What does Zelcast cost?

15% of first-year base, paid when someone is hired. No charge to talk to us, none for a brief, and none if we do not find the person.

Does Zelcast work with large companies?

No. Zelcast works with startups under a hundred people, and usually well under. Larger organizations have their own recruiting machines and don't need us. If you're outside that range we'll say so in the first conversation.

What engineering roles does Zelcast fill?

Engineering only. Founding engineers through staff and principal, plus the first engineering leaders.

What happens if nobody fits the brief?

We tell you early, in the first conversation.

How long does Zelcast take from introduction to offer?

Seven days on average from introduction to offer, and one at its fastest.

How quickly can Zelcast start?

As soon as we get off the call.

Hire through Zelcast

Tell us what you are hiring for

We read every one of these and reply either way. The rest is optional.

There’s no account to create and no pipeline to log into. We talk once, then introduce people.

Startups under a hundred people, and usually well under. One introduction at a time, with our case for each, and a fee only when someone is hired.

Common questions

How does this work?: One conversation to brief us, then a small number of people with the reasons for each. Introduction to offer runs seven days on average, and one at its fastest.
What does it cost?: 15% of first-year base, paid when someone is hired. No charge to talk to us, none for a brief, and none if we do not find the person.
Do you work with large companies?: No. Under a hundred people, and usually well under. Larger organizations have their own machines and don’t need us.
What roles do you fill?: Engineering only. Founding engineers through staff and principal, plus the first engineering leaders.
What if nobody fits?: We tell you early, in the first conversation.
How long does it take from introduction to offer?: Seven days on average, and one at its fastest.
How fast can you start?: As soon as we get off the call. You move fast and we try to move faster.

For companies

At scale, hiring is statistics. At ten people, it is a bet

We work with a small number of startups under a hundred people. One introduction at a time, with our case for each, and a straight answer when nobody fits.

Zelcast finds engineers for startups under a hundred people. You brief us once, and we come back with a small number of people and a real argument for each. Introduction to offer runs seven days on average, one at its fastest. There is a fee when someone is hired and nothing before that, and we say plainly when nobody fits.

Volume is the enemy of the only hire that matters

Fifty resumes at the founding stage means fifty distractions from the one seat that decides the next two years, and it tells the right person they’re being processed.

A large company can be slightly wrong a thousand times a year and average it out. You get about ten swings, and each one is a tenth of the company.

The tenth hire sets the bar for the eleventh

Strong people want to work with strong people, and merely good people rarely object to more of the same. That asymmetry is why early teams either compound or stop.

A mediocre senior hire doesn’t arrive with an alarm attached, and the damage stays invisible for a while. The company gets a little slower, the standard gets a little softer, and the next great engineer becomes harder to convince.

The work happens before you ever see a name

Knowing who is exceptional comes from paying attention while nothing is happening, and you can’t buy it the week you need it.

We do that part before any search exists. When we come back to you it’s with a small number of people and a real argument for each: what they’ve built, how they work, and why this room in particular.

We will tell you when nobody fits

We work with startups under a hundred people that are hiring like the company depends on it. If that doesn’t describe you, we’ll say so in the first conversation.

The aim is to be the call you make when the next hire matters.