Retained Recruiting
Hiring for a critical role requires more than posting a job and reviewing resumes. The right hire can strengthen culture, accelerate business performance, and provide stability for years to come. The wrong hire can create disruption, cost, and lost momentum.
Senta provides high-touch retained recruiting services for organizations filling critical leadership and professional positions. We partner closely with hiring leaders throughout the process, bringing structure, consistency, and experienced judgment from role definition through candidate selection.
Our approach is intentionally boutique. Every application is reviewed by a human, every candidate receives communication, and every search is designed around the organization’s unique culture, needs, and hiring objectives.
Whether you are hiring an executive leader, replacing a critical team member, or conducting a confidential search, Senta provides a thoughtful and professional search experience for both clients and candidates.
What Retained Recruiting Includes
Every retained recruiting engagement is customized based on the role, organization, and hiring goals. Support may include:
- Search intake and stakeholder alignment
- Candidate profile development and success criteria definition
- Job description creation or refinement
- Search strategy development
- Job posting management
- Proactive candidate sourcing and outreach
- Candidate screening and assessment
- Structured interview design and facilitation
- Candidate presentation and recommendations
- Interview coordination support
- Hiring team guidance and debrief facilitation
- Offer strategy consultation
- Candidate communication throughout the process
- Search project management and ongoing stakeholder updates
Senta serves as a strategic partner throughout the search process while the final hiring decision remains with the client.
How the Model Works
Retained recruiting engagements are typically structured in five phases:
- Search Planning and Intake
We work with key stakeholders to understand the organization, the role, the desired candidate profile, and the factors that will contribute to long-term success. - Sourcing and Market Outreach
Candidates are identified through a combination of proactive sourcing, professional networks, referrals, and inbound applicants. - Candidate Screening and Evaluation
Qualified candidates are assessed through structured screening and presented with context and recommendations to support decision-making. - Interview Support and Selection
Senta assists with interview design, candidate coordination, evaluation frameworks, and hiring team debriefs to create a consistent and effective selection process. - Offer and Transition
Once a finalist is selected, Senta supports offer strategy and candidate communication through offer acceptance and transition planning.
Throughout the engagement, Senta maintains regular communication with both the hiring team and candidates to ensure a professional and positive search experience.
Why Retained Recruiting with Senta?
- Only one similar search conducted at a time
- Every application reviewed by a human
- Every candidate receives communication
- Boutique, high-touch partnership
- Structured and consistent candidate experience
- Direct access to senior HR leadership throughout the engagement
- Strategy and execution managed by the same partner from intake through offer
What Is Not Included
Retained Search is intentionally focused on identifying, assessing, and supporting the selection of qualified candidates for a specific role.
The following services are not typically included unless specifically outlined in the engagement agreement:
- Comprehensive organizational assessments
- Compensation program design or market bench marking
- Leadership development programs or training design
- Workforce restructuring initiatives
- Ongoing HR leadership or advisory services beyond the search engagement
- Background checks, employment verification, or pre-employment testing administered by third-party providers
Senta does not provide legal advice, legal representation, or employment counsel services.
When appropriate, Senta may recommend qualified external resources to support needs that fall outside the scope of the engagement.
Pricing
Retained recruiting engagements are customized based on the level of the role, search complexity, confidentiality requirements, geographic scope, and anticipated search duration.
Pricing is typically structured as either a fixed-fee engagement or a percentage of the selected candidate’s first-year base compensation.
Contact us to discuss your hiring needs and receive a customized proposal.
Disclaimer:
The services, deliverables, and guidance provided by Senta LLC are developed by experienced human resources professionals and are intended solely for informational and operational support purposes. These materials or services are not, and should not be interpreted as, legal advice. Senta LLC is not a law firm and does not provide legal representation or legal opinions.
While our work reflects established human resources practices, compliance considerations, and strategic recommendations, all decisions involving the interpretation or application of laws, regulations, or legal obligations must be made in consultation with qualified legal counsel. Clients are solely responsible for ensuring compliance with applicable local, state, and federal laws. Senta LLC strongly advises clients to consult with a licensed attorney before implementing any policies, procedures, or changes that may carry legal implications.