How WorkSolve Talent Compares to Traditional Staffing Models

Most staffing agencies operate within one of several common placement models. While each has its uses, they all share the same flaws: high cost, unpredictable results, and limited flexibility. Work Solve Talent was built to replace those outdated models with a modern, scalable subscription approach.

Direct Hire (Permanent Placement)
Traditional Model - How it works:

• 20-30% fee paid after the hire
• $24K-$40K for a $120K-$150K role
• 60-90 day average time to hire
• One hire = one payment = no ongoing support
• Assigned to junior recruiter managing 30+ roles

Our Approach:

With Work Solve Talent, you get two options:

Portfolio Builder: $2,500 flat fee only if you hire (vs $24K-40K traditional). Zero upfront cost, 7-10 day candidate delivery, unlimited revisions. Limited to first 5 clients.

Monthly Partnership: $5,995/month for up to 3 active roles. No additional placement fees when you hire. Predictable monthly spend, ongoing support, cancel anytime with 30 days notice.

Both include: Direct access to founder Layla Kelechi, pre-screened candidates in 7-10 days, 90-day replacement guarantee, and specialized focus on AI/tech roles.

Contract-to-Hire (Temp-to-Perm)
Traditional Model - How it works:

• Expensive markups (worker earns $40/hr, but you pay $80/hr)
• Limited control - worker is technically employed by the agency, not you
• Payroll risk shifted to agency, which inflates costs
• Additional conversion fee to hire full-time (often $5K-15K)

Our Approach:

We don't offer contract-to-hire. Every candidate we provide is your employee from day one, fully integrated into your payroll and culture. You save money, gain loyalty, and avoid middleman markups.

We focus exclusively on permanent placements to deliver better results faster.

Engaged Search (Partial Retainer)
Traditional Model - How it works:

• Still expensive (20-30% total fee, just spread out)
• Upfront retainer fees are non-refundable, even if agency under-delivers
• Often leads to long timelines (60-90 days) and slow results
• 10-15% paid upfront, rest due at placement

Our Approach:

Portfolio Builder eliminates upfront fees entirely ($0 until you hire). Monthly Partnership requires monthly payment but no per-hire fees. Both models ensure continuous pipelines of vetted candidates without surprise invoices or sunk costs. You get results quickly (7-10 days for shortlist, not months).

Executive Search & Retained Search (C-Level)
Traditional Model - How it works:

• $100K+ fees are common for C-suite roles
• Split into thirds (1/3 upfront, 1/3 midway, 1/3 at hire)
• 3-6 month timelines
• Zero protection if executive leaves shortly after hire

Our Approach:

Work Solve Talent focuses on individual contributor and manager-level technical roles (ML Engineers, AI Engineers, Data Scientists, Engineering Managers). We do not currently handle C-suite executive searches. For VP-level technical roles, we can discuss on a case-by-case basis under Monthly Partnership.

The Work Solve Talent Difference

Traditional recruiting was built on expensive fees, slow timelines, and transactional relationships. We built Work Solve Talent to work differently.

Speed: 7-10 days to deliver pre-screened candidates (vs 60-90 days industry standard)

Transparency: Flat-rate pricing published on our website. No hidden fees, no surprise invoices, no percentage-based commissions.

Quality: We personally screen every candidate for technical skills and culture fit. You're not handed off to a junior recruiter managing 30+ roles.

Flexibility: Portfolio Builder has zero upfront cost (pay only if you hire). Monthly Partnership can be canceled anytime with 30 days notice. No long-term contracts, no lock-ins.

Specialization: We focus exclusively on AI/tech roles for startups. Deep expertise in ML Engineers, AI Engineers, Data Scientists, and technical roles at AI-driven companies.

Instead of paying $25K-40K per hire to traditional agencies, you get specialized AI/tech recruiting for a fraction of the cost with complete transparency and direct access to the founder.

Ready to hire faster and smarter?