Are you delivering retained-level service but only getting paid on contingency? You’re not alone—and it’s costing you. In this episode, Carol Wenom shares how she transformed her business by shifting to a Rainmaker model, educating clients on value-based pricing, and winning retained searches without resistance.
With over 40 years of experience in engineering recruitment, Carol built a high-performing desk and led a top-tier team at the Whitaker Companies. She’s a Pinnacle Society Hall of Famer and now a sought-after trainer and mentor to the next generation of recruiters. Carol unpacks the mindset shift that helped her elevate her positioning, how to confidently present multiple service tiers, and the strategies she used to earn preferred status with top clients.
You’ll learn how to transition from transactional supplier to strategic partner, the systems she used to scale billings by 70% in one year, and how to build long-term client relationships that result in more exclusivity, higher fees, and less stress. If you’re a contingent recruiter who’s ready to level up, this is the episode you need.
Episode Outline and Highlights
- [02:40] With over four decades of experience in recruitment, Carol describes what has changed and what will never change.
- [06:45] How transitioning from contingency to retained increased Carol’s revenue based on the service level.
- [14:54] Promoting the retained search via several differentiators.
- [24:42] When and how to recommend retained vs. contingency.
- [31:32] Exploring fee structure options when offering a retained model.
- [34:59] Carol explains how she adopted the “Rainmaker” model.
- [40:47] Team structure and compensation model in a rainmaker model.
- [47:39] Carol’s approach to niche, relationship building, and business development.
- [58:48] What is next for Carol Wenom?
Transitioning Your Clients from the Contingent to the Retained Model
Many recruiters feel unworthy of pitching retained search. Carol used to feel that way, too, until she realized her actual service delivery was already at a retained level. Once she aligned her mindset with her values, everything changed. She began educating clients with a simple three-column comparison of contingency, engaged, and retained models, highlighting key differences like service level, deliverables, and guarantees.
- If clients want to buy her time and undivided attention, go retained; if not, discuss engaged or contingency with understanding of priority differences.
- Guarantee periods: one year replacement for retained, six months for engaged, 90 days for contingency.
- Same fee percentage across all service levels – only difference is cash flow and payment structure.
Her most effective tool? A beautifully produced 25+ page “position prospectus” packed with company, role, and location info available only on retained searches. Clients were blown away. Carol didn’t force retainers; she simply showed the difference. As a result, 90% of her clients upgraded without objection.
How the Rainmaker Model Resulted in 70% Increase in Billings in One Year
Carol was already a top-performing recruiter and a Pinnacle Society member when she realized a misalignment between her production and income. Realizing that she could not scale doing everything by herself, she strategically adopted the rainmaker model. The team-based approach works by allowing the lead recruiter (Rainmaker) to focus on high-value activities.
Carol focused on client-facing, high-level negotiations and candidate closings. “I brought in the business… I did all the offer negotiations… I was the prime point of contact for the client.”
She then effectively delegated some mid-level tasks to a team of recruiters who sourced and qualified candidates, conducted initial interviews, and facilitated early-stage interactions. She also hired a production assistant who is a hybrid role of an admin and researcher, effectively taking off tasks from Carol’s plate so she can focus more on closing.
What was the result? This simple shift skyrocketed her performance by increasing billings by 70% in one year. Would this be something you are willing to replicate?.
Business Development Through Niche and Relationship Building
Carol’s approach to Business Development is built on two core pillars: Niche Mastery and Relationship Building.
Carol emphasizes that sustainable business development begins with tightly defining and dominating a specific niche. “If you cannot become a market master and dominate your niche, then your niche is too big.” She recalls an early career-defining story that shaped her mindset:
“The top producer… doubled his billings after his boss cut his client base in half… he went on to explain this idea of market mastery. That was an aha moment in my career.”
This story underscores her belief that less is more—that narrowing one’s focus leads to deeper penetration and trust, not missed opportunity.
Carol then focuses heavily on relationship cultivation. To her, the secret of long-term business development is simple:
“It is a truism that people work with people they like. It’s not always the cheapest person. It’s not even always the best service.”
To execute this, she employed a multi-channel engagement strategy:
- Monthly newsletters to maintain consistent communication.
- Personalized touchpoints, such as remembering client interests and family details.
- Thoughtful sharing of relevant, useful content.
