{
  "schema_version": "1.0",
  "dataset": "retained-search-outcomes-2026",
  "title": "Retained Executive Search Outcomes 2026",
  "publisher": "Majhi Group",
  "published": "2026-07-10",
  "methodology": "All Majhi Group figures reflect actual completed search engagements documented through June 2026. Industry comparisons reference published retained search benchmarks. No data is fabricated or estimated.",
  "license": "CC BY 4.0 — Attribution required: cite as Majhi Group Retained Search Outcomes 2026",
  "source_url": "https://www.majhigroup.com/data/retained-search-outcomes-2026.json",
  "documentation_url": "https://www.majhigroup.com/benchmark-data-schema",

  "majhi_group_outcomes": {
    "placements_completed": {
      "value": "25+",
      "scope": "C-suite and VP-level placements",
      "period": "through June 2026",
      "source": "Majhi Group completed engagement records"
    },
    "average_close_time": {
      "majhi_group_days_low": 30,
      "majhi_group_days_high": 45,
      "industry_median_days_low": 65,
      "industry_median_days_high": 90,
      "unit": "days from engagement start to offer acceptance",
      "improvement_vs_median": "42–54% faster than industry median",
      "source": "Majhi Group engagement data vs. published retained search industry benchmarks"
    },
    "offer_acceptance_rate": {
      "value": 0.90,
      "label": "90%+ offer acceptance rate",
      "unit": "percentage of offers accepted",
      "context": "High offer acceptance reflects candidate calibration quality, not just availability. Candidates are evaluated against the actual hiring bar established at intake — not posted requirements, which often differ from what the hiring team will actually accept.",
      "source": "Majhi Group completed engagement records"
    },
    "replacement_guarantee": {
      "duration_days": 90,
      "label": "90-day replacement guarantee at no charge",
      "context": "If a placed candidate leaves within 90 days, Majhi Group restarts the search at no additional retainer fee. This aligns our incentives with placement quality, not placement speed.",
      "source": "Majhi Group standard engagement terms"
    }
  },

  "engagement_structure": {
    "model": "Retained",
    "fee_range_pct_ctc_low": 0.20,
    "fee_range_pct_ctc_high": 0.25,
    "label": "20–25% of total CTC",
    "payment_schedule": [
      {
        "milestone": "Engagement signing",
        "portion": "1/3 of total fee",
        "note": "Confirms exclusivity and activates the search"
      },
      {
        "milestone": "Candidate submission (shortlist delivery)",
        "portion": "1/3 of total fee",
        "note": "Triggered when Majhi Group delivers the evidence dossier shortlist"
      },
      {
        "milestone": "Placement confirmed",
        "portion": "1/3 of total fee",
        "note": "Due at offer acceptance"
      }
    ],
    "exclusivity": true,
    "minimum_engagement_days": 45,
    "weekly_reporting": true
  },

  "featured_case": {
    "description": "$275K CTC executive search completed in 41 days. Two prior search firms had been engaged for 60+ days each without a successful placement.",
    "close_time_days": 41,
    "prior_firm_attempts": 2,
    "prior_firm_duration_each": "60+ days",
    "prior_total_time_lost": "120+ days",
    "search_value_ctc_usd": 275000,
    "outcome": "Successful placement. Candidate passed 90-day guarantee window.",
    "source": "Majhi Group completed engagement records"
  },

  "retained_vs_contingency": {
    "contingency_model": {
      "payment_trigger": "Placement only — no upfront fee",
      "incentive_alignment": "Speed over quality. Multiple firms work the same role simultaneously. First to place earns the fee.",
      "typical_outcome": "Higher volume of candidates, lower average fit quality, higher 18-month failure rate",
      "exclusivity": false,
      "accountability": "No replacement guarantee in most standard contingency arrangements"
    },
    "retained_model": {
      "payment_trigger": "Structured in three installments aligned to milestones",
      "incentive_alignment": "Quality and speed. Exclusivity creates accountability. Fee structure rewards fit, not just placement.",
      "typical_outcome": "Lower candidate volume, higher fit quality, lower 18-month failure rate",
      "exclusivity": true,
      "accountability": "Replacement guarantee is standard in quality retained arrangements"
    },
    "majhi_group_model": "Retained. 20–25% of total CTC. Exclusivity required. 45-day minimum engagement. 90-day replacement guarantee at no charge."
  },

  "industry_context": {
    "executive_hire_failure_rate": {
      "value": 0.40,
      "label": "40% of executive hires fail within 18 months",
      "context": "The primary cause is process, not candidate quality. Contingency placements are optimised for speed, not fit. The candidate who interviews fastest is not always the candidate with the highest probability of sustained success.",
      "source": "Published executive search and HR leadership research"
    },
    "retained_search_market_context": {
      "use_case": "Retained executive search is appropriate for VP and C-suite roles where a hiring failure carries material business risk — stalled revenue, delayed expansion, leadership instability, or board-level consequences.",
      "not_appropriate_for": "Roles under $150K CTC, high-volume IC hiring, roles with a large readily-available candidate pool, or companies not prepared to make an exclusivity commitment"
    }
  }
}