The constraint
Founder time still stuck in inbox, calendar, research, and follow-through — the business needed an EA who could carry that responsibility, not a title match.
The funnel
| Stage | Count |
|---|---|
| Applied | 620 |
| Passed evidence screen | 26 |
| Interviewed by Talented | 8 |
| Presented to the client | 3 |
| Hired | 1 |
| Time to hire | 14 days |
What “evidence” meant
Role-specific screening and evaluation before the client spent interview capital — communication, scenarios, and fit to the responsibility (not résumé keywords alone).
Commercial terms
Pay when you hire. One-time placement fee. 90-day replacement if not the right fit.
What this is not
Not a claim about every search finishing at these exact numbers. It is one real EA search pattern through the same system.
For the broader submitted-application view, see the interview benchmark.