Frequently Asked Questions

1 How's this different from a search firm?

They get paid when somebody starts, and they're usually racing two other firms for the same role. So speed wins. We get paid for the engagement, which is why we can spend the first week asking questions instead of firing resumes at you.

What's it cost?

2

Depends on the role and how much you want us doing. Embedded work is monthly. Search is a flat fee, not a cut of somebody's salary — we don't make more by talking you into an expensive hire.

Because the work starts before we've found anybody. Most of what makes this work happens before a single resume shows up. If we only got paid on placement, we'd have to skip that part — same as everybody else.

Why do you charge before you've found anybody?

3 How long does this take?

4

Most engagements run three to six months. They're supposed to end. If we're still running your hiring in year three, one of us screwed up.

Nope. Plenty of clients don't, and that's a normal way to work with us.

Do we have to tell people you're involved?

5 We already have an HR person. Are you here to replace them?

6

No, and honestly that's usually a misread of the problem. Most of the time they're good and they're buried. We either take the weight off or teach them the process and get out of the way.

The ones that don't fit a template — leadership, hybrid roles, anything where the title doesn't mean what it means elsewhere. If it's a high-volume role with a hundred qualified people nearby, that's not us but if you need training we certainly help there.

What kind of roles do you handle?

7 What if the hire doesn't work out?

8

We'll talk about that up front and put it in writing. Anybody who won't is telling you something.