Not all recruitment firms work the same way. Here's how to tell them apart — and how to choose well in a small market.
Staffing agencies work on volume and speed, filling roles through broad postings and large databases. Contingency recruiters are paid only on placement, so they often juggle many searches at once and race to submit candidates first. Retained search firms, like Hawthorne, commit resources to one search at a time, with the goal of finding the right person — not closing the fastest.
Halifax and Atlantic Canada are tight-knit. The strongest leadership candidates are almost certainly not refreshing job boards, and discretion is essential — word travels. Relationships built over years are what unlock access to the passive candidates who never appear in a public posting.
We run retained, focused searches, represent the hiring organization, and protect everyone's discretion. We'd rather take on fewer searches and do each one exceptionally well.
When a leadership or specialist hire matters, when quality and discretion outweigh speed, and when you want a partner who knows this market. Learn about our executive search or see how we work with employers.
Let's talk about the role and what a great hire looks like.
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