Frequently asked questions

Technical vetting is a rigorous, structured assessment of a software engineer’s real-world capabilities. Unlike automated coding tests that measure algorithmic puzzle-solving, Vettara’s vetting is a 60–90 minute live deep-dive conducted by a principal-level technologist. We evaluate architecture thinking, debugging methodology, system design trade-offs, code quality instincts, and collaboration patterns—the skills that actually predict on-the-job performance.

It starts with a 30-minute strategy call where we align on your technical requirements and role profile. We then schedule the candidate for The Vettara Protocol—a live 60–90 minute technical interview with a principal-level engineer. The session covers architecture decisions, production debugging scenarios, system design trade-offs, and collaboration dynamics. Within 24 hours, you receive a structured scorecard with a hire/no-hire recommendation, risk flags, and growth areas.

Our principal-level interviewers assess across the full modern stack: cloud infrastructure (AWS, GCP, Azure), backend systems (Java, Go, Python, Node.js, .NET), frontend frameworks (React, Angular, Vue), data engineering (Spark, Kafka, Airflow), AI/ML (PyTorch, TensorFlow, MLOps), DevOps/SRE (Kubernetes, Terraform, CI/CD), and enterprise architecture patterns. We match each assessment to your specific tech stack and role requirements.

For standalone vetting engagements, we schedule interviews within 48 hours and deliver scorecards within 24 hours of the interview. For staff augmentation (Vettara Scale), the first vetted candidates are presented in 5–7 business days with an average of 11 days to engineer onboarded. For retained search (Vettara Search), the first shortlist of 3–5 vetted candidates is delivered in 10–14 business days.

Every scorecard includes: a structured evaluation across architecture thinking, code quality, system design, debugging methodology, and collaboration patterns; a clear hire/no-hire recommendation; specific risk flags (areas where the candidate may struggle); growth areas and development potential; a summary narrative from the principal-level interviewer; and compensation/motivation insights gathered during the assessment.

Vettara Scale provides pre-vetted, protocol-cleared engineers who embed directly in your team. We source from our talent network across LATAM (Brazil, Uruguay, Argentina, Colombia, Mexico) and North America. Every engineer has passed The Vettara Protocol before you see their profile. Engineers work your timezone (EST–PST), use managed workstations with full compliance (GDPR/SOC2), and come with a 1-week replacement SLA if the fit isn’t right. Rates range from $45–$150/hr with 30–40% savings vs equivalent NA full-time hires.

We offer four pricing structures: Vettara Vetting at $750–$950 per interview with volume discounts; Vettara Scale (staff augmentation) at $45–$150/hr with a 25–35% markup; Vettara Search (retained recruiting) at 10–15% success fee payable after probation, not on start date; and Vettara Partners (white-label vetting) at $500–$650 per interview or $3K–$5K/month retainer. All pricing is transparent with no hidden fees.

Vettara serves clients across North America and EMEA. For staff augmentation, we source talent primarily from LATAM (Brazil, Uruguay, Argentina, Colombia, Mexico) for timezone-aligned nearshore engagements, as well as onshore North American engineers. Our vetting and search services are available for candidates globally—wherever your hiring pipeline draws from, we can assess them.

For Vettara Scale (staff augmentation), we offer a 1-week replacement SLA—if an engineer isn’t working out, we replace them within 5 business days. This is significantly faster than the industry standard of 30–60 days. For Vettara Search (retained recruiting), the success fee is payable after the hire passes probation, not on their start date. This means you don’t pay unless the hire sticks, eliminating the financial risk of early departures.

Platforms like HackerRank, Codility, and similar tools test algorithmic puzzle-solving ability—a skill that poorly correlates with real-world engineering performance. Senior candidates frequently drop out of these processes. Vettara’s protocol is a live conversation with a principal-level technologist who evaluates how candidates think about architecture, debug production issues, make design trade-offs, and collaborate with teams. It’s the difference between testing if someone can solve a LeetCode problem and knowing if they can build and maintain production systems.

That’s the point—and it’s why our vetting service exists as a standalone offering. A “no-hire” recommendation saves you $260,000+ per avoided mis-hire. Our incentive is accurate technical validation, not placement volume. We don’t benefit from pushing you toward our other services. If none of your candidates pass the protocol, that’s valuable intelligence: it tells you the pipeline itself needs work, whether that’s sourcing channels, job descriptions, or comp benchmarks. We’ll share that insight in the scorecard debrief.

Vetting is ideal when you already have candidates in your pipeline and need a principal-level assessment. Search is for when you don’t have the pipeline at all—or when your internal sourcing isn’t reaching the caliber of engineers you need. With Vettara Search, we source, vet, and shortlist candidates end-to-end, and you only pay 10–15% after the hire passes probation. If you have strong sourcing but weak assessment, use Vetting. If you need the full pipeline built, Search is the faster path.

That’s the industry’s reputation—and it’s earned, because most nearshore providers skip serious vetting. Vettara Scale is different: every engineer has passed the same 60–90 minute principal-led protocol that our direct-hire candidates go through. We don’t lower the bar for nearshore. LATAM engineers from Brazil, Uruguay, Argentina, Colombia, and Mexico work EST–PST hours with zero timezone friction. Our 95.7% client satisfaction and 90%+ contract renewal rate are measured across all service lines, including Scale.

If your existing offshore teams are performing well, you may not need us—and we’ll tell you that. But if you’re experiencing quality inconsistency, high ramp times, or engineers who pass your vendor’s screening but struggle with production-level work, that’s exactly what our protocol solves. You can use Vettara Vetting as a quality gate on top of your existing vendors: send us their candidates, and we’ll give you a principal-level assessment before you commit. Think of it as an insurance policy against the $260K+ cost of a bad hire.

Your most senior engineers—Staff and Principal level—are spending 30–40% of their time screening candidates instead of shipping code. Each interview costs $500–$1,200 in lost productivity, creates context-switching overhead, and burns out the people you can least afford to lose. Vettara eliminates this entirely. Our principal-level interviewers conduct the deep-dives so your Staff Engineers stay focused on architecture, mentoring, and delivery. You get better signal on candidates and your best people get their time back.