You’re running a Series B startup and need to double your engineering team in 12 months. You must keep quality high and costs low. Your choice of hiring partner, like Toptal, agencies, or VanHack, affects your product speed and budget. This guide helps you pick the best option for your startup’s growth and money needs.
Startups today focus on hires that bring clear value. There’s big pressure to make each hire count, especially with tight budgets. Picking the right hiring partner matters more than ever.
5 Key Points to Pick a Hiring Partner
Let’s look at five key points to find a hiring partner that works for startups like yours. These factors predict hiring success for early-stage companies.
1. Speed of Hiring
You can’t wait 90 days to fill roles. Good partners use AI and pre-checked talent to get you 3-5 candidates fast, in days not weeks.
2. Quality of Candidate Checks
Resumes alone aren’t enough for senior engineers. Strong vetting includes coding tests, interviews, and culture checks. You should know exactly how they test candidates.
3. Cost and Value
Per-hire fees add up when hiring many engineers. Subscription plans give cost control and save money as you hire more.
4. Global Talent and Relocation Help
Great engineers are worldwide. A good partner helps with visas, permits, and family moves to hire talent from anywhere.
5. Growth Flexibility
Your needs will change over time. The right partner supports hiring one leader or scaling to 100 engineers without extra costs.
Comparing 4 Hiring Options
Freelance Sites like Toptal and Lemon.io
Freelance sites offer quick access to contractors. But they focus on short-term work, not full-time teams.
Key Points:
- Good: Curated talent pools and standard checks.
- Bad: Not ideal for permanent hires. High fees over time. No relocation support.
- Best For: Short projects, not core team building.
Traditional Hiring Agencies
Agencies provide personal service but come with high costs. They often lack modern tools.
Key Points:
- Good: Close support and strong networks for leaders.
- Bad: Fees of 20-30% per hire. For 7 engineers, that’s over $140,000.
- Best For: One-off leader hires with big budgets.
In-House Recruiting Teams
Building your own team gives full control. Yet, it takes time and money to set up.
Key Points:
- Good: Matches your culture perfectly.
- Bad: Expensive and slow, often 6-12 months to start working well. Limited global access.
- Best For: Large firms with steady hiring needs.
AI Talent Platforms like VanHack
VanHack blends AI speed with global support. It’s built for growing startups.
Key Points:
- Good: AI finds 3-5 candidates fast with video intros and coding scores. $3,000 monthly fee for unlimited hires. Full relocation help included.
- Bad: Less personal than agencies for one-off hires.
- Best For: Startups scaling teams with budget control.
Which Option Fits Your Startup’s Needs?
Hiring a VP of Engineering
You need a leader who gets startups. VanHack offers experienced candidates. Their flat fee lets your VP hire a team without extra costs.
Scaling to 50 Engineers in 18 Months
VanHack saves money here. Agency fees for 25 hires could hit $700,000. VanHack’s $3,000 monthly fee cuts costs by a lot.
Building a Remote Team in Latin America
VanHack excels at finding talent in Latin America. They handle remote setup and legal details for permanent hires.
Competing for Talent Moving to Canada
VanHack stands out with relocation support. They manage visas and family moves, giving you an edge over competitors.
Want to see how VanHack works for you? Get candidates now.
How Much Does Hiring Really Cost?
| Factor | Freelance Platforms | Traditional Agencies | VanHack AI Platform |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost Structure | Hourly rates plus fees | 20-30% per hire | $3,000 monthly fee |
| Relocation Support | None | Extra cost | Included |
| Vetting Depth | Thorough checks | Mixed methods | AI interviews + videos |
| Scalability | Costs per contractor | High per hire | Unlimited hires |
| Time Investment | High effort to screen | High oversight | Ready shortlists |
Savings Example: Hiring 7 engineers in 12 months:
- VanHack: $36,000 total at $3,000 per month
- Agency at 20%: Over $140,000 in fees
- Savings: Over $104,000 for more hires or product work
Fixed costs help when funding is hard to get. Startups must show they use money wisely.
Pick Your Hiring Partner with This Chart
| Company Stage | Hiring Volume | Geographic Needs | Recommended Solution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Series A | 1-3 roles | Local/Remote | Agency or VanHack |
| Series A | 4+ roles | Global/Relocation | VanHack for savings |
| Series B | Any volume | Any geography | VanHack for flexibility |
| Series C | 10+ roles | Global expansion | VanHack + internal mix |
Questions to Ask Yourself:
- Will you hire over 3 engineers in 12 months?
- Do you need steady hiring costs?
- Are you open to global talent with relocation needs?
- Do you want faster hires than agencies offer?
- Is a permanent team your focus over contractors?
If you said “yes” to 3 or more, VanHack fits your startup’s goals.
Why AI and Human Skills Are the Future of Hiring
Hiring is changing. Old marketplaces and agencies don’t keep up. Combining AI for speed with human judgment for fit works best.
VanHack leads this shift. Its AI, Vanna, finds and tests candidates. Recruiters then handle culture and relocation details. This mix gives fast hires with quality.
For startups, this means big-company hiring power at lower costs. You get both AI speed and human insight in a predictable fee plan.
Future hiring tools will cover everything from finding talent to settling them in. VanHack does this with AI matching and full global support for engineering teams.
Ready to try future hiring? Start with VanHack and see why startups pick us for team growth.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Does VanHack’s AI Testing Compare to Regular Interviews?
VanHack’s AI, Vanna, runs standard tech tests and coding tasks. Unlike uneven regular interviews, our AI gives consistent scores on skills and problem-solving. Videos and data help your team decide. Candidates are pre-checked, so final interviews focus on fit.
What’s in VanHack’s Relocation Support?
VanHack’s team manages visas, family moves, housing, and school help. Unlike others who charge extra, this is part of our monthly fee. It makes global hiring easy for startups.
How Fast Does VanHack Deliver Candidates?
VanHack gets you 3-5 checked candidates soon after you share role details. Our 500,000-strong talent pool and AI matching speed this up. Agencies often take longer. Our candidates are ready for final interviews.
Can VanHack Handle Sudden Hiring Spikes?
Yes, our $3,000 monthly fee covers unlimited hires. Whether it’s 5 or 50 engineers, costs stay the same. Our AI scales fast, and relocation support handles many moves at once without delays.
How Do Cost Savings Work Against Per-Hire Fees?
VanHack’s $3,000 monthly fee avoids per-hire costs. Hiring 7 engineers via agencies at 20% fees costs over $140,000. With VanHack, you save big. More hires mean more savings for growth or other needs.