Five reasons recruiting is uniquely suited for a fractional model
Max Kolysh
Founder
October 14, 2024
•
6 min
Why it matters: Your startup needs different types of talent at different stages.
Fractional recruiting allows you to tap into specialized recruiters to hire for specific roles:
Engineering recruiters for your technical roles
Sales recruiters for your go-to-market hires
Executive recruiters for your leadership positions
Unlike a single full-time generalist recruiter, this specialization ensures you have the right expertise for each critical hire.
Why it matters: Startup hiring often comes in waves, not steady streams. For example, you might hire a lot after a fundraising round, and then pause hiring for the next 6 months.
The fractional model allows you to:
Ramp up quickly after funding rounds
Scale back during your product development phases
Adjust to market conditions without layoffs
This flexibility prevents the common problem of in-house recruiters being either overworked or underutilized.
Why it matters: Early-stage startups need elite recruiting strategy but often can't afford full-time top-tier recruiter salaries.
Fractional recruiting provides:
Access to recruiters with 15-20 years of experience from leading tech companies
Strategic guidance on par with late-stage startups
Cost-effective engagement (e.g., 5-10 hours/week of senior recruiter time)
4. Delegate operational recruiting
Why it matters: Recruiting involves both high-level strategy and day-to-day operations. When you a hire an in-house recruiter, they must do low-level operational work too.
The fractional model allows you to hire:
Senior recruiters (5-10 hours/week) focusing on strategy and accountability
Junior recruiters (20-30 hours/week) handling sourcing, coordination, and candidate experience
This blended approach is particularly effective for recruiting, where tasks are clearly delineated between strategic and operational, and can save you money.
5. Accelerate feedback loops and pivot quickly
Why it matters: In your fast-paced startup world, quick adjustments are crucial.
Fractional recruiting offers:
Faster evaluation of recruiter performance
Easy pivoting if strategies aren't working
Rapid scaling of successful approaches
This agility is especially valuable in recruiting, where outcomes can significantly impact your overall company trajectory.
Dover's Vision: Build the ultimate fractional recruiter marketplace
At Dover, we're building a comprehensive marketplace of top-tier Recruiting Partners to leverage these unique aspects of recruiting. Our goal is to provide:
Diverse expertise across all roles and industries
Rapid deployment of top 2% recruiters
Scalable solutions combining senior strategy and junior execution
Cost-effective hiring through our blended model
Whether you're scaling your engineering team or building out your sales force, our fractional recruiting model adapts to your unique needs, providing the flexibility and expertise that your startup requires to build a great team.
