Keystone versus a traditional agency
Same fee model, different method. An agency and Keystone are both paid on success. The difference is in how the candidates are found and judged.
| A traditional agency | Keystone | |
|---|---|---|
| Where candidates come from | The recruiter’s network and a job board search, typically a few dozen profiles | Hundreds of profiles per role across North America, including people who are not looking |
| How candidates are judged | A resume read and a conversation | A written scorecard, evidence-based scoring, a structured screening call rated twice |
| What you receive | Resumes with a cover note | A scored shortlist and a one-page brief per person, including what we were unsure about |
| Time to shortlist | First resumes within days to two weeks; a screened shortlist takes longer and varies | Ten business days to a scored, screened shortlist |
| Fee | 20 to 25 percent of first-year base | A success fee below that range, quoted before the search |
| Terms | Often exclusivity or a retainer for senior roles | No retainer, no exclusivity, invoiced when the hire signs |
| Guarantee | Typically 60 to 90 days, sometimes a refund | Ninety days, a replacement search |
When an agency is the better choice: an executive search where the network is the point, or a role outside engineering, which Keystone does not take.
Compare: agency, in-house, job board
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