Done-for-you vs. done-with-you hiring: which model fits your trades business?
Two ways to fix your hiring: hand it off entirely, or run a proven process with software and coaching. Here's how to choose.
By Jacob Crockett · CEO, HireAligned ·
The short answer.
Done-for-you means we run your hiring; done-with-you means you run it on our system, with our software and coaching. Pick based on your real bottleneck: if it's time, hand it off (done-for-you); if it's know-how, keep ownership and build the muscle (done-with-you). Here's the full comparison.
Done-for-you (we serve as your recruiter)
You stay focused on the business. We source candidates, screen them for culture fit, and keep a pipeline warm so openings fill fast. You step in only to interview and choose the finalists.
- Best for: Owners whose calendar is already full and who need hiring to just happen without their attention.
- You get: Pre-screened, fit-checked candidates and a managed pipeline — recruiting as a service.
- You give up: Some control and a higher fee, in exchange for your time back.
Done-with-you (you run it, on our platform)
You keep ownership of hiring, but you stop doing it on instinct. Our software runs the pipeline, scores candidates, and structures the process; our coaching turns your in-house process into one that performs like a professional recruiter's.
- Best for: Owners or office managers who want to own hiring and build it as a long-term capability.
- You get: The system, the tooling, and the playbook — so your own hiring stops being reactive.
- You give up: None of the control, but you supply the labor and the discipline to run it.
Quick comparison
| Done-for-you | Done-with-you | |
|---|---|---|
| Who does the work | Us | You, on our platform |
| Your time required | Minimal (interview finalists) | Moderate (you run it) |
| What you're buying | A managed pipeline | A system + coaching |
| Direct cost | Higher | Lower |
| Builds in-house capability | No | Yes |
| Best when your bottleneck is | Time | Know-how |
How most businesses choose
The honest framing: done-for-you buys you time, done-with-you buys you capability. A lot of trades businesses start with done-for-you to stop the bleeding — fill the open seats, stabilize the team — and then move toward done-with-you as they grow and want hiring to be a strength they own.
Either way, the goal is the same: get off the panic-hire treadmill and make recruiting a steady, repeatable process. If you're not sure which fits, the fastest way to find out is a short call where we map your bottleneck to the right model.
Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between done-for-you and done-with-you hiring?+
Done-for-you means a recruiting partner handles sourcing, screening, and pipeline-building for you — you just interview and hire the finalists. Done-with-you means you keep ownership of hiring but run it on a proven system, with software and coaching that make your own process work like a pro recruiter's.
Which is cheaper, done-for-you or done-with-you?+
Done-with-you usually has a lower direct cost because you supply the labor; done-for-you costs more because the partner does the work. But done-for-you frees the owner's time, which for a busy trades business is often the more expensive resource.
How do I know which model is right for me?+
If your bottleneck is time — you can't add recruiting to your week — go done-for-you. If your bottleneck is knowing how, and you want to build the capability in-house, go done-with-you. Many businesses start done-for-you to stabilize, then shift toward done-with-you as they grow.