How it works
A focused approach to every search.
From kickoff through start date, every engagement follows a defined process with clear timelines, transparent fees, limited search capacity, and accountability at every stage.
Engagement deliverables
What a search actually looks like, day by day.
Text alternative — everything the film says
- Market research and mapping. Competitive landscape, target companies, and compensation benchmarks. Week one: market mapping begins.
- Sourcing and passive outreach. Going direct to talent who aren’t job-hunting.
- Screening and structured interviews. A consistent scorecard across coachability, leadership, grit and culture fit.
- Reference screening. Verifying performance and leadership claims independently, shown beside three example reference cards from a former CEO, a VP peer and a board member.
- Candidate presentation. A formal packet per finalist — not a stack of résumés — covering tenure, quota attainment, scope and reference status.
- Offer strategy and consultation. Structuring competitive offers and closing with confidence, shown beside an example offer breakdown of base, target OTE, equity and sign-on.
| Stage | Elapsed | What I deliver |
|---|---|---|
| Stage 1 · Search strategy & calibration | Day 1 | A focused working session to understand the business, role, team, and market, aligning on success criteria, compensation, candidate profile, interview process, and non-negotiables before the search begins. |
| Stage 2 · Market mapping & direct outreach | Days 1–7 | Proven, high-performing talent is identified through targeted market mapping and direct outreach, reaching exceptional candidates who aren’t actively looking but are open to the right opportunity. |
| Stage 3 · Shortlist & candidate intelligence | Days 7–10 | Only the strongest candidates advance to the shortlist, each accompanied by a detailed assessment of qualifications, performance, motivations, compensation expectations, and alignment with the defined success profile. |
| Stage 4 · Interview management & calibration | Days 15–45 | The interview process is managed from end to end, with seamless coordination, timely feedback, and candid insight from both sides to maintain momentum and ensure alignment at every stage. |
| Stage 5 · Offer, negotiation & close | Days 30–45 | The offer and closing process is managed from strategy through acceptance, including compensation alignment, negotiations, and counteroffer risk, with continued engagement through the candidate’s start date. |
| Stage 6 · Post-placement guarantee | Check-ins, days 75–90 | The commitment extends beyond the hire, with structured follow-up throughout the 90-day guarantee period to support a successful transition, ensure continued alignment, and address concerns early. |
The economics
What a search costs, and when you pay it.
The model, the schedule, and what each engagement buys — published here, before any conversation.
Text alternative — everything the film says
“Same six-week search. Three ways to pay. When do you pay?” Each option is shown against the same timeline: week 1 kickoff and intake, week 2 outreach and screening, week 3 interviews and references, week 4 finalist presentation, week 5 client interviews and offer, week 6 and beyond offer accepted and hire.
- Contingency — 0% upfront. You pay only if you hire. A 20% fee is due when you make the hire. Non-exclusive, lower urgency. 90-day replacement guarantee.
- Exclusive — fee on hire. 22 to 25% due on hire. One exclusive partner with weekly updates and priority status. 90-day replacement guarantee.
- Retained — split across the search. 40% at kickoff, 60% on hire. For executive and leadership roles: 40% begins the search, 60% is due when they sign. 90-day replacement guarantee.
Closing frame: “However you choose to pay — the right hire can’t miss.”
| Engagement | Fee & schedule | What you receive |
|---|---|---|
| Contingency | No upfront investment. 20% of first-year OTE, payable only upon a successful hire. | Ideal for companies seeking flexibility. Non-exclusive search with no financial risk until you hire. Includes a 90-day replacement guarantee. |
| Exclusive | No upfront investment. 22–25% of first-year OTE, payable upon a successful hire. | A dedicated recruiting partnership with priority search status, weekly progress updates, deeper market engagement, and a 90-day replacement guarantee. |
| Retained | 25–30% of first-year OTE, with 40% due at kickoff and 60% due on the candidate’s start date. | Designed for executive and mission-critical leadership searches. A fully committed, exclusive search with strategic market mapping, proactive outreach, rigorous candidate assessment, and a 90-day replacement guarantee. |
How the fee is calculated
OTE means base salary plus target commission or bonus. If the role isn’t commission eligible, the fee is calculated on first-year base instead.
Sign-on bonuses, equity, stock awards and other long-term incentives are excluded from the calculation.
If a search ends without a hire
You owe nothing further on that search, and either of us can end it in writing at any time.
On a retained search, your 40% kickoff fee is credited in full against the kickoff installment of your next search with me. The credit is good for twelve months. Contingency and exclusive searches carry no upfront fee, so there is nothing to credit — you simply owe nothing.
Capacity
Active searches I carry at once: six, firm-wide
This is a hard cap and I publish it on purpose. It is the direct answer to the question every boutique buyer is actually asking: will I be someone's twelfth priority?
The trade is real. When I'm at capacity I will tell you, and give you a date rather than take the work and under-serve it.
The guarantee
Standing behind every placement.
Hiring is one of the most important investments a company makes. If a placement doesn’t work out for reasons covered by our guarantee, we’ll conduct a replacement search at no additional professional fee.
Because standing behind our work isn’t a marketing promise, it’s part of the partnership.
90-Day Replacement Guarantee
Every search includes a 90-day replacement guarantee, measured from the candidate’s official start date.
If an eligible placement resigns voluntarily or is terminated for documented performance reasons within the guarantee period, Can’t Miss Talent will conduct one replacement search for the same position at no additional professional fee.
My Commitment
I don’t disappear after an offer is signed.
I stay engaged through onboarding, conduct scheduled follow-up conversations with both the client and candidate, and work proactively to support a successful long-term placement.
My goal is to help build lasting partnerships that benefit both companies and the people they hire, and to be a trusted partner for years to come.
What’s Covered
- Voluntary resignation within the first 90 days
- Termination for documented performance reasons within the first 90 days
- One replacement search for the original position
- No additional professional recruiting fee
What’s Not Covered
The guarantee does not apply if:
- The position is eliminated.
- The role, compensation, reporting structure, or location changes materially after the hire.
- The candidate leaves because of layoffs, restructuring, mergers, acquisitions, or significant organizational changes.
- The client’s invoice has not been paid according to the agreed terms.
What happens if the search doesn't land.
I tell you early
If the comp band cannot buy the profile, you hear it in week one with the market data behind it — not in week nine.
You owe nothing further
Either of us can end a search in writing at any time. On a retained search your 40% kickoff fee is credited in full against your next search with me, good for twelve months. Contingency and exclusive carry no upfront fee.
I run it again, free
Inside 90 days of the start date, I run the replacement search at no additional fee. Full terms.