No black box.
No vague timelines.
A clear process.
From the moment you send a brief to the point a placement is performing in your team — here is exactly what happens, who does what, and what you should expect at each stage.
Send Us a BriefSeven stages. Every engagement, every role type.
The process is the same whether you are placing a single contract data engineer or building a multi-discipline embedded team. The stages scale — the standard does not change.
Stage 1 — Brief intake and challenge
You send us the role. A consultant with relevant domain experience reviews it before any search activity begins. We work through the specification with you — confirming what the role actually requires, surfacing any skill combinations that will narrow the candidate pool unnecessarily, and agreeing on the definition of a qualified candidate for this specific requirement.
If the brief needs adjustment to produce a viable shortlist, we say so at this stage — not after two weeks of a search that was always going to come back empty.
Output: confirmed brief, agreed qualification criteria, timeline commitmentStage 2 — Network-first sourcing
Search begins inside our specialist network for the relevant practice area — not a job board or a database keyword filter. Senior and specialist candidates are typically already in roles. Our network relationships mean we can reach them directly and present the opportunity in context, rather than waiting for inbound applications from people who happen to be between contracts.
Broad sourcing channels are used in parallel where the requirement warrants it, but the network is always the primary starting point for any role above entry level.
Output: identified candidate pool, initial outreach underwayStage 3 — Domain-led candidate assessment
Every candidate who reaches this stage is assessed in a structured conversation by the practice consultant. We confirm technical depth, the recency of hands-on experience, delivery context for the claims on their resume, and cultural and environmental indicators relevant to your organization.
Self-reported skills are tested — not accepted. A candidate who says they have five years of Azure Data Factory experience will be asked about specific pipeline patterns, error handling approaches, and platform limitations before that claim is passed on to you.
Output: assessed candidate notes, pass or remove decision on each candidateStage 4 — Qualified shortlist delivery
You receive a shortlist of candidates who have cleared the qualification standard — typically three to five people. Each shortlisted candidate is accompanied by a written qualification note covering what was assessed, what was found, and the context that is relevant for your interview process.
We will hold the shortlist if the candidate pool has not produced qualified candidates rather than send an unqualified list to meet a deadline. If the market is not producing what the brief requires, we tell you — and we recommend how to adjust.
Output: shortlist with qualification notes, ready for client reviewStage 5 — Interview coordination and support
We coordinate the interview process — scheduling, candidate briefing, and logistics. Before each interview, we brief the candidate on your organization, the role context, and what the panel will be assessing. Before you interview, we provide any additional context that has emerged from our conversations with the candidate that is relevant to the assessment.
We stay available throughout the process to handle candidate questions, manage timelines, and flag any risks to the hire — including competing offers or availability constraints that have emerged since shortlisting.
Output: interviews completed, decision supported with full candidate contextStage 6 — Offer, acceptance, and onboarding preparation
We manage the offer process — including negotiation support where needed, reference coordination, and any compliance or contracting requirements specific to the engagement type. For contract placements, we handle the administrative setup so the candidate can start without unnecessary delay.
We brief the candidate on your onboarding process and flag any preparation that will accelerate their effectiveness in the first two weeks — equipment access, system provisioning, team context, and key relationships to establish early.
Output: confirmed start date, candidate ready for day oneStage 7 — Post-placement review
At 30 days and again at 90 days, we check in with both you and the placed candidate. We are confirming that the role is performing as expected, that any early friction points are addressed, and that the placement is tracking toward the outcome the brief was designed to deliver.
For permanent placements, this review period is part of our structured guarantee. If the hire is not working out within the guarantee window, we have a defined remediation process — not a conversation about whether the guarantee applies.
Output: placement confirmed, any issues escalated and managed within guarantee termsHow the process adapts to each engagement type.
The seven stages apply to every engagement. The timeline, contracting structure, and post-placement terms vary depending on whether the placement is contract, embedded, or permanent.
Speed with qualification
Contract briefs move through the process fastest — typically a qualified shortlist within 48 hours for senior roles. The qualification standard does not change. Shorter timelines simply mean the sourcing and assessment stages run in parallel where the network allows it.
Contracts are set up through ClarityArc's established contracting structure. Day one readiness is confirmed before the candidate starts.
Coordinated multi-role delivery
Embedded team briefs involve multiple complementary roles placed under a single coordinated brief. The intake stage is expanded to map role interdependencies — ensuring the team composition is coherent, not just a collection of individual placements.
Team onboarding is staged where needed, with sequencing advice on which roles should be in place before others join.
Long-term fit, not just availability
Permanent briefs include a deeper intake conversation covering organizational culture, team dynamics, and long-term development expectations. The assessment stage adds indicators for career-stage alignment and organizational fit alongside technical qualification.
A structured guarantee period applies, with defined remediation steps if the hire does not perform within the agreed window.
What clients ask before working with us for the first time.
What do you need from us to get started?
A brief — written or verbal. The detail does not need to be perfect. We will work through it with you in the intake conversation and surface anything that needs clarification before search begins. The more context you can give on the delivery environment and team, the faster we can qualify candidates against it.
How quickly can you turn around a shortlist?
For contract roles at senior level, typically 48 hours from confirmed brief to first qualified shortlist. Permanent roles run on a longer cycle — usually five to seven business days. Embedded team builds depend on the number of roles and how many can be sourced in parallel. We will give you a timeline commitment at the end of Stage 1.
What if none of the shortlisted candidates are right?
We work through feedback with you and adjust the search. If the market is not producing candidates who meet the brief as written, we will recommend specific adjustments — to the specification, the rate, the seniority level, or the combination of skills required. We would rather have that conversation early than run multiple shortlist cycles against an unfillable brief.
How does the guarantee work on permanent placements?
If a permanent placement does not work out within the guarantee window, we re-run the search at no additional fee. The guarantee is structured — it has defined terms and defined remediation steps, not discretionary goodwill. We will walk through the specific terms with you during the intake stage before any permanent search begins.
Do you handle all the contracting and compliance paperwork?
Yes. For contract and embedded placements, ClarityArc handles the contracting structure, compliance checks, and administrative setup. You receive a candidate who is ready to start — not a candidate you need to onboard through your own procurement process before they can contribute.
Can you handle multiple roles across different practice areas at once?
Yes. Because each practice area has its own consultant coverage, multiple briefs across different disciplines can run simultaneously without competing for the same consultant's bandwidth. A data architecture brief and a Power Platform brief run in separate practice tracks — they do not slow each other down.
You do not need a fully formed job description to start a conversation. A clear sense of what the role needs to deliver, the technical environment it operates in, and the timeline you are working toward is enough to get the intake conversation started.
If you are not sure whether what you need is a contract, an embedded arrangement, or a permanent hire, that is also a conversation we can work through. The engagement model should follow the requirement — not the other way around.
See what sets our approach apart: Why ClarityArc
A useful brief covers these six things.
- The primary outcome the role needs to deliver — not just a list of responsibilities
- The technical environment — platforms, stack, tools, and any constraints the candidate needs to work within
- The team context — who the role reports to, who it works alongside, and the delivery structure it sits inside
- The seniority level and approximate rate or salary range you are working to
- The timeline — when you need someone in place and any dependencies that affect the start date
- Location and working arrangement — on-site, hybrid, or remote, and any travel requirements
Ready to send a brief?
Start with a conversation. Tell us the role, the context, and the timeline. We will tell you what the process looks like for your specific requirement and when you can expect a shortlist.