Contingency Recruitment Agency
Licorne Society recruits your talent on a contingency basis: no deposit on signing, with fees invoiced only when your candidate accepts your offer.
5/5 · 208 Google reviews More than 200 startups, scale-ups and digital companies have hired their team on a contingency basis with Licorne Society.
Testimonials
They trusted the Licorne Society team with their hiring
We were looking for a senior tech hire who would be key to our startup's growth. Working with Licorne Society saved us valuable time on screening and first calls with candidates. André fully understood our needs and our mindset, and only put forward highly relevant candidates. Having that support took a real weight off our shoulders.
We brought in Licorne Society during our technology transformation, when we needed to hire new TECH skills across several areas: Product, Delivery, QA, Engineering. Not only were they very responsive, they also put forward the candidates who best matched the brief. Of the 4 agencies we worked with, Licorne Society had the highest success rate. Well done!
Lots of complex hires in a short space of time. Strong, high-quality candidates presented and shortlisted. Friendly people who understand the brief very well and are always available. We recommend them.
Our typical profiles recruited on a contingency basis
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Tech and IT profiles
- Developers, DevOps, cloud engineers, system administrators and tech leads
- Scarce roles where a direct approach makes the difference, with no launch fee for you
- See our Tech recruitment agency offer
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Data & AI profiles
- Data engineers, data analysts, data scientists, ML engineers and Chief Data Officers
- A market where the best candidates are gone within days, so shortlist speed is decisive
- See our Data recruitment agency offer
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Sales & Marketing profiles
- Business developers, account executives, heads of sales, growth and marketing managers
- Often urgent hires, where shortlist speed decides whether you close
- See our Sales & Marketing recruitment agency offer
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Operations profiles
- Project managers, supply chain, logistics and customer success
- Cross-functional roles that underpin growth, recruited on the same model as core roles
- See our Operations recruitment agency offer
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Finance and HR profiles
- Financial controllers, accountants, CFOs, talent acquisition, HRBPs and HR Directors
- Roles where careful screening matters more than the number of CVs sent
- See our Finance recruitment agency offer
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Executive profiles
- CEO, COO, CTO, CMO, CFO and executive committee members
- A confidential direct approach (in French), in a market where nobody is actively looking
- Depending on the scope of the role, the search is run on a contingency basis or under a mandate: see our Top Management (in French) offer
Our contingency recruitment expert
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André Farah
- COO and co-founder of the Licorne Society recruitment platform. 🦄
- Former Operations Strategy and Management Consultant at Argon & Co.
- He scopes every assignment with clients: role scope, salary range and invoicing terms. 🤝
Our consultants, each specialising in specific roles, then take over the search, from individual contributors to managers.
Recruiting on a contingency basis
Contingency recruitment aligns our interests with yours: we only get paid if you hire.
It is our default model for the vast majority of our searches. You give us a role, we launch the search at our own expense, and you only receive an invoice on the day a candidate we have introduced accepts your offer. If the search does not succeed, you pay nothing.
What we do
find the best candidates for your company, with no launch fee
Why us?
- A model with no deposit and no launch fee: your budget is only committed once the role is filled.
- A first shortlist of qualified, available candidates within days, not weeks.
- Consultants who specialise by role and challenge the brief before sourcing, rather than sending you volume.
All of this makes Licorne Society the go-to partner for your contingency hiring, on permanent and freelance contracts, in France and abroad ⭐
A 3.0 recruitment agency, paid on success
- 01
No financial risk for you
You pay no upfront deposit: our fees are only due once your candidate accepts the offer.
- 02
A community of 50,000 professionals
Licorne Society has a community of more than 50,000 professionals in digital, Tech and business, from individual contributors to managers.
- 03
A unique sourcing technology
100% tailored to each role and to your target, combining artificial intelligence and automation.
How our contingency recruitment service works
- 1
Scoping your needs
We (really) take the time to understand.
- 2
Targeted sourcing
We quickly tap into our network of more than 50,000 professionals, and approach directly the candidates who are not in it yet.
- 3
Screening the best candidates
We take the time to call every relevant candidate to understand their background and aspirations.
- 4
Shortlist within a few days
You receive a list of qualified candidates who are available and interested.
Contingency, with a deposit or on retainer: what are the differences?
The recruitment market uses several billing models, and each puts the risk on a different party. Here is how they differ, before you sign.
- Contingency
- no deposit, no launch fee. Fees, calculated as a percentage of the gross annual package, are only invoiced when the candidate accepts the offer. The agency bears the risk of the search. This is our default model.
- With a deposit
- a sum is paid on signing to launch the search, then the balance on success. This deposit remains due even if no candidate is hired.
- On retainer (mandate paid in thirds)
- fees are split into three instalments, at launch, on delivery of the shortlist and on hire. Reserved for executive searches, almost always on an exclusive basis.
- RPO
- the recruiter is billed for time spent, as a monthly subscription. Suited to a steady flow of roles, rarely to a one-off hire.
- Contract recruiter (régie)
- a freelance recruiter is embedded in your team and billed by the day. You lead the search, and you bear its risk.
For executive and C-level hires, we most often switch to an Executive Search mandate: the scarcity of candidates and the length of the search warrant a commitment on both sides. For all other roles, contingency remains the rule. To compare the fees actually charged in France, see our analysis of recruitment agency fees (in French).
How does contingency recruitment work?
From the brief to the end of the probation period, the contingency model always follows the same steps.
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Scoping, with no commitment
we discuss the role, the context and the target package. You come away with a clear view of the market and a salary range, whether or not you entrust us with the search.
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Signing the service agreement
it sets the fee percentage, the replacement guarantee and the invoicing terms. No amount is due at this stage.
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Search and shortlist
we identify, approach and screen candidates. You receive a first selection of qualified, available profiles within days. We iterate quickly based on your feedback and hold a weekly progress update.
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Interviews and offer
you meet the candidates, and we stay in touch with them to keep them engaged and prepare the negotiation.
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Invoicing, on hire
the invoice is issued when the offer is accepted and is payable within 30 days. If no candidate is hired, no fee is due.
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Onboarding and probation period follow-up
we hold regular check-ins with you and with the candidate throughout onboarding and the whole probation period, to keep both sides aligned and make sure the probation period is passed successfully.
Have an open role and want to know what it would cost on a contingency basis? Talk to our team, scoping is free.
Resources & related pages
Further reading on recruitment fee models
To benchmark market fees and set your budget (in French):
- How much does a recruitment agency cost?: a breakdown of the rates, percentages and contract terms used in France.
- Recruitment agency or RPO: which should you choose?: comparing the two models based on your hiring volume.
- How to choose your recruitment agency: the criteria to look at beyond price.
- To calibrate packages before launching a search, see our salary grids.
Hiring an executive or a C-level profile? These searches fall under our Executive Search and headhunting offer, which works on a staged mandate rather than on a contingency basis.
Ready to launch a no-commitment, success-fee search?
Frequently asked questions about contingency recruitment
01 What is a contingency recruitment agency?
What is a contingency recruitment agency?
It is an agency whose fees are only due if a hire is made. You pay no deposit and no launch fee: the agency funds the search, and the invoice is only issued on the day a candidate it has introduced accepts your offer. If the search does not succeed, you pay nothing.
02 How much does contingency recruitment cost?
How much does contingency recruitment cost?
Fees are calculated as a percentage of the gross annual package of the candidate hired, fixed and variable salary included. On the French market, the range is most often between 20 and 27%, varying with the sector and how scarce the profile is. The exact percentage is set during scoping, before any search begins, and is stated in the service agreement.
03 How does it differ from an Executive Search mandate?
How does it differ from an Executive Search mandate?
For executive or C-level searches, the market standard is a staged mandate paid in three instalments (at launch, at shortlist, on hire), most often on an exclusive basis. This is the model we use for our Executive Search engagements. For all other roles, contingency recruitment remains the rule.
04 What happens if the candidate hired does not stay?
What happens if the candidate hired does not stay?
A replacement guarantee is included in the service agreement. If the candidate leaves the role during the period covered, we relaunch the search at no additional fee.
05 Which roles do you recruit for on a contingency basis?
Which roles do you recruit for on a contingency basis?
Across all our areas of expertise: Tech and IT, Data and AI, Sales and Marketing, Operations, Finance and HR, from individual contributors to executives, on permanent and freelance contracts. We handle one-off hires as well as building out a complete team.
06 When is the invoice payable?
When is the invoice payable?
The invoice is issued when the candidate accepts the job offer, and is payable within 30 days, in line with our terms and conditions. No payment is made before this stage.
Our specialities
A specialist recruiter for every need
Executive Search
We help companies find and hire senior executives and C-level leaders.
Learn more Tech & DataTech recruitment
Hire people with strong technical expertise in software development and data, in a highly competitive market.
Learn more Sales & MarketingSales & Marketing recruitment
We help companies structure their Marketing and Sales teams so they can drive the growth of the business.
Learn more OperationsOperations & Finance recruitment
Hire the people who will run and optimise your operations and processes.
Learn moreOur scope
Other roles covered by our services
Our locations
We recruit across the major French tech and digital ecosystems, and support your growth across Europe.