Hiring is a huge challenge, trust me, I know from first hand experience. I have hired dozens of people over the past decade, with many turning out to be exceptional employees, and others not so much.
It’s cliche to say, but a chain is only as strong as its weakest link. And the same goes for your company. If you’ve ever tried to go on a vacation only to be called 12 hours into it to put out a rhetorical fire (happened to me!), you know how essential staffing is to the seamless functioning of your business.
That’s why choosing the right remote staffing agency for your next hire is critical.
The Best Remote Hiring Agencies for Entrepreneurs
To get the biggest bang for your buck, it’s crucial to get an expert to find and manage your hires. So, without further ado, here is a list of top 7 remote staffing agencies I’ve compiled that you contact before your next hire.
1. Somewhere: Best Choice for Complete Remote Hiring
Somewhere is our choice for the overall best remote staffing agency. Very few remote staffing companies come close to Somewhere in terms of quality of service. And, with their 10+ years of experience in remote hiring, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that this company ranks as our #1 choice.
What Does Somewhere Do?
It doesn’t matter if you need developers, creatives, support agents, or any other role. Somewhere will find the perfect hire for you.
What sets this agency apart are a few of its core commitments.
First and foremost, Somewhere’s agents are some of the most meticulous out there. After all, knowing that employees make or break a business’s success potential, this brand prides itself on finding experienced and dedicated remote professionals to fill any role.
Secondly, Somewhere is all about finding quality hires — no matter where they come from. Having hired for its clients in 18 countries, its recruiters know precisely where to go to find qualified, career-driven candidates without breaking the bank. It operates across the entire world, with 170+ team members in the Philippines, Latin America, and the US.
Finally, if your top reason for hiring remotely is to cut costs (without sacrificing quality), know that Somewhere has got you covered. It helps companies save around 70-80% on payroll by finding top remote talent capable of handling complex tasks while still being compensated fairly for their region.
Biggest Pros:
- All-inclusive hiring service. The Somewhere team takes care of the entire process. They find, screen, and hire candidates based on an initial call where they get to know your business and its needs.
- One-time fee, no hidden costs. The perfect candidate search begins with a $500 deposit, which is applied to your final recruiting fee. The final cost will equal 25-35% of the year 1 salary. There will be no other recurring fees. You can also check out Somewhere’s Global Salary Calculator to get a better idea of how much the final number will come down to.
- 6-month perfect-hire guarantee. Unhappy with your new team member? Somewhere provides a 6-month perfect-hire guarantee. That means they’ll find a replacement if you’re not satisfied — free of charge.
2. Boldly: Best Choice for Hiring Executive Assistants
Need to spend less time managing your calendar and administrative tasks so that you can finally focus on expanding your organization? In that case, the answer to your needs may be a qualified and experienced executive assistant.
What Does Boldly Offer?
Boldly is a remote staffing company dedicated to finding remote assistants for busy entrepreneurs.
Although it’s not the cheapest service out there — in fact, Boldly’s pricing falls into the premium category with plans starting at $2,520 per month — it is worth the investment.
Top Benefits:
- 10+ years of experience at top companies. Boldly’s hires know what it’s like to handle growth, with experience at brands such as Virgin, Chrysler, Google, Trello, and others.
- Personalized hiring solutions. State your requirements, and Boldly will ensure you get the best match for your needs.
- AI-fluent hires. Boldly EAs are all experienced with popular AI solutions. That means they will seamlessly adapt to your workflow without unnecessary learning curves or disruptions.
- US-based assistants who are Boldly W2 employees. No delays — whether full-time or part-time, they can start working immediately.
3. Tecla: Best Choice for Hiring Tech Talent
Tech hires are some of the hardest ones to find out there. And it doesn’t matter whether you’re an industry expert or an entrepreneur with a knack for innovative thinking. If you’re busy running your company, you’re going to need expert help finding the right talent for your team.
What Tecla Does
Tecla is a remote hiring agency that excels at building specialized technology teams that fit the highest standards.
It operates in Latin America, and its primary focus lies on finding remote workers for permanent positions instead of freelancers.
If you need a way to scale that’s still affordable, Tecla could be a great choice. Additionally, the fact that this agency hires Latin American professionals ensures time-zone compatibility, which may be crucial for your specific requirements.
Plus, you can expect to meet with the first candidates within a week of signing up.
Top Pros:
- Elite network of Latin American tech professionals. Tecla has a network of 50k+ professionals in Latin America. That means you’re guaranteed to find a good candidate to suit your needs.
- AI-powered talent matching system. To speed up the vetting process, Tecla combined AI tools with human expertise to find the best matches for your organization.
- Skills testing included. Each candidate goes through an in-depth vetting system that tests their technical skills, soft skills, and knowledge of English.
4. Toptal: Best Choice for Freelance Talent
Need exceptional freelance talent? Toptal could have the answer.
What sets this outsourcing company apart is that it has a rigorous screening process. Toptal typically accepts fewer than 3% of applicants from the thousands of remote professionals who sign up.
It vets candidates based on technical expertise, professionalism, and communication skills. The entire screening process takes between 3-8 weeks, showing just how quality-oriented this agency is.
What Does Toptal Do?
If you’re a busy entrepreneur looking for qualified remote talent, Toptal could be a great choice. It works primarily with freelancers; however, if you need full-time employees, it can still be a good place to look for qualified professionals.
It specializes in helping companies find developers, designers, management consultants, project managers, product managers, and marketing experts.
Pros of Hiring With Toptal:
- Hire in under 48 hours. Because of its in-depth talent screening process, Toptal offers one of the fastest hiring processes available.
- Trial basis payment. Like some of the other agencies on this list, Toptal only charges a fee if you are satisfied with your hire. But it’s worth noting that it has an impressive 98% trial-to-hire success rate, showing how effective its system is.
- Exceptional vetting system. Only the best candidates get through Toptal’s screening process. That means you can count on them to deliver, regardless of how complex your project is.
5. Support Ninja: Best Choice for Finding Customer Support
Customer experience is the backbone of business success. After all, it’s what consumers look for when evaluating brands. And they’re even willing to pay more for a product if it comes with superior customer service.
So, if you’re looking to outsource these operations — especially if you’re a busy solopreneur — then doing it through this organization could be a great choice.
What Support Ninja Offers
This remote staffing company specializes in putting together agile and highly competent customer support and back-office staffing.
Whether you need help with accounting, technical support, content moderation, or data processing, this provider has what you need.
One of the biggest benefits of going global with customer experience hires is that it ensures constant uptime, quicker response time, and increased customer satisfaction.
In addition to remote talent sourcing and hiring, Support Ninja also offers management services for guiding your remote team, which can be another effective method to save time on hiring and onboarding and focus your energy on running a business.
Top Benefits:
- Teams are equipped with cutting-edge support tech. This means that your agents will have all the tools needed to help them provide clients with top-of-the-line assistance.
- Training program. All new virtual teams go through a 2-4 week training program to ensure they have the skills to handle tickets and make your customers happy.
6. GoGlobal: Best Choice for International Talent
Thinking of taking your business international? In that case, you might need an atypical remote staffing organization like GoGlobal.
What GoGlobal Does
This workforce management provider specializes in enabling foreign market entry by helping entrepreneurs with onboarding and managing remote workers.
Essentially, the idea is to find qualified, reliable candidates in foreign locations, onboard them into your team, and support your organization as you establish operations abroad.
Pros of Hiring With GoGlobal:
- Access to pre-vetted international candidates. This speeds up the hiring process and ensures the best fit for your needs.
- Compliance assurance. International regulations differ. GoGlobal has a compliance-first hiring policy to avoid any surprises.
- 103 locations. From Algeria to Zimbabwe, GoGlobal can help you navigate local HR regulations, accounting, and tax laws, regardless of where you plan on taking your business.
7. JobRack: Best Choice for Eastern European Talent
Are you looking for highly-skilled talent but are working with a tight budget? Hiring from Eastern Europe and South Africa might just be the solution you need.
JobRack is a remote staffing agency that helps businesses connect with hardworking candidates who have the potential to become an integral part of your team in the long run.
What Makes JobRack Different?
In addition to time efficiency and cost savings, there’s one additional benefit of hiring with JobRack.
This agency works in Eastern Europe and South Africa. These regions have high-quality education systems and a lower cost of living. That means you can find exceptionally qualified candidates who will cost you less yet who will still be compensated fairly.
Top Pros:
- One-off fee. You can choose between three options: create a DIY job posting, purchase an all-inclusive hiring service, or hire a professional to put together a full 5-person virtual team.
- 1-year guarantee. No need to worry about subpar fits. If you don’t find the perfect candidate, you get a full refund.
- Save 50% on payroll. With the cost of living in Eastern Europe and South Africa being lower than in the US and UK, you can expect to get the same quality workforce for half the price.
What Do Remote Staffing Agencies Do?
Here’s a trick question for you. If you have to do something you’re not an expert at, do you try the DIY approach? Or do you bring in the people with the right skills?
Remember, employees are one of your company’s most valuable assets. And research from McKinsey has found that top talent in key roles is sometimes up to 800% more productive than average performers doing the same job. Nevertheless, let’s face it. You’re probably not an HR specialist.
And if you’ve ever tried to hire a worker — especially someone who will work remotely — you’re well aware of how tedious the process of finding the right fit can be.
That’s where remote staffing agencies come in. Because they take over the entire process of sourcing, vetting, hiring, and managing global talent, they free up your valuable time to lead your business instead of being bogged down by the tedious process of finding remote employees.
Plus, the value offered by a top remote staffing firm isn’t just the fact that it can give back some of your time. These service providers offer additional benefits, including:
- speed and efficacy
- cost-efficiency
- convenience
- administrative assistance
They’re also a great choice if you want to access the vast pool of global talent instead of hiring locally.
Final Thoughts: Find the Perfect Match with Remote Talent
Candidate hiring is not something you want to leave to chance. Especially if you’re busy as I am and can’t afford to create more work for yourself.
The remote staffing agencies listed in this guide are all excellent choices. Whether you go with my overall top pick Somewhere or choose one of the more specialized options is up to you.
Lastly, remember that finding a great match for your team isn’t as simple as looking through a bunch of resumes and picking the one that sounds most impressive. You also want a strong culture fit. So, make sure you employ an agency that understands your needs well. That way, you’ll have much less work and get much better results.
