Why the first hire is different
Your first remote hire arrives with no process around them: no task list, no how-to notes, no idea yet which hours really need overlap. The first hire teaches you how to delegate as much as it gets work done. That is why the route should reduce the risk you actually have, not just the price.
Start from what you are short of
- Short of time: a recruiter or agency does the screening. You read a shortlist and run the final interviews.
- Short of certainty about the role: a marketplace lets you buy a small paid project before you commit to a long-term role.
- Short of budget, not of time: a job board and your own screening cost the least in fees.
- Short of management experience: a monthly agency that supervises the work, or a placement with optional support afterwards.
The agency route
Agencies come in two models. A placement recruiter is paid once when the person starts, and you hire the person directly; Stafka charges a one-time fee of $2,5001 on the start day and sends three matching profiles within 52 business days of a brief. A monthly agency provides the person and bills a monthly price with its margin inside, for as long as you keep them. Our guide to placement fees and monthly agencies has the break-even arithmetic.
Either way, ask how they test skills and English and what happens if the hire leaves early. Our list of questions to ask a staffing agency is a good script for the first call.
The marketplace route
A marketplace is the quickest way to try out the work itself: post a small paid project, compare a few proposals and see what comes back. It is a good test when you are not sure whether you need an assistant, a specialist or a tool. On Upwork, the client marketplace fee is up to 7.99%3 of each payment, for as long as you pay through the platform.
If the project turns into a long-term role, read the platform's terms before you move the relationship elsewhere: Upwork's user agreement sets a conversion fee for that within its non-circumvention period.
The direct route
You post the job, screen the applicants, run a paid test and hire the person on a contractor agreement. In fees it is the cheapest route; in time, plan for several hours of reading applications, a few short calls, the test and references over one to two weeks. On Stafka, posting a job is free; pricing shows when a fee applies.
Our step-by-step guide on hiring a remote executive assistant covers the scope, the test and the first week, and works for support roles too.
Combining routes
- Test, then hire: run one small marketplace project to learn what the role needs, then hire a long-term person directly. Mind the platform's terms if you want to keep the same person.
- Post and ask in parallel: post the job yourself and ask a recruiter for a shortlist at the same time; take whoever is best.
- Hire directly, add support: hire through a placement and add optional ongoing support from Stafka for $2501 a month, cancellable any month.
A two-minute scorecard
Which route fits my first remote hire?
I can spend six or more hours on screening in the next two weeks. Yes: the direct route works. No: an agency or recruiter.
I know the tasks and the hours. Yes: direct or a placement. No: a small marketplace project first.
I expect to keep the person for a year or more. Yes: a direct contract keeps the yearly cost lowest. No: a marketplace or a monthly agency.
I want someone else to supervise the work. Yes: a monthly agency. No: direct or a placement.
If most answers point one way, take that route. If they split, start with the cheapest step that removes your biggest unknown.
Questions
What is the safest way to make a first remote hire?
Whatever the route: a written scope, a paid test on realistic work, a live call in English, references, and a first month with clear weekly check-ins. An agency or recruiter adds a screening layer and, depending on the terms, a replacement if the hire leaves early.
Is it cheaper to hire through an agency or a marketplace?
For a few weeks of work, a marketplace is usually cheaper. Over a year or more, a direct hire is usually the cheapest, because there is no margin or fee on every payment; a placement fee is paid once.
Can I hire someone I met on a marketplace directly?
Read the platform's terms first. Upwork's user agreement sets a conversion fee of 13.5%4 of 12 months of estimated earnings if you move a relationship off the platform within its non-circumvention period; our Stafka and Upwork comparison has the details.
Do I need a lawyer for my first international contractor?
Many small companies use a contractor platform's standard agreement, and some ask an adviser to check it once. This is general information, not legal advice; our contractor agreement checklist lists what the agreement should cover.
General information for small employers, not legal or tax advice: check contracts, tax and data rules for your country with a qualified adviser. Figures carry their sources below; our own prices are on the pricing page. Spotted a mistake? Write to hello@stafka.com.