Have you ever experienced frustration when trying to hire an A player? The world’s oldest professional chiropractors’ association faced this challenge, constrained by a typical nonprofit executive recruitment budget, as they searched for an executive director. They needed a turnaround specialist, someone with a proven track record, capable of making an immediate impact.

The Recruitment Challenge

The association’s board of directors established a search committee to evaluate executive search firms. They contemplated the use of traditional retained search firms, which typically entail:

• A fee of up to 33% of the candidate’s total compensation.
• The search consultant exerting control of the process.

However, the vice chair was referred to Duffy Group, Where they were introduced to a radically different approach: a unique fee model based on billable hours.

As the search committee evaluated the two models, they realized the Duffy Recruitment Research™ method  allowed them to maximize:

• Control of the search strategy.
• Flexibility to accommodate real-time changes.
• Ability to collaborate at every step.

Subsequently, the search committee chose Duffy Group’s non-traditional, transparent and customized business model as a more affordable approach to nonprofit executive recruitment. Retaining some control gave the committee a high level of trust and confidence in the process, fully committing to collaboration and forming a strong partnership with Duffy Group.

The Strategy

Duffy Group strategized with the search committee and leveraged their industry-specific network, blending cold calling techniques with internet outreach to identify prospects. Their recruiting expertise was skilled at attracting passive job seekers — those individuals difficult to attract using traditional recruiting efforts.

The Duffy Difference

Duffy Group contacted more than 80 prospects and presented the search committee with a slate of 10 qualified candidates. After interviewing three candidates, two surfaced as the best fit.

However, the client quickly discovered their “champagne budget was closer to a sparkling cider budget.” The market intelligence detailed in the recruiting report shed light on the competitive nature of the marketplace, prompting the search committee to recognize the necessity of increasing their salary budget to attract the right talent.