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

How do you move from being a contingency recruiter to winning retained searches consistently? And how do you scale your desk without doing it all yourself?

In this episode of The Resilient Recruiter, industry veteran Carol Wenom shares the exact mindset shift, client messaging, and team model that helped her make that leap and increase her billings by 70% in one year.

With over 40 years in engineering and technical search, Carol built a niche-dominant practice, earned preferred partner status with top clients, and served as VP and GM at Whitaker Companies. She’s also a past president of the Pinnacle Society and Knapp’s Hall of Fame inductee. Today, she trains recruiters through The Tanbark Group.

Whether you’re a solo operator or running a team, Carol’s insights will help you elevate your positioning, close more retainers, and structure your desk for long-term growth.

🔑 In this episode, you’ll learn:

How to educate clients on retained vs. engaged vs. contingency

The “position prospectus” that helped Carol win exclusive searches

What the Rainmaker model looks like in practice (including comp splits)

How to qualify searches and pitch retainers with confidence

When to bring on a production assistant and how to structure their role

Why niche mastery and client relationship-building drive long-term success

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 niche, relationship building, and business development approach.
[58:48] What is next for Carol Wenom?

👤 Guest Bio:

Carol Wenom is a recruitment leader with four decades of experience in engineering and technical search for the refining and chemical industries. As VP and GM at Whitaker Companies, she was a top biller and team leader. She’s a Pinnacle Society lifetime member, Knapp’s Hall of Fame inductee, and now trains recruiters across North America through The Tanbark Group.

🔗 Resources & Links:

Learn more about Carol: https://www.tanbarkgroup.com/

Connect with Mark & access free training: https://www.recruitmentcoach.com/

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