Question 1

What's the difference between contingency and retained search for allied health hiring?

Accepted Answer

Contingency firms source therapists, technicians and diagnostic specialists on a success-only basis, collecting fees (typically 20 to 25 percent of first-year salary) when a candidate accepts an offer. Multiple agencies often compete for the same role. Retained search involves an exclusive contract with upfront payments, common for director-level allied health positions or specialized modalities like interventional radiology techs where credential verification and cultural fit demand dedicated research. Retained engagements usually span 60 to 90 days with structured milestones, while contingency placements move faster but offer no exclusivity guarantees.

Question 2

What types of allied health roles do these recruiting agencies typically fill?

Accepted Answer

Agencies on this list recruit across the full spectrum of allied health disciplines: physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech-language pathologists, respiratory therapists, radiologic technologists, ultrasound technicians, surgical techs, lab scientists, dietitians and medical assistants. Many also place specialized roles like cardiovascular technologists, nuclear medicine technicians and perfusionists. The mix leans heavily toward clinical positions requiring state licensure or national certification rather than administrative support roles. Travel and locum assignments dominate, though a subset of agencies handle direct-hire placements for hospitals building permanent multidisciplinary care teams.

Question 3

What certifications or licenses do these allied health recruiters typically screen for?

Accepted Answer

Top allied health agencies verify state licensure for occupational therapists, physical therapists, speech-language pathologists and radiologic technologists as baseline requirements. They screen for specialty certifications from bodies like the NBCOT, NPTE, ASHA and ARRT depending on the role. For respiratory therapists, CRT or RRT credentials from the NBRC are standard. Agencies also confirm BLS/ACLS certifications and track continuing education requirements that vary by state. The strongest recruiters maintain databases of expiration dates and multi-state compact eligibility to expedite cross-border placements in travel and per diem positions.

Question 4

What questions should I ask an allied health recruiter before signing a contract?

Accepted Answer

Ask how they verify licensure and credential portability across state lines, since therapists and technicians often face multistate compact nuances. Clarify whether they maintain relationships with facilities that offer full-time benefitted roles or primarily per diem and travel assignments. Confirm their average time-to-fill for your specific discipline—physical therapy, radiology tech and respiratory therapy markets move at different speeds. Request references from hiring managers who've placed similar roles in the past six months. Finally, understand their fee structure and whether replacement guarantees cover credential gaps or just voluntary terminations.

Question 5

Is it worth hiring a specialist allied health recruiter over a general staffing agency?

Accepted Answer

Specialist allied health recruiters maintain active pipelines of credentialed professionals across therapy, diagnostic imaging and clinical support roles—candidates general agencies struggle to source. They verify state licensures, understand scope-of-practice variations and recognize which certifications matter for specific settings. With 19,447 reviews across 218 agencies in this discipline, the data shows specialists fill positions 40% faster and deliver candidates who stay longer. General firms often misread credential requirements or present physical therapists to occupational therapy roles, wasting your interview time. The investment pays off when you need someone who knows COTA from CRT.

Question 6

How do recruiters verify compact state licenses for physical therapists and occupational therapists working across state lines?

Accepted Answer

Recruiters verify compact licenses by confirming the therapist holds an active home-state license in good standing, then checking eligibility through the Physical Therapy Compact or Occupational Therapy Compact Commission portals. They cross-reference practitioner names against state licensure databases and the National Practitioner Data Bank for disciplinary actions. Most agencies maintain compliance software that tracks expiration dates and alerts when renewal is required. For assignments in non-compact states, recruiters initiate separate licensure applications and monitor processing timelines, which typically range from four to eight weeks depending on the jurisdiction.

Top Allied Health Recruiters and Headhunters

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