Frequently Asked Questions
Hiring a Chief of Staff
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If decisions that shouldn’t need you are waiting on you, your best thinking keeps getting pushed to the weekend, or strategy isn’t turning into execution, you’re ready. The same is true if a raise, board cycle, reorg, or leadership transition is coming and no one is dedicated to driving it. Most leaders wait too long to make this hire. A strategy session will tell you quickly whether the timing is right.
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An executive assistant manages your time: your calendar, communications, and logistics. A COO manages the business: they own operations, lead departments, and are accountable for how the company runs day to day. A Chief of Staff multiplies your leadership. They drive your priorities across every function, keep your leadership team aligned, and own the work that falls between departments, acting as a trusted extension of you rather than running a function of their own. Many growing companies need a Chief of Staff long before they need a COO, and our founder has held both roles, so we can help you tell which hire you actually need.
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Most leaders aren’t, so that’s often exactly where we start. The Chief of Staff role is one of the most customized roles in any company. Our scoping process clarifies your specific priorities, maps your unique leadership goals and gaps, and defines the partnership that fits how you actually lead. Many leaders tell us the scoping conversation alone changes how they think about the role.
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Every finalist completes our proprietary Chief of Staff Match Assessment and an in-depth interview with our founder, Melanie Jones, before they ever meet you. Developed with a data scientist, the assessment evaluates both you and each finalist on leadership style, decision-making, working cadence, communication preferences, and risk factors. You’ll see where you align and where the partnership will need intention.
The Investment
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A flat $15,000 for the full retained search from pre-search scoping and screening through to the 90-day onboarding + coaching support and the 120-day success guarantee.
You pay $5,000 to initiate the search and $10,000 within 30 days of your Chief of Staff’s start date. There are no hidden fees, and the fee never changes based on the salary you offer.
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Traditional firms charge 25 to 35% of first-year compensation, which means they earn more when you pay more. That’s a conflict of interest at the exact moment you’re negotiating an offer. With a flat fee, our only incentive is the right match.
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Because finding exceptional talent shouldn’t cost tens of thousands of dollars, and frankly, it doesn’t... That’s the secret the recruiting industry doesn’t want you to know. Most firms still charge 25 to 35% of first-year salary because the model was built to benefit them, not you, and it’s more profitable for them to keep it that way than to change it.
We built Elevate differently. Our network of 1,000+ vetted operators is already in place and growing daily. Our professional credibility in this space keeps us connected to top Chiefs of Staff year-round. Our lean, AI-augmented team spends its time efficiently to get you the support you need as quickly as possible. The result is a fair, transparent, flat fee of with no corners cut (and no incentive to inflate your Chief of Staff’s salary).
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Yes. Discounted pricing is available for nonprofits. We can discuss details during your free strategy session.
Working with Elevate
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Most of our searches run 4 to 8 weeks, depending on seniority, complexity, and market conditions. Our network is already built and warm, so we move quickly without rushing the decision.
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We start with our talent pool of 1,000+ vetted strategic operators: experienced Chiefs of Staff, senior operators, and high-potential leaders, many trained, coached, or personally vetted through Elevation Chief of Staff Training. Then we use our credibility in the Chief of Staff community to reach passive candidates who aren’t on the market and wouldn’t otherwise know you’re hiring. The best Chiefs of Staff are rarely job hunting. We know where to find them.
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Far, far less time than hiring on your own or using a recruiter who isn’t as familiar with the Chief of Staff profession. Elevate handles sourcing, screening, assessment, and first-round interviews, then we prep and guide you through focused, effective interviews with finalists who are already vetted. Your time goes only to people worth meeting.
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Yes. We can run fully private searches directly with CEOs when discretion matters. This might be the route we take when you’re replacing someone, the role isn’t public yet, or you just don’t want to deal with the inbound noise of public job openings.
After the Hire
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Our support doesn’t stop when they say yes. We help you design the first 90 days: early priorities, communication rhythms, and expectations that build trust fast. Every search also includes 90 days of unlimited relationship enablement coaching directly with our founder Melanie Jones, for both you and your Chief of Staff.
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Every search is backed by our 120-day success guarantee. If your Chief of Staff hire doesn’t work out, we will re-do the search at no additional charge. This is the longest guarantee period in the business and it’s a commitment we can make with confidence, because 98% of the Chiefs of Staff we place are still thriving in their roles after one year.
We encourage you to be wary of the shorter 60- and 90-day guarantees because that’s often the exact point where you risk cracks being exposed in a new hire, especially if they weren’t sourced with the same diligence and insights as Elevate searches provide.
For Chiefs of Staff
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You can apply to join our talent pool at elevationchiefofstaff.com/talent. We’ll reach out to set up a conversation if you’re a fit for any aligned searches.