EPISODE 267   |   

July 9, 2025

How to Win Retained Searches and Scale Your Desk with the Rainmaker Model

Carol Wenom

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.

Today’s Guest

Carol Wenom

Carol Wenom, CPC/CTS, has over 40 years of experience in Engineering/Technical recruiting and search for the refining and chemical process industries, focusing on the midstream and downstream sectors of the energy industry. Additionally, Carol has almost 30 years as a speaker and trainer in the recruiting industry.  Carol spent the most recent 35 years of her career at The Whitaker Companies after having worked for major engineering staffing companies in Houston and Dallas. Prior to her retirement from Whitaker in January of 2025, Carol had been Vice President of the company and “rainmaker” for their Engineering/Technical Division.  

Carol has weathered many economic cycles in her over-40 years in recruiting and has achieved “preferred provider” or “exclusive provider” status with most of her clients. Consistently a top producer in the recruiting industry, Carol has been recognized with numerous honors and awards at local, state, and national levels and is an Honorary Lifetime Member and Past President of the prestigious Pinnacle Society (a distinguished collective of the finest recruiters in the US). In 1985 and 1992, respectively, Carol was awarded the Certified Personnel Consultant (CPC) and Certified Temporary Staffing Specialist (CTS) designations, attesting to her continued commitment to the highest standards of legal and ethical business practices. Her other accolades include induction into the National Association of Personnel Services (NAPS) Hall of Fame and is also a former Chairman of the NAPS Board of Directors. Carol has also earned multi-year recognition in “Who’s Who in Energy in Houston.”

About the Host

Mark Whitby

Mark Whitby is one of the world’s leading coaches for the recruitment industry. Since 2001, he has trained over 10,000 recruiters in 34 countries. Mark has helped recruiters to double or triple their billings and owners to increase their team’s sales by 67% in 90 days.

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