We offer three recruitment solutions to meet your company’s specific demands for confidentiality, expediency and complexity in the talent search process.


Retained Search:

When confidentiality, time and complexity are critical, many clients choose our Retained Search option. Retained recruiting represents a significant commitment from both sides which sends a strong message to candidates that the company highly values this opportunity. We carefully listen to all of the dynamics involved in the retained recruiting process to ensure that everyone in your organization from the Hiring Manger to HR is on the same page. Intense search processes, meetings, travel and extreme service characterizes this type of search structure. We orchestrate all efforts to find the perfect candidate, from working with your HR department to interviews with the people who will be working with the new hire. Our fee is paid in installments, 1/3 upon signing, 1/3 after 30 days and 1/3 paid at the conclusion of the search. If the opportunity is a high-level position and a top-priority, Retained Search is appropriate.

Engaged Search:

The Engaged Search is a combination of Retained and Contingency Search, 1/3 Retained and 2/3’s Contingency. For many clients, this is the best search structure involving an up-front fee to initiate the search with the balance paid at the completion of the search. It has the advantage of highly focused recruiting. Like the retained search, we conduct a highly focused partnership with your company that involves in-depth interviews with key executives. Our focused efforts include a thorough search process through professional analytics, our extensive network and industry relationships. To start the search an engagement fee equal to 1/3 of the estimated placement fee is paid. This engagement fee is credited toward the total placement fee. Knowing that we are paid for our services keeps us highly focused and the candidates know that you are serious because you’ve paid an up-front fee.

Contingency Search:

Contingency Recruiting is typically used for mid-level professionals on a non-confidential basis. A perceived employer advantage for a Contingency Search is that no fee is paid until the candidate is hired. However, when working on a contingency basis, recruiters must weigh and prioritize where their time is best spent. As a result, contingency recruiters may only give limited effort to the search with a quick database scan and without proactive recruitment. We approach Contingency Recruiting with professionalism, thoroughness and discretion. Dayton Johnson Executive Search takes pride in the fact that we provide a higher level of Contingency Search. Our results in Contingency Recruiting consistently surpass other employer hiring efforts and those of other recruiters.