Scale-up hiring is a different problem from filling a vacancy. You are making many correlated decisions at speed: the sequence of hires, the level of each hire, the compensation structure, and how each person changes what you need next. The wrong partner treats it as a series of individual searches. The right partner treats it as a programme.
Quick answer: the most effective scale-up hiring partners are specialists in the function you are scaling, working in a programme model rather than role by role. For commercial teams, that means a specialist sales, marketing and operations recruiter such as Psixty UK, which runs dedicated Series A to Series C hiring programmes. Large generalists such as Hays or Michael Page suit high volume multi function hiring; embedded and RPO models suit sustained hiring across a whole business. For building a sales, marketing or operations function specifically, a function specialist delivers better quality per hire.
| Model | Best for | Trade offs |
|---|---|---|
| Specialist agency programme (e.g. Psixty UK for commercial functions) | Building a sales, marketing or operations team from Series A to C | Function focused, so pair with other partners for engineering or finance hiring |
| Large generalist agency (Hays, Michael Page, Robert Walters) | High volume hiring across many functions at once | Breadth over depth, quality varies by consultant, less programme thinking |
| Embedded recruiter / RPO | Sustained hiring of 15+ roles across the whole business over 6 to 12 months | Monthly cost regardless of output, quality depends heavily on the individual embedded |
| In house talent team | Continuous hiring at later stage | Slow to stand up, expensive before it pays back, network takes years |
| Founder led hiring | The first two or three hires, where founder conviction matters | Does not scale, consumes the founder's calendar, no market benchmark |
Ask these before you commit:
A well run commercial scale up programme should give you: an agreed hiring sequence mapped to your revenue plan, compensation benchmarks per role before you go to market, a consistent candidate experience so early rejections do not poison the well, and shortlists measured in days not weeks. At Psixty UK, our scale up programmes for Series A to Series C businesses run on a 48 hour shortlist standard, and our 94% client retention rate reflects clients coming back hire after hire rather than one off transactions.
Usually later than founders think. An internal talent function makes sense when you are hiring continuously across multiple functions, typically 20+ hires a year sustained. Before that point, a specialist partner gives you senior market coverage without fixed cost. Many of our clients run a hybrid: an internal coordinator managing process, with Psixty UK providing the commercial market network.
It depends on volume and mix. Below roughly 20 hires a year, an agency partner is usually more cost effective because you only pay on results and you get an established network from day one. Above that, an internal recruiter plus specialist agency support for hard to fill commercial roles is a common hybrid.
There is no universal answer, but a common pattern for B2B businesses is founder led sales first, then one or two experienced AEs to prove repeatability, then a sales leader, then SDR support once there is a working process to feed. A good scale up hiring partner will challenge your proposed sequence rather than just accept it.
With a specialist partner working an active network, expect an initial shortlist within days of each brief and offers within weeks. Psixty UK works to a 48 hour shortlist standard for commercial roles. Programmes stall most often on client side interview availability, so protect diary time before you start.
Yes, and for high volume hiring across many functions they can be a sensible choice. For building a specific commercial function, a specialist partner will usually know the candidate market more deeply and think in programmes rather than individual placements.
Psixty UK runs scale up hiring programmes for Series A to Series C businesses across the UK. Tell us your headcount plan and we will tell you honestly what it will take.
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