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Build in-house when volume is steady. Use specialists when the seat is critical and scarce.
When to use a specialist agency, a fractional recruiter, or build in-house TA for founding AE and SDR seats.
Bottom line
In-house recruiting fits when you have steady hiring volume and someone who can own process. A specialist agency fits when you need founding AE or SDR fills fast, with stage-fit sourcing and mock-call vetting you do not want to build yourself. Many Seed teams use agency for critical seats and delay full TA headcount.
Agency strengths
Warm networks, speed on scarce seats, and external accountability. A sales-specialist firm should bring live selling tests, not only LinkedIn searches.
In-house strengths
Process ownership, employer brand continuity, and lower marginal cost when you hire many roles per quarter. Weak when the only open seat is a hard founding AE and nobody on the team has sold before.
A practical split
Use a specialist for founding AE and early sales leadership. Keep lighter roles or high-volume SDR hiring in-house or with a fractional recruiter once the motion is documented.
FAQ
Should Seed hire a Head of TA first?
Usually no. Hire the revenue seat first. Add TA when hiring volume justifies a full-time owner.
Can we run agency and in-house together?
Yes. Give one owner of the brief and scorecard so channels do not compete with conflicting messages.
What should we require from any agency?
Mock-call or equivalent live signal on your product, pay-on-start or clear cash terms, and a replacement path if the hire fails for fit or performance.
Are you a Los Angeles recruiting firm?
Yes. Vektor Talent is based in Los Angeles. We work as a specialist agency for founding AE and early sales seats across the U.S. and Canada.
Deeper reading
Need a founding AE or early sales hire?
Book a call. Pay nothing until start, with mock-call vetting and a 90-day replacement guarantee.