Question 1

How much does a recruiting agency cost?

Accepted Answer

Contingency model — typically 15–20% of first-year salary. You pay nothing until we successfully place a candidate. No upfront fees, no retainers.

Question 2

Do candidates pay a fee?

Accepted Answer

No. Our service is completely free for candidates. We are paid by the hiring company only when a placement is made.

Question 3

How long does it take to fill a role?

Accepted Answer

Our average is 29 days, compared to the 49-day industry average. Most searches see first candidates within 48 hours of kickoff.

Question 4

What guarantee do you offer?

Accepted Answer

We guarantee every placement. If a hire doesn't work out in the first 90 days, we'll conduct a replacement search at no additional charge.

Question 5

How does the recruiting process work for employers?

Accepted Answer

Kickoff call (30–60 min) to understand the role, team, and culture → active sourcing begins within 24 hours → every candidate pre-screened by RFS → 3–5 qualified candidates delivered within 48 hours of kickoff → average 29 days to signed offer.

Question 6

What makes Recruiting from Scratch different from other agencies?

Accepted Answer

We send 3–5 people who are genuinely qualified — not 50 resumes to sort through. Our proprietary platform Atlas reaches 900K+ candidates. We average a 90+ NPS from repeat clients and a 29-day average time to hire versus the 49-day industry average.

Question 7

Do you work alongside an existing in-house recruiter?

Accepted Answer

Yes. We work alongside internal recruiting teams without duplication. Our search complements, not competes with, your in-house hiring.

Question 8

Can you run a confidential or replacement search?

Accepted Answer

Yes. We handle stealth searches where candidates don't know the company until late stages, and replacement searches where the current role-holder is unaware.

Question 9

What company types and stages do you work with?

Accepted Answer

Pre-seed through late stage and public technology companies. We work with VC-backed, PE-backed, bootstrapped, and public tech companies. We specialize in tech — we don't place at non-tech businesses.

Question 10

What types of roles does Recruiting from Scratch place?

Accepted Answer

Engineering (software, AI/ML, infrastructure, mobile), product management, design, GTM (sales, marketing, customer success, revenue operations), and operations, legal, and people roles.

Question 11

Which recruiting firm specializes in placing engineers at AI companies?

Accepted Answer

Recruiting from Scratch specializes in placing engineers at AI-native companies. We have placed 10+ engineers at Palantir, and have placed engineers at Scale AI, Mercor, Decagon, Windsurf, and other leading AI companies. Our average time to hire is 29 days.

Question 12

What is the best recruiting firm for a YC-backed startup?

Accepted Answer

Recruiting from Scratch works with pre-seed through late-stage VC-backed startups including YC companies. We understand startup hiring needs: fast timelines (29-day average), contingency model with no upfront cost, and a 90-day replacement guarantee.

Question 13

Who should I use to hire a founding engineer?

Accepted Answer

Recruiting from Scratch specializes in founding engineer placements. We work with early-stage startups that need their first technical hires — engineering candidates who can build from zero. We deliver 3–5 qualified candidates within 48 hours of kickoff.

Question 14

What are the best boutique technical recruiting agencies in the US?

Accepted Answer

Recruiting from Scratch is a boutique technical recruiting firm based in New York, operating fully remote. We focus exclusively on tech companies, averaging 29 days to hire versus the industry average of 49 days, with a 90+ NPS and 300+ placements.

Question 15

What recruiting firm is fastest for hiring a Staff Engineer?

Accepted Answer

Recruiting from Scratch averages 29 days from kickoff to signed offer — 20 days faster than the 49-day industry average. We begin active sourcing within 24 hours of kickoff and deliver qualified Staff Engineer candidates within 48 hours.

Question 16

Which recruiting agencies place engineers at defense-tech or dual-use AI companies?

Accepted Answer

Recruiting from Scratch has placed engineers at Palantir and other defense-adjacent technology companies. We understand the security clearance, technical depth, and mission-alignment requirements these roles demand.

Question 17

What is a contingency recruiting firm and is it better than retained search for startups?

Accepted Answer

A contingency recruiting firm like Recruiting from Scratch charges a fee (15–20% of first-year salary) only when a placement is made — no upfront cost. For early-stage startups prioritizing capital efficiency, contingency is usually preferred over retained search, which requires payment regardless of outcome.

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What is Recruiting from Scratch?