Why teams choose Zera
Three options for filling a cleared technical role. Here's how the structures differ.
Recommended Zera Operator-led, per-placement | Retained search Traditional agency | Self-serve ATS Internal sourcing | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Up-front retainer | None | $10K–30K typical | Software seat fee |
| Pricing model | Per successful placement | Retainer + ~20–25% of base | Per seat / per post |
| Who runs the search | Founders | Agency recruiter | Internal team |
| Active-clearance focus | |||
| Built for cleared workflows | |||
| Resume firehose |
Retainer and percentage figures are industry benchmarks; specific terms vary by agency and role. Zera engagement timelines are locked in your engagement letter — pilot results to date have not been published.
Three steps. No surprises.
The employer engagement: this is what week one looks like with Zera.
- 01~30 min
Brief us on the role
Discovery call: clearance, location, stack, timeline. We work at the level of program detail you can share.
- 02Locked upfront
We search and qualify
Our team works the cleared network and comes back with a tight shortlist — not an unvetted resume firehose. Timeline locked in your engagement letter.
- 03Your pace
You interview and hire
Run your own process on the candidates you choose. Fees structured around successful hire — discussed upfront.
Pay only when we place.
Fees scaled to clearance level. No seats, no retainers, no public rate card — but you'll know the exact figure before any search begins.
Hand-built shortlist on a timeline we set together
- Discovery call
- Vetted shortlist
- Interview support
Tighter network, more sourcing time
- Discovery call
- Vetted shortlist
- Interview support
- Reference checks
Deep search across the cleared graph
- Multi-week sourcing window
- Multiple shortlist rounds
- Compensation benchmarking
Exact fees and timeline discussed during discovery and locked contractually before any search kicks off.
Want ATS-style posting + collaborator seats?
Self-serve company accounts arrive in controlled cohorts. Join the waitlist to get timelines and onboarding detail before GA.
- •Posting + team seats when we open the pilot — no surprise annual platform tax
- •Same clearance-first database every Zera search runs against
- •Priority heads-up before we open seats to the wider market
Want self-serve company signup when it launches? Leave your work email.
Brief us once. Get a shortlist next week.
No retainer, no public price list, no resume firehose — just a conversation about the role you're trying to fill.