Startup Recruiting Guide
90-day replacement guarantee: how it actually works
By Arshnoor Kohli, Founder, Vektor
Last updated
Published · 5 min read
Direct answer
Vektor’s 90-day replacement guarantee means if your hire leaves for performance or fit within 90 days of their start date, we run a replacement search at no additional placement fee. You still only pay when a candidate starts. It reduces fee risk; it does not erase the time cost of a mis-hire.
What a replacement guarantee covers, what it does not, and why it matters for startup hiring risk.
What is covered
Performance or fit departures within 90 days of start trigger a replacement search with no second placement fee on the replacement mandate under the guarantee terms.
You remain on pay-on-start economics for any new start. Clarity in the MSA matters: define fit/performance, exclusions, and cooperation expectations.
What it does not buy
It does not refund salary already paid, equity already granted, or founder time spent managing underperformance.
That is why screening quality and scorecards still matter. The guarantee aligns agency downside; it is not a substitute for diligence.
Why startups should demand one
Agencies that disappear after placement transfer all mis-hire risk to you. A written 90-day window is a minimum accountability bar for Seed through Series C work.
Combine the guarantee with weekly updates and a single accountable owner so issues surface before day 90.
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