This is a practical buyer's guide. Use it to evaluate any provider.
The five operating questions
1. Where do roles come from? The right answer mentions company ATS portals. The wrong answer is "LinkedIn, Indeed, aggregators." Aggregator-sourced applications enter funnels of 800-2,500 candidates. Direct portal applications enter funnels of 50-200.
2. How long does each application take? Right: 35-55 minutes per application with a breakdown. Wrong: volume claims without time math. Per-role tailoring requires real time.
3. Is there an approval gate? Right: every application shown to client before submission, with reasoning about fit. Wrong: "we apply based on initial criteria." Without an approval gate, the provider has no accountability for poor fit.
4. Can you see real work product? Right: anonymized resume samples, tracker examples, fit reasoning. Wrong: "every engagement is custom, we don't share."
5. What's the active client count? Right: small single-digit number with reasoning. Wrong: unlimited or evasive. Above 5-8 active clients per practitioner, daily-touch quality becomes impossible.
The price-to-scope rules of thumb
Below $300 for full-search: likely templated, low-touch.
$300-$1,500: real range for credible fixed-package services.
$1,500-$5,000+: typically retainer or month-of-service models.
Above $5,000/month: boutique premium category.
Below these ranges, math doesn't work for the provider unless they're cutting craft.
Red flags
Outcome guarantees ("we'll get you hired in 60 days"). Nobody honest guarantees outcomes.
Volume claims as headline metric ("we send 200 applications/month"). Volume isn't yield.
No public reviews or verifiable track record.
Aggressive sales pressure or scarcity tactics.
Green flags
Willingness to redirect you elsewhere if not the right fit.
Honest acknowledgment of what they don't do well.
Clear pricing structure published openly.
Documented track record with real numbers.
A capacity cap with reasoning behind it.
The meta-rule
If a provider can't articulate their operating model clearly in a 30-minute discovery call, they probably don't have a clear operating model. Use this guide as a checklist. The 30 minutes saves weeks of wrong-fit engagement.
— Dr. Hosney Adel