# Vettery: A Technology-Enabled Hiring Marketplace
High-Level Overview
Vettery is a hiring marketplace that uses machine learning and real-time data to match job seekers with employers, primarily in technology, sales, and finance sectors[2]. Founded in 2013, the company built a two-sided platform designed to streamline recruitment by bringing active candidates and hiring managers together in a transparent, efficient marketplace[3]. Rather than operating as a traditional staffing agency, Vettery employed a hybrid model combining algorithmic matching with human recruiter involvement for qualification, guidance, and negotiation[7].
The company's core mission was to "enrich and automate the recruiting process, make hiring more rewarding for everyone, and create a happier and more accountable working world"[2]. Vettery demonstrated strong early unit economics, charging placement fees with an average revenue per placement of $15,960 against a candidate acquisition cost of just $77, yielding a 90.3% gross margin[6]. However, the company's trajectory shifted significantly when it was acquired by Switzerland-based staffing firm Adecco Group in February 2018 for over $100 million[3]. In November 2020, Vettery (as part of Adecco) acquired competing platform Hired, and the combined products were rebranded as Hired in March 2021[3]. As of June 2024, Hired operates as part of LHH Recruitment Solutions, Adecco Group's consolidated U.S. professional recruitment division[3].
Origin Story
Brett Adcock and Adam Goldstein founded Vettery in March 2013 in New York City, with the service launching in the United States in June 2015[3]. The founders identified a clear market pain point: the hiring process was "opaque, inefficient, and costly" for both employers and candidates[6]. This dual-sided problem framing—addressing pain points for both job seekers and companies—became central to their pitch to investors.
Early traction validated the concept. By the time Vettery raised its Series A funding of $9 million in 2016 (led by Raine Ventures and Greycroft Partners), the platform had attracted over 1,700 hiring managers and 4,700 candidates[6]. The company expanded geographically, launching UK operations in May 2018 and eventually operating in over 22 cities globally[5]. Major companies including Amazon, eBay, and JP Morgan adopted Vettery for hiring[3]. The platform maintained approximately 90,000 active users, with 1,000+ new vetted candidates added weekly[5].
Core Differentiators
Vettery's competitive advantages centered on several key features:
- Speed and efficiency: The platform offered hiring solutions up to 4X faster than traditional job boards, passive sourcing tools, and staffing agencies, with a 100% candidate response rate within 72 business hours[5]
- Candidate quality and intent: By restricting membership to candidates "actively open" to new roles, Vettery focused on mid to senior-level talent with an average of 6+ years of professional experience, rather than entry-level or bootcamp graduates[5]
- Strong conversion metrics: The platform achieved a 60% interview acceptance rate and 75% offer acceptance rate[5]
- Advanced search capabilities: Features included intuitive filtering, Boolean search functionality, company interest tracking, and diversity sourcing options, plus integrations with applicant tracking systems (ATS) and calendar scheduling[5]
- Data-driven matching: The hybrid model combined machine learning for initial candidate-employer matching with human recruiter involvement for negotiation and guidance[7]
Role in the Broader Tech Landscape
Vettery emerged during a period of significant disruption in recruitment technology, riding the wave of venture capital enthusiasm for two-sided marketplaces and AI-driven matching solutions. The company represented a broader trend toward disintermediating traditional staffing agencies by creating direct connections between talent and employers while leveraging technology for efficiency gains.
However, Vettery's trajectory also illustrates the challenges facing capital-intensive marketplace businesses. Despite raising over $150 million combined with competitor Hired and expanding aggressively across geographies, both companies faced deteriorating unit economics beneath surface-level vanity metrics[7]. The 2018 acquisition of Hired by Vettery—positioned as a merger but actually a consolidation move—signaled industry distress rather than strength[7]. Adecco's subsequent acquisition of the combined entity reflected a strategic shift: the traditional staffing firm was not acquiring a standalone tech disruptor but rather conducting an "acqui-hire" to gain technology, brand equity, and candidate databases[7].
This outcome contrasts sharply with competitors like Underdog.io, which pursued a more focused, capital-efficient approach and avoided the geographic expansion trap[7].
Quick Take & Future Outlook
Vettery's evolution from independent marketplace to acquired asset within a traditional staffing conglomerate reflects a broader pattern in recruitment technology: ambitious two-sided marketplaces often struggle to achieve sustainable profitability at scale, particularly when competing against entrenched players like LinkedIn and Indeed. While Vettery's technology and candidate database remain valuable assets, the company no longer operates as an independent disruptor.
The rebranding as Hired and subsequent integration into LHH Recruitment Solutions suggests Adecco is leveraging Vettery's technology and brand to modernize its traditional staffing operations rather than scaling it as a standalone platform. For the broader ecosystem, Vettery's trajectory serves as a cautionary tale about the capital requirements and competitive dynamics of two-sided hiring marketplaces, while its technology and approach continue to influence how traditional staffing firms modernize their operations.
