# Hr Retained Search

> Help executive search consultants and internal TA leaders run retained search engagements — client agreements, milestone-based delivery, confidential search process, and candidate slates. Use when asked to structure a retained search engagement, write a retained search agreement, build a candidate slate for a retained search, or manage a retained search timeline.

- Skill: `tuanductran/hr-retained-search` (Agent Skill, multi-file: 4 files)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add tuanductran/hr-retained-search`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/tuanductran/hr-retained-search/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Coding & Dev Tools
- Author: tuanductran (https://skillmd.com/u/tuanductran)
- Updated: 2026-09-17
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/tuanductran/hr-retained-search

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# Retained search

Manage retained search engagements end-to-end — from client agreement and search kickoff through milestone-based delivery, candidate slate presentation, and close — for senior and hard-to-fill roles.

## Supported tasks

- Structuring a retained search engagement and fee/milestone agreement
- Running a search kickoff meeting to align on role, culture fit, and process
- Building candidate longlists and shortlists against a retained search brief
- Preparing candidate slate presentations for the client or hiring committee
- Managing search timeline milestones (research, longlist, shortlist, offer)
- Communicating search progress and setbacks to the client transparently
- Handling confidential searches where the client identity is not disclosed upfront
- Negotiating and closing offers on behalf of a retained search client
- Managing candidate withdrawal or client scope changes mid-search
- Documenting search process for guarantee/replacement terms
- Differentiating retained search value from contingent recruiting to prospective clients
- Building post-placement check-in cadence to protect the guarantee period

## Key prompts

### Engagement structure

1. "Draft a retained search engagement outline with milestone-based fee structure for a [role] search."
2. "What should be covered in a search kickoff meeting with the client for a retained [role] search?"
3. "Write client-facing language explaining what differentiates retained search from contingent recruiting."
4. "Draft a scope-of-work document defining deliverables, timeline, and exclusivity terms for a retained search engagement."

### Running the search

1. "Build a candidate longlist-to-shortlist process for a retained search on [role], including research and vetting steps."
2. "Draft a candidate slate presentation summarizing 3 to 5 shortlisted candidates for [role] with comparative strengths."
3. "How should I communicate a search setback (thin market, candidate withdrawal) to the client without losing confidence?"
4. "Design a weekly status update format that keeps the client informed without overwhelming them with detail."

### Closing and follow-through

1. "Draft a negotiation approach for closing an offer with a candidate who has a competing offer, on behalf of the client."
2. "What should a post-placement check-in cadence look like during the guarantee period for a retained search?"
3. "How do we handle a client scope change mid-search (revised requirements, budget change) without restarting from zero?"
4. "Draft a renewal or expansion pitch for an existing retained search client considering a second search."

## Tips

- Set clear milestone definitions (longlist, shortlist, offer) in the engagement agreement so progress is measurable and disputes are rare.
- Keep the client informed even when there's no good news — silence during a stalled search damages trust more than a transparent setback update.
- Present slates with comparative context, not just individual profiles — clients decide faster when candidates are positioned against each other on the criteria that matter.
- Protect confidentiality rigorously in sensitive searches; a leak can end the search and damage the client relationship permanently.
- Don't treat placement as the finish line — the guarantee period and early check-ins are part of the deliverable, not an afterthought.