Twenty answers from a real operator.
The questions agency owners ask before starting a search. Categories cover process, pricing, candidates, replacement, and logistics after hire. If yours is missing, email jonathan@getonapod.com.
From intake call to shortlist.
How long does a search take?
First vetted profile within 7 days. Three vetted candidates within 14 to 21 days, depending on tier. If none are a fit, the search continues at no additional cost.
What happens after I submit the intake form?
Our team reaches out within 24 hours to schedule a quick call. The intake call is 15 minutes. We translate the conversation into a written role brief, you approve it, and sourcing begins the same day.
Who runs the candidate vetting?
An operator who has hired this role at agencies, not a recruiter and not a screener. Every candidate sits a live working call before they reach your inbox. The notes from that call are part of the candidate brief you receive.
Do I write a job description?
No. We translate your fifteen-minute intake call into a structured role brief and send it back for your approval. Most clients approve in a single Slack reply.
What if I do not like any of the three candidates?
We keep searching at no additional cost until you have a fit, or until you choose to stop. If you stop and no candidates have been delivered, up to 50% of the deposit ($500) is refunded.
How much does it cost?
Senior search is $6,000 total: $1,000 deposit to begin, $5,000 on hire. Junior placement is $3,000 total: $1,000 deposit, $2,000 on hire. Flat fee, no percentage of salary.
What is included in the fee?
Custom role brief, operator-led vetting on a live working call, salary benchmarking report, contractor agreement template, payment-platform setup walkthrough, and the replacement guarantee. No add-ons or hidden line items.
Why a flat fee instead of a percentage of salary?
Percentage fees punish you for paying market rate to a strong candidate. A flat fee aligns our incentive with your retention, not the offer letter number. The senior placement fee is the same whether the operator earns $2,400 or $3,000 per month.
What if you cannot fill the seat?
We tell you up front during intake if your brief is tighter than realistic. If no candidates have been delivered and you choose not to continue, up to 50% of the deposit ($500) is refunded. The placement fee is only billed when you confirm a hire.
Where they come from and how we vet.
Where do candidates come from?
Senior candidates come from operators currently employed at other agencies in your vertical. Junior candidates come from a vetted LATAM bench we have already interviewed. We do not source from job boards or applicant pools.
What is the English fluency bar?
C1 minimum, verified on a live working call rather than a written form or audio sample. Most placements are C1+ with strong agency-context English.
What time zones do candidates work?
Candidates default to US business hours with EST overlap. Most are based in Medellín, Bogotá, Buenos Aires, or Mexico City. We do not place operators who require US time zone presence past 6pm EST.
How do you verify agency experience?
The working call probes real-world scenarios from your brief. We confirm specific tools, account loads, QBR cadence, and tenure with prior employers as part of the candidate brief you receive. We talk to references when the candidate provides them.
What does a typical operator earn?
Senior customer success managers and project managers in our network earn $2.0K to $3.0K USD per month as contractors. Junior placements are typically $1.2K to $1.8K USD per month. The salary benchmarking report shows the range for your specific seat and city.
What is the replacement guarantee?
Ninety days for senior placements, sixty days for junior. If the hire does not work out within that window, we run the replacement search at no additional cost. You keep the original brief; we restart sourcing.
What counts as the hire not working out?
Either side calling it. The candidate quitting, you ending the engagement, or both parties agreeing the fit is wrong all qualify. We do not require documentation or a performance review.
Is there a refund policy?
The maximum refund is $500. If no candidates have been delivered and you choose to stop the search, up to 50% of the deposit ($500) is refunded. Once a candidate has been delivered, the deposit is non-refundable. If a hire is made, no refund is issued. The placement fee is only billed when you confirm a hire.
What if I want to stop the search before it is complete?
Before we deliver the first vetted candidate, 50% of the deposit is refunded. After the first candidate is delivered, the deposit is non-refundable since the sourcing and operator-led vetting are already done. We will not push you to continue if it is not working.
Contracts, payments, and what we do not do.
How do I pay the contractor after placement?
Most clients use Deel, Wise, or Payoneer for international contractor payment. We walk you through the setup as part of the placement. You own the contractor relationship from day one.
Who handles the contract?
We provide a contractor agreement template. You sign it directly with the operator. We are not a managed-service or staffing firm; once you hire, the relationship is between you and them.
Do you offer payroll or benefits?
No. Vela is a placement service, not a PEO or staffing agency. If you want managed payroll or benefits, Deel and Remote both offer LATAM contractor management on top of the contract you sign with your hire.
Ask the operator directly.
Email jonathan@getonapod.com or start a search and bring the question to the intake call.
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