How TruthHire works — and why our process is different.
Three steps from “I need to hire someone” to “they started Monday.” But underneath those three steps is a four-pillar vetting process that screens for mindset and commitment before it ever touches skills. Here’s everything that happens between your intake form and your new hire’s first Slack login — start to finish, in detail.
The 3-step process, in detail.
Below is exactly what happens from the moment you submit the intake form to the moment your new hire starts. We’ve laid out the timing, what you provide, and what we deliver at every stage. No surprises.
Step 1 — Tell us who you need
Five-minute intake form. Role, must-have skills, working hours, salary range, and what success looks like 90 days in. You book a 15-minute kickoff call with us within 24 hours so we can confirm fit, align on your non-negotiables, and ask the questions that surface the human qualities the role actually needs. After the kickoff, you pay a $500 refundable downpayment — and we begin sourcing the same day.
Time: Days 1-2
What you provide: Role description, working hours, salary range, what “success in 90 days” looks like.
What we deliver: Confirmation of fit, signed engagement, sourcing kickoff.
Cost: $500 refundable downpayment (credited toward the $1,500 total).
Step 2 — We vet for mindset first, skills second
Inside 21 days, we run the full vetting funnel: source from our PH and LATAM networks, screen resumes manually, request 2-3 minute video introductions, then conduct TWO interviews per candidate — Interview 1 covers skills, experience, and AI proficiency (ChatGPT, Notion AI, Zapier). Interview 2 is purely behavioral — mindset, work ethics, commitment patterns. About 80% of candidates fail this combined screen. You receive a shortlist of 5+ vetted finalists with video intros, our interview notes from both rounds, and our scoring across the four pillars.
Time: Days 3-21
What you provide: Any custom assessments or interview questions you want included in our screen.
What we deliver: 5+ vetted finalists, 2-3 minute video introductions, interview notes from both rounds (technical + behavioral), reference summaries where available.
Note: If none of the 5 fit, we run another round at no additional cost — same $500 covers the entire engagement until you hire.
Step 3 — Hire direct. Forever.
You interview the finalists, choose the right person, and tell us “I want to hire this candidate.” That decision triggers two things: we issue the $1,000 final invoice, and we begin preparing the handoff package. You pay the $1,000 in full — and the moment payment clears, we transfer the candidate’s contract and contact details to you. From there, you sign with the candidate directly, pay them via Wise, Deel, or your existing payroll, and onboard them on your timeline. No retainers. No markups. No middleman after Day 30.
Time: Days 22-30 (typically)
What you provide: Hiring decision, $1,000 final invoice payment, contract with your chosen candidate, onboarding plan.
What we deliver: $1,000 invoice (one-time, final), candidate handoff package, ongoing support during the 90-day guarantee window.
Cost: $1,000 final invoice (paid before handoff). Total fee = $1,500.
Inside the vetting — the four-pillar process.
Most agencies say “we screen carefully.” Almost none actually do. Here’s exactly what our screening looks like — the four pillars, the sample questions we ask in every interview, and what separates a pass from a fail. We’re showing you this on purpose. The vetting IS the product.
Pillar 1 — Mindset
Does the candidate think like an owner, or like an employee waiting to be told? Owners ship. Employees report. We screen for owner-thinking with scenario questions in every first interview.
Sample questions we ask:
– “Tell me about a time you noticed a problem nobody assigned you and fixed it.”
– “When was the last time you pushed back on a manager’s decision? What happened?”
– “How do you decide what’s worth raising vs. what’s worth handling yourself?”
What we listen for: Specific stories with names, dates, and owned outcomes — not platitudes. Candidates who give vague answers like “I’m a self-starter” without concrete examples don’t move forward.
Pillar 2 — Commitment
Will the candidate still be invested 6-12 months in? We dig into tenure patterns and intrinsic motivation. The wrong answer to “why did you leave your last job?” is the flag we always investigate.
Sample questions we ask:
– “Walk me through every role you’ve held in the last 5 years and the real reason you left each one.”
– “If your last role had paid 20% more, would you have stayed? Why or why not?”
– “What does success look like for you 12 months from now? 3 years from now?”
What we listen for: Specific, owned, honest answers about why they moved between roles. Job hoppers (3+ roles under 12 months in 3 years) don’t pass without a compelling reason. We’re also listening for what motivates them beyond money — those candidates stay invested.
Pillar 3 — Work Ethics
Do they finish what they start? Do they own their mistakes? We use real examples — not hypotheticals — to surface this. The candidates who pass tell us specific stories. The ones who fail give us platitudes.
Sample questions we ask:
– “Tell me about a project you shipped under serious deadline pressure. What happened? What did you change about how you work?”
– “Tell me about a time you missed a deadline because of YOU — not someone else. What happened? What did you own? How did you recover?”
– “What’s the hardest thing you’ve ever shipped?”
What we listen for: Specific tactical answers with real details (“I emailed the client at 9 pm explaining the delay, re-prioritized the team, dropped two non-critical features, shipped Friday 11 pm”). Abstract answers like “I always work hard under pressure” are red flags. Candidates who can’t name a missed deadline either don’t reflect on their work or aren’t being honest. Both disqualify.
Pillar 4 — Skills + AI Fluency
Only AFTER the human screens (Mindset, Commitment, Work Ethics) pass do we verify role-specific skills and AI tool fluency. We test it. We don’t take their word for it. About 80% of candidates who claim AI experience fail this screen.
Sample questions we ask:
– “Show me your ChatGPT or Claude conversation history from this week. Don’t pre-curate it.”
– “Walk me through the last automation you built in Zapier, Make, or Notion AI. What problem did it solve, and how long did it take you?”
– “Here’s a real client task — walk me through which AI tools you’d use, in what order, and why.”
What we listen for: Demonstrated daily use of AI tools with real workflows the candidate can show. About 80% of candidates who claim AI experience can’t actually show ChatGPT history from the past week, or describe a recent automation in detail. The 20% who pass this final screen are who you meet — already screened for human qualities first, with the tools to multiply their output.
What you receive — the candidate brief
When we deliver your 5 vetted finalists, here’s exactly what’s in each candidate brief. Same format every time, so you can compare apples to apples and make a fast decision.
Inside every candidate brief:
– Candidate name, region (PH or LATAM), and timezone overlap with your team
– Years of experience in the role category, plus previous companies (with the candidate’s permission)
– The AI tools they use daily, with their weekly hours of active use
– A 2-3 minute Loom video introduction so you see them in motion before the interview
– Our interview notes scored across the four pillars: mindset, commitment, work ethic, and skills
– Reference summaries from past managers (where available — we conduct calls, not just check boxes)
– A real sample of their work — deck, email draft, automation, code, or design (depends on the role)
– Salary expectations in USD and confirmed working hours availability
No padding. No filler. Just the information you need to walk into the interview with a fast, fair read on the candidate.
Contracting & payment — how direct hiring actually works
When you choose a finalist, you contract DIRECTLY with the candidate. We’re not a middleman. We’re not your payroll provider. We’re not in the loop after Day 30. Here’s exactly how the model works — and what’s not included.
How direct hiring works:
– Stage 1 — $500 downpayment after the kickoff call. Fully refundable until you confirm a hire from our shortlist. The $500 is credited toward your total $1,500 — not an extra fee.
– We complete the full vetting funnel and present your shortlist (minimum 5 candidates) within 21 days. If none fit, we run another round at no additional cost.
– Stage 2 — $1,000 final invoice issued the moment you tell us “I want to hire this candidate.” From this point the $500 downpayment becomes non-refundable.
– $1,000 must be paid in full BEFORE we transfer the candidate’s contract and contact details. No partial payments, no escrow.
– Once paid, we hand over the candidate. You sign the contract directly with them — TruthHire is not a party to the employment agreement.
– You pay the candidate directly via Wise, Deel, Remote.com, your own payroll, or any compliant US/UK/AU equivalent. No agency markup.
– After Day 30, the relationship is entirely yours. We’re only involved during the 90-day guarantee window if you need a replacement.
What’s not included (we’re upfront about this):
– TruthHire does not act as your payroll provider — you use Wise, Deel, Remote.com, or your own payroll.
– We don’t handle international tax compliance for you — your candidate is responsible for taxes in their country; you’re responsible for compliance in yours.
– We don’t manage the ongoing relationship — performance reviews, raises, training, and termination are all between you and your hire.
– We don’t provide HR services, benefits packages, or insurance — your candidate manages their own.
The 90-day replacement guarantee — explained
Every TruthHire placement comes with a 90-day replacement guarantee — measured from your hire’s FIRST DAY OF WORK, not from your decision date, the contract signing, or our invoice. We measure the guarantee against real-world performance, which only becomes visible once the candidate actually starts.
What the guarantee covers:
– Any reason. Performance issues, cultural fit, mutual decision to part ways — the bar to invoke is just “this isn’t working.”
– The 90-day window starts on your hire’s first day of work — not when you decide, not when you sign, not when you pay.
– No paperwork. You email us. We respond within 24 hours and start a replacement vetting round.
– Same 21-day delivery for the replacement. Same four-pillar vetting. Same standards.
– Zero additional placement fee — your original $1,500 covers the replacement too.
– We trust your judgment — no interrogation about why.
In practice, we use the guarantee about 3% of the time — because the human work happens up front, before you ever meet a candidate. But when you need it, it’s not a fight. It’s a feature.
Process FAQ — what prospects ask before booking
How long does the whole process take, start to finish?
About 30 days from intake form to your new hire’s first day. 21 days for vetting, then 7-10 days for your interviews, decision, and final invoice payment.
When am I invoiced?
In two stages: $500 refundable downpayment after the kickoff call to begin vetting, plus $1,000 final invoice issued the moment you confirm a hire from our shortlist. The $1,000 must be paid in full before we hand over the candidate’s contract and details. Total = $1,500.
When does the $500 become non-refundable?
The moment you confirm “I want to hire this candidate.” Before that point, the $500 is fully refundable in writing — even if you’ve reviewed our shortlist and decided not to proceed.
What if none of the 5 finalists fit?
It’s rare (under 5%), but if all 5 are misses, we run another vetting round at no additional cost. The same $500 downpayment covers the entire engagement until you hire.
What roles do you NOT recommend hiring for?
We’ll tell you upfront if your role is better served by an AI tool — basic data entry, scripted Tier-1 support, calendar scheduling, bulk transaction tagging. We’d rather refund your $500 than match you with someone whose role gets automated in 6 months.
When does the 90-day guarantee start?
On your hire’s first day of work — not the decision date, not the contract signing date, not the invoice date. Real-world performance only becomes visible once the candidate actually starts.
How do I pay TruthHire?
Stripe (credit card or ACH). Same payment link for both stages — $500 first, $1,000 final. No payment plans, no escrow.
Ready to start hiring the TruthHire way?
A free 15-minute consult — honest answers, no pitch. If we’re not the right fit (sometimes AI is), we’ll tell you.
$1,500 total · 21-day delivery · 90-day guarantee from hire date · PH + LATAM talent