please  let me know.

My name is Nidhi Agarwal.I am a chartered accountant and doing my own practice.I want Audits of companies on assignment basis.Can any one help me out in this.

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