Hired is an online marketplace that matches tech talent with top companies. It uses intelligent algorithms and data science to match candidates with jobs based on skills, experience, and preferences. Companies apply to join Hired and then candidates can apply for open roles at these companies. Hired screens all candidates before they can apply to ensure a high-quality marketplace.
Some key things to know about Hired:
How it Works
Hired aims to make the job search process fast, efficient, and stress-free. Here’s how it works:
- Companies create employer profiles and post job openings on Hired’s platform.
- Job seekers create candidate profiles outlining their skills, experience, and preferences.
- Hired’s matching algorithm identifies potential fits between candidates and openings.
- Candidates can apply to openings with one click and set their preferred salaries.
- Employers review candidates and invite selected ones to interview.
- Candidates can view offers, schedule interviews, and evaluate options all in one place.
- Hired facilitates and expedites the interview and offer process.
- There are no placement fees for candidates – Hired charges a fee to employers.
The platform aims to remove friction from the hiring process through smart matching and scheduling coordination.
Benefits
Hired offers several benefits for both job seekers and employers:
For candidates:
- Access to competitive salary and equity upfront
- Ability to apply to multiple vetted companies at once
- Tools to evaluate and compare options
- Dedicated support from Hired’s matching team
- No placement fees
For companies:
- High-quality talent pipeline outside of your normal network
- Tools to screen, evaluate, and engage candidates
- Efficient and structured hiring process
- Access to passive candidates open to new roles
- Analytics on salary benchmarks and hiring performance
By serving both sides, Hired aims to create an efficient tech talent marketplace.
Company Overview
Here are some key facts about Hired as a company:
Founding
Hired was founded in 2012 by Matt Mickiewicz, Douglas Feirstein, and Allan Grant. It is headquartered in San Francisco.
Funding
Hired has raised $142 million in venture capital funding from investors including The Growth Fund of America, SV Angel, Boldstart Ventures, and others.
Products
In addition to its core 2-sided marketplace product, Hired also offers:
- Hired Score – skills assessment for candidates
- Hired Labs – AI screening and matching
- Hired Analytics – insights for recruiters
Users
As of 2020, Hired has:
- 5,000+ companies signed up
- Over 1 million candidates
- 700,000 interview requests through the platform
It has facilitated over $2 billion in salaries and equity.
How Does Hired Work?
Let’s take a deeper look at how the Hired marketplace functions for both sides:
For Job Seekers
Here are the key steps for candidates using Hired:
- Create a profile – Build out your profile highlighting your background, skills, experience. Profiles with more detail get 5x more interest.
- Get discovered – Hired will recommend your profile to relevant companies. You can also browse and apply to openings proactively.
- Showcase your skills – For select openings, candidates may need to complete a Hired Score skills assessment or assignment.
- Interview with companies – Employers will reach out to schedule interviews if they are interested after reviewing your profile.
- Evaluate offers – Compare offers in one place and negotiate salaries or equity with leverage from competing offers.
- Get support – Hired’s matchers provide support and advice throughout the process as you navigate multiple options.
The platform is designed for tech specialists, managers, designers, sales professionals and more. Membership is free for candidates.
For Employers
Here are the key steps for companies using Hired to recruit:
- Post job openings – Post detailed job descriptions outlining responsibilities, requirements, tech stack, and more.
- Review matched candidates – Hired will automatically match openings to relevant candidates for you to review and contact.
- Screen candidates – You can request skills assessments, assignments, or interviews with candidates that interest you.
- Make offers – Extend offers to top candidates including proposed salary and equity. Hired provides offer management tools.
- Get analytics – Gain insights on the hiring process through analytics on time-to-hire, offer rates, and other metrics.
There are various membership tiers for employers ranging from $242 to over $400 per job posting depending on volume hiring needs.
Who Uses Hired?
Hired is used by leading technology companies and promising startups looking to hire skilled technology professionals.
Notable Companies
Some of the most notable companies actively hiring on Hired include:
- Uber
- Netflix
- Airbnb
- Dropbox
- PayPal
- Lyft
- Salesforce
And over 5,000 more companies across various industries.
Candidate Profiles
Hired sees candidates from a variety of backgrounds and experience levels including:
- Software engineers
- Product managers
- Data scientists
- Designers
- Sales professionals
- Recent coding bootcamp graduates
- Seasoned technology leaders and executives
Over 70% of candidates on Hired have 2+ years of experience according to company data.
How Does Hired’s Matching Work?
Hired uses intelligent algorithms and machine learning to match candidates to open positions they would be a good fit for. Here’s an overview of how it works:
Candidate Profiles
Candidates build rich profiles highlighting their:
- Skills
- Work experience
- Education
- Location preferences
- Salary and equity expectations
- Desired industry, role types, company sizes
Additional screening like Hired Score assessments can augment profiles.
Job Openings
Employers post openings detailing:
- Title and department
- Required and preferred skills
- Salary range
- Equity offered
- Candidate screening preferences
Matching Algorithm
Hired’s algorithm looks for matches between candidate profiles and openings based on:
- Skills similarity
- Title and role affinity
- Geography preferences
- Salary and equity expectations compared to ranges
- Company size, industry, and other preferences
It uses machine learning techniques to optimize matching over time based on historical hiring data.
Presentation
Relevant matches are presented to both sides to then further screen and engage candidates they are interested in interviewing and potentially hiring.
What is the Hired Score?
The Hired Score is an optional skills assessment candidates can complete to showcase and validate their abilities to employers on the platform.
Here are some key things to know about the Hired Score:
What It Tests
The Hired Score helps evaluate candidates’ abilities in areas like:
- Coding proficiency
- System architecture knowledge
- Design and user interface skills
- Data science and analytics
- Sales and marketing knowledge
There are customized versions of the assessment for different types of roles.
Why Candidates Take It
For candidates, the Hired Score offers a few benefits:
- Proves your skills to employers
- Surfaces your profile higher in search results
- Signals interest and commitment to hiring managers
- Unlocks access to additional job opportunities
It aims to help dedicated candidates stand out from the crowd.
Why Employers Value It
The Hired Score gives employers:
- Confidence candidates have required skills
- Data-driven way to evaluate and screen candidates
- Tool to standardize assessment across candidates
- Signals which candidates are more interested in opportunities
It aims to make the hiring process more objective and efficient.
Scoring
Candidates receive two Hired Scores – one for skills and one for core knowledge. Scores range from 1.0 to 10.0. Higher scores reflect stronger performance.
How Much Does Hired Cost?
Hired has different pricing models for employers and candidates:
For Candidates
Hired is 100% free for qualified candidates to use. There are no placement fees if you find a job through the platform.
For Employers
Employers pay a monthly subscription fee per job posting which enables access to Hired’s curated talent pipeline. Pricing is volume-based, with packages including:
Plan | Price per Posting |
Entry | $242 |
Core | $267 |
Pro | $399 |
Premier | $490+ |
Custom enterprise plans are also available.
So employers pay for access to talent, while job seekers can use the platform for free.
Is Hired Right for You?
Here are a few key questions to consider when deciding if Hired is right for your needs:
As a Candidate
- Are you an experienced technology professional?
- Are you open to discovering new opportunities?
- Do you want access to competitive salary and equity packages?
- Are you willing to undergo additional screening like skills assessments?
- Do you want support negotiating offers and navigating the process?
If so, Hired may offer a streamlined way to land your next tech role.
As an Employer
- Do you want to source tech talent beyond your normal pipeline?
- Are you hiring for roles requiring specialized technical skills?
- Do you have budget to pay subscription fees per job posting?
- Do you need help screening and assessing technical candidates?
- Do you want analytics on your hiring process and pipeline?
If so, Hired may help you land hard-to-find tech talent.
The platform is best suited for companies seeking developers, designers, data scientists, product managers, and other specialist roles.
Alternatives
If Hired isn’t the right solution, alternatives include:
- LinkedIn Jobs
- Indeed
- AngelList
- Lever
- Triplebyte
- Vettery
So consider which options best align to your unique needs and priorities for your tech job search or recruiting.
Pros and Cons
Here’s a quick rundown of some key pros and cons of using Hired:
Pros
- Efficient matching between quality talent and vetted companies
- Competitive salaries and equity upfront
- Dedicated support throughout the process
- Skills assessments add objective data
- Analytics provide recruiting insights
Cons
- High subscription cost may deter some employers
- Limited to tech roles and companies
- Screening can be time-intensive for candidates
- Not ideal for junior roles or those without specialized skills
The pros seem to outweigh the cons for most—it makes tradeoffs to optimize the process for mid-level to senior tech specialists looking for competitive opportunities at leading companies.
Conclusion
Hired aims to transform the tech recruitment process through intelligent matching tools, structured pipelines, and data-driven assessments. By serving both employers and candidates, it has created an efficient marketplace that opens up access to opportunities and talent.
The platform may offer compelling benefits if you are an experienced technology professional looking for your next role at a top company or an employer needing to hire specialized talent like engineers, designers, or data scientists. While not a solution for every job search or recruiting need, it can prove a valuable channel within a broader strategy.