Frequently asked questions.
What makes us different?
Tapioca is different than others because of our:
  • Founding expertise — Our backgrounds as Founders, Software Engineers, and Product Designers help us narrate your story and talk about your product in a compelling way that attracts founding-caliber engineering talent.
  • Tech tools — Reap the benefits of our custom-built recruiting automation tools that allow us to find the right candidates more effectively.
  • Resources — Get strategic advice based on compensation benchmarks, current market trends, and best practices from top startups that we’ve worked with
How does the process work?
We build the core pieces of your top-of-funnel pipeline:
  • Improve your job description based on A/B testing we've done with other startups.
  • Optimize your compensation package so you don't end up overpaying.
  • Define must-have, nice-to-have, and must-avoid criteria for the ideal candidate.
  • Write candidate messaging that succinctly communicates your core employee value proposition.
  • Connect to your ATS, Gmail and Slack to maximize communication about candidates.
It will feel like you have recruiting on autopilot, but each week during our engagement, our team works hard to connect you with at least 100 of the best engineers with proven skills to succeed at a startup!
How long does the process typically take?
Founding engineers are more complex than normal searches because they’re riskier propositions for both candidates and the startups they join, so the timelines vary a lot. Historically, we’ve filled roles in anywhere from 2 weeks to 3 months, with a median of 7-8 weeks. The positions that tend to close faster are the ones where companies have meaningful traction, top-tier investors, brand presence, above-market compensation, and a remote-friendly culture.
How much do you charge?
We typically charge 20-30% of the candidate’s first-year cash comp as our placement fee. The exact amount depends on the difficulty of the search (e.g., our job becomes much harder if you’re paying a below-market salary).
What if the candidate doesn't work out?
If the candidate leaves within 3 months, we’ll restart the search and find a replacement for free (though this rarely happens).
Get in touch!