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The work, made visible.

Most retained search runs in a black box and ships a slate of opinions. We run a structured, scored, transparent process — and we put it in your dashboard the moment a search starts.

Phase 01 — Plan

The 22-point custom playbook.

Every search starts with a 22-point plan, built specifically for the role — not pulled from a template, not duplicated from the last engagement. You see all 22 inputs from day one.

The playbook is the single source of truth for the search. It sets the ICP, the sourcing strategy, the interview structure, the scorecard, and the comp benchmarks before a single candidate enters the pipeline. Visible to your hiring team in the FoundHuman OS dashboard the moment the engagement is signed.

  • Custom every time. 22 inputs are reset and tuned per role — never copy-pasted.
  • Fully transparent. Your hiring team sees the plan we're running, not a status update.
  • Calibrated together. A senior operator pressure-tests the playbook with your team before sourcing begins.
Sample playbook · VP Engineering
01Role mandate & success criteria
02ICP profile (must-haves vs. nice-to-haves)
03Anti-ICP — who not to source
04Comp band & equity range
05Market comp benchmarking
06Sourcing channels & mix
07Outbound target list (named)
08Inbound JD & distribution plan
09Network referral targets
10Screening rubric
11Interview loop design
12Weighted scorecard (analytic)
13Behavioral rubric (holistic)
14Reference checking script
15Calibration session plan
16Slate criteria & size
17Offer strategy & negotiation
18Onboarding plan (first 30 days)
1930 / 60 / 90 review checkpoints
20Risk & retention mitigations
21Reporting cadence
2215-month guarantee terms
Phase 02 — Source

Three sourcing engines, in parallel.

Most firms run one channel and call it sourcing. We run three — every search, every time — so the slate isn't dependent on which network had the right person available that week.

Each engine has its own playbook, its own owner, and its own metrics inside the FoundHuman OS dashboard. You see channel mix in real time, and we adjust as the data comes in.

In
Inbound
Targeted JDs and social distribution that attract the ICP and screen out the wrong fit before they apply.
Ou
Outbound
Hyper-targeted direct outreach to named individuals. The operators on the shortlist who don't apply because they aren't looking.
Nw
Network
Warm referrals from operator and investor relationships built over a decade — the candidates that only show up through trusted intros.
Phase 03 — Score

Blind-scored, weighted, and ranked.

The decision is grounded in the rubric, not the loudest voice in the debrief. Every candidate is graded against the playbook before a single opinion enters the room.

  • Weighted scorecards. Each dimension is weighted to what matters for this role — not equal-weighted by default.
  • Dual rubrics. A holistic rubric (judgment, behavior, culture) and an analytic rubric (skills, depth, signal) are scored independently. A strong analytic score can't paper over a weak holistic signal.
  • Blind submission. Scores are submitted independently before debrief. The first opinion in the room doesn't anchor the rest.
  • Forced distribution. Candidates are ranked, not free-form rated. No more "everyone's a 4 out of 5" — you get a stack-ranked slate where the difference between #1 and #4 is real.
Weighted scorecard · candidate sample
Dimension
Weight
Score
System design depth
25%
8.8
Org-building track record
25%
9.0
Operator judgment
20%
7.6
Stage-fit (Series B → growth)
15%
8.4
Culture / behavior signal
15%
8.0
Weighted total
100%
8.4
Forced distribution · final slate
8.4
7.9
7.4
6.8
6.1
Phase 04 — See

FoundHuman OS — your live dashboard.

Every search runs inside your own dashboard. Pipeline, scoring, comp benchmarks, channel performance, time-to-fill — visible the moment it happens.

Most firms send a Tuesday status email. We give you a real-time operating system. Your team can pull up any active search at any moment and see exactly where it stands — what's been sourced, who's been screened, how the rubric is trending, where the slate is converging. No meetings to find out where you are.

  • Real-time pipeline. Every candidate, every stage, every channel — updated as it happens.
  • Scoring transparency. See the rubric and the rankings as they're built, not just at debrief.
  • Process telemetry. Channel mix, days to slate, conversion at every step. The data you need to call audibles before a search drifts.
  • Comp & market data. Live benchmarks against what comparable companies are paying for the role.
app.foundhuman.com / search
Active search
VP Engineering · Series B platform
Sourced
412
In rubric
23
Avg score
6.8
To slate
9d
Channel mix · last 7 days
Outbound 38% Inbound 35% Network 27%

15 months. Five times the industry standard.

Most firms back the placement for 90 days. We back it for 15 months — because the rest of the system earns it. We measure success at month 18, not at the end of the warranty window.

15 mo
Placement guarantee — backed by structured onboarding through month 12.

If a placement leaves voluntarily inside the guarantee window, we replace the search at no additional fee. The window is long because the rest of the methodology means it almost never gets used.

What 65 days looks like.

Every engagement is different — but a senior search at a Series B company tends to track this rhythm.

01
Day 1 — 7
Calibrate
22-point playbook drafted, scorecards built, comp benchmarks set, ICP locked.
02
Day 7 — 25
Source
Three engines launch in parallel. First-tier outbound list active. Inbound funnel live.
03
Day 20 — 45
Score
Rubric debriefs run blind. Forced-distribution slate built and reviewed weekly.
04
Day 45 — 60
Slate & offer
Top three to onsite. Reference check. Offer strategy executed against playbook.
05
Day 60 — 65+
Hold
Onboarding plan handed off. 30 / 60 / 90 reviews scheduled. Guarantee window opens.

See the methodology applied to your hire.

Tell us the role. We'll come back with a draft playbook, a sourcing approach, and a credible timeline before you commit.