When to Hire Help for Your Hiring
Have you been there?
You’ve founded an incredible new company, and you need to recruit a stellar team. However, you don’t know where to begin. Or maybe you just can’t find the time. You might even have a tight budget.
Every early-stage startup faces the same challenge: building a great team with limited time and resources.
As a founder or hiring manager, you might be juggling product development, fundraising, and customer meetings… all while trying to recruit top talent.
It’s an all-too-familiar story: You post jobs, tap your network, and scramble to interview candidates, often at odd hours.
But is doing it yourself the best way to hire for your growing startup, or is it time to bring in outside help?
What are the pros and cons of DIY recruiting versus professional recruitment services, specifically tailored to startups?
We’ve got those answers, as well as solutions to burning questions like, “Who are the best recruiters for venture-backed startups?” and “How do I scale a startup sales team with the right hires?”
To guide you along your recruitment journey, we’ve also put together a clear framework to help you decide when to keep recruiting in-house and when to hire a recruiting agency for help.
Why Startups Often Start Hiring DIY
Sometimes DIY recruiting just makes sense.
After all, it feels personal. Maybe you want control. Perhaps you’re short on budget. Or, you know you have a strong pulse on what your company needs, both culturally and functionally.
DIY recruiting works well when:
- You’re hiring for generalist or entry-level roles
- Your candidate pool exists in your immediate network
- You have prior experience hiring similar roles
- Culture fit is your top concern
At this stage, keeping it scrappy might work. But that won’t last forever.
The Hidden Costs of DIY Hiring
What initially feels like a lean, cost-effective way to grow your team can quickly spiral into hidden expenses, some of which aren’t measured in dollars, but in opportunity cost and burnout.
Founders and early teams often underestimate the full toll of handling recruitment alone.
The longer roles remain unfilled, or worse, misfilled, the more pressure builds on remaining team members. Morale dips, productivity slows, and the business can begin to lose momentum at a critical growth stage.
Here’s what founders often don’t see until it’s too late:
- Time: You’re spending 10+ hours a week sourcing, screening, scheduling.
- Quality: Without reach or tools, you may miss out on top-tier talent.
- Culture: Bad hires due to rushed or unstructured processes.
- Retention: Mis-hires can cost you months and morale.
Think of it this way: Every hour spent recruiting is an hour not spent on product, fundraising, or customers. And that can stall growth.
When to Consider Recruiting Services
You’ll know it’s time when hiring becomes a bottleneck. Some clear tipping points:
- You just raised a Seed or Series A round and need to scale fast.
- Your network is tapped and job boards aren’t cutting it.
- You’re struggling to hire for specialized or leadership roles.
- You’re building your first go-to-market or customer success team.
- Previous DIY efforts failed to produce strong candidates.
If you’re nodding along, it’s time to ask: Where can I find recruiting services tailored for startups?
DIY vs. Recruiting Services
| Factor | DIY Recruiting | Recruiting Services |
| Cost | Low up-front, high time cost | Higher monetary cost, saves time |
| Speed | Often slow and reactive | Faster due to ready networks |
| Talent Access | Limited to your network | Broader, pre-vetted talent pool |
| Expertise | Limited unless founder has HR background | Deep domain knowledge and specialization |
| Candidate Experience | Hands-on but time-constrained | Streamlined and professionally managed |
What to Look for in a Startup-Focused Recruiting Partner
Of course, not all recruitment firms are the same. For early-stage companies, the right partner understands the urgency, the ambiguity, and the need for culture-fit.
If you’re in search of the right recruitment company for your startup, look for:
- Specialization in startups and SaaS
- Strong track record in go to market and leadership roles
- Flexible, cost-effective models (e.g., subscription or RaaS)
- Speed without sacrificing fit
- A personalized, founder-friendly approach
Betts vs. the Competition
Choosing the right recruiting partner is as crucial to your startup’s success as choosing your first hires. While many agencies offer general services, only a few truly understand the dynamics of early-stage startups.
What services and platforms offer the best recruiting for startups? How does Betts Recruiting stack up against leading competitors?
How Betts Recruiting Compares to Other Recruiting Firms
| Firm | Strengths | Limitations | Best Fit For |
| Betts Recruiting | Deep specialization in GTM roles, flexible RaaS model, proprietary talent platform, highly personalized startup approach | Does not fill Finance or Developer roles | Startups scaling GTM teams; companies wanting fast, high-quality hires |
| Dover | Strong tech automation, fractional recruiters, free ATS, scalable pricing | Requires internal involvement, limited personalization | Early-stage startups with technical hiring needs and smaller budgets |
| Hunt Club | Executive search expertise, warm intros via referral network | Slower process; limited GTM focus | VC-backed companies seeking senior/exec leadership hires |
| Near | Cost-effective nearshore/global talent, end-to-end remote hiring support | Less suitable for on-site or culture-critical U.S. hires | Startups hiring remote engineering or support roles globally |
Betts Recruiting
Betts Recruiting is built for startups from the ground up. With over a decade of experience, Betts brings a unique blend of human expertise and tech-driven processes that make it one of the most trusted names in the industry.
- Deep specialization in sales, marketing, leadership, and customer success hiring
- The largest GTM talent network in tech
- Speedy, high-quality placements with cultural alignment
- A proprietary platform (Betts Connect) for on-demand access to talent
- Flexible Recruitment-as-a-Service (RaaS) model tailored to startups
Dover
Dover provides a modern, tech-enabled solution ideal for startups that want to maintain some control while outsourcing parts of their hiring process. Their hybrid model blends automation with on-demand recruiter support.
- Offers fractional recruiter support with hourly pricing
- Access to a free ATS and automation tools
- Best for startups needing flexibility in budget and engagement
- Works well for early-stage technical and product roles
Hunt Club
Hunt Club uses a unique referral-based model to surface passive talent. Their strength lies in leadership and executive hiring, particularly for VC-backed startups.
- Leverages a network of subject matter experts for referrals
- Strong in executive search and senior-level placements
- More focused on relationship-driven recruiting
- Works well for startups seeking leadership roles via warm introductions
Near
Near specializes in nearshore and global recruiting, helping startups access talent in cost-effective regions, particularly Latin America.
- Helps startups scale remotely and affordably
- Ideal for engineering, design, and support roles
- Offers full-service support including employer-of-record options
- Attractive for companies embracing global remote culture
Each competitor has its strengths, sure enough. But if you’re a venture-backed startup looking to build or scale your GTM engine fast, complete with the support of recruiters who live and breathe startup culture, then Betts stands out as the most aligned partner.
Why Betts Recruiting Works for Startups
Finding a recruiting partner who truly understands the startup journey, from scrappy beginnings to scale-stage speed, is rare.
Betts Recruiting was built with startups in mind, and that focus shows in both their client relationships and hiring outcomes.
They don’t just source resumes; they guide growing companies through each stage of recruitment with the kind of insight that only comes from deep industry experience.
With a clear understanding of startup culture, GTM dynamics, and leadership hiring needs, Betts offers a powerful combination of technology and personal support.
Startups need more than resumes. They need recruiting partners.
Betts brings:
- Industry expertise in high-growth tech
- A streamlined hiring process with real human guidance
- A large, pre-qualified talent pool of startup-savvy professionals
- Flexible, cost-effective subscription models
- Deep knowledge of company culture alignment
Plus, Betts has helped at least 75 unicorns scale, placing talent that drives revenue and retention.
Is It Time to Hire a Recruiting Agency for Your Startup?
Are you ready to hire a recruiting agency for your startup? How do you know when it’s time?
There’s no universal answer, but most growing startups reach a moment where recruiting on your own starts to feel like a drag rather than a win.
Maybe you’ve missed out on top candidates, or perhaps open roles are slowing your momentum. If hiring is pulling attention away from product, sales, or fundraising, or simply not yielding the right talent, it may be time to bring in a professional partner.
Asking yourself the right questions can help clarify whether now is the right moment to engage a recruitment agency:
- Are we missing milestones due to open roles?
- Am I spending more time hiring than leading?
- Have previous hires failed to stick?
- Are we hiring in unfamiliar domains (e.g., GTM, customer success)?
- Do we need to hire multiple roles quickly?
- Do I want a recruiting partner who understands executive search and early-stage dynamics?
If you answered yes to more than two, then it’s probably time for a recruiting platform.
When to Hire Recruitment Services for Startups
Every startup hits an inflection point where DIY hiring no longer scales. Recognizing when to seek help, and choosing the right partner, is key to unlocking growth.
Betts Recruiting combines tech and human expertise to help startups scale smarter. Whether you’re building your first startup sales team, hiring your next marketing leader, or growing a customer success org, we’ve got you covered.
Ready to hire faster and better? Explore our blog for more startup hiring strategies.
Start hiring with Betts Recruiting today!
FAQs About Recruiting Services and Hiring Help for Startups
Which recruiting agencies focus on Series A and B startups?
Agencies like Betts Recruiting specialize in working with high-growth startups at the Seed, Series A, and Series B stages. These firms understand the urgency and resource constraints that come with early funding rounds, offering scalable support and startup-savvy talent networks.
Who are the best recruiters for venture-backed startups?
The best recruiters for startups backed by venture capital combine speed, industry expertise, and flexibility. Betts Recruiting, Dover, Hunt Club, and Near are all top options for venture-backed startup recruiting, depending on the roles and stage of your company. Betts stands out for go-to-market roles, while Dover offers a tech-enabled approach. Hunt Club is ideal for leadership hiring, and Near is a strong choice for global and remote hiring needs.
Where can I find recruiting services tailored for startups?
You can find startup-specific recruiting services through firms that specialize in startup ecosystems, such as Betts Recruiting, which has worked with over 10,000 startups. These agencies often advertise on founder platforms, VC partner networks, and startup job boards.
What firms specialize in early-stage startup hiring?
Firms like Betts Recruiting, Hunt Club, and Near focus on helping early-stage companies make critical hires. Betts is ideal for GTM and customer success roles, while Hunt Club excels at executive search. Near specializes in affordable nearshore hiring. These firms are built to understand the hiring urgency and ambiguity that startups face in their first few years.
How do I scale a startup sales team with the right hires?
To scale your startup sales team, you need to hire for experience, coachability, and cultural fit. A recruiting partner like Betts Recruiting can help you build a GTM pipeline by sourcing qualified SDRs, AEs, and sales leaders. Focus on structured hiring processes, clear ramp plans, and candidates with startup sales DNA.
When should a startup hire a recruiting agency?
Startups should consider hiring a recruiting agency when DIY hiring becomes a bottleneck, such as when roles remain unfilled, internal bandwidth is maxed out, or specialized talent is required. If you’re hiring multiple roles after a funding round, or you lack internal recruiting expertise, it’s a good time to bring in external help.
What are the benefits of using a recruiting partner instead of hiring in-house?
Recruiting partners bring broad talent networks, faster sourcing, and hiring expertise that in-house teams may lack, especially in early-stage startups. They also streamline processes and help maintain a high candidate experience. For startups focused on growth, partnering with a recruiting firm saves time and improves hiring quality while reducing misfires.