Hiring Process

Finding Great Staff Shouldn't Be Hard

Our placement specialists bring a deep understanding of the financial and operational needs of high-net-worth families. From investment professionals to administrative staff, we deliver candidates with the discretion, experience, and professionalism required to support your family’s long-term vision. No two clients are alike, and we won’t stop until we find a candidate that perfectly fits your needs.

The Hiring Process

Introduction

We begin by understanding your needs and how the role fits into your life. We’ll answer your questions and ensure you’re set for long-term success. Once we’ve aligned, we’ll refine the job description and start the search.

Search

We leverage our exclusive candidate network, in addition to more than 20 industry platforms to ensure we’ve left no stone unturned. Through in-depth screening, face-to-face interviews, and online presence/reference checks, we present qualified candidates in real-time, with no candidate or length limits on our search.

Candidate Review

Most of our clients start meeting candidates within 3-7 days. Each candidate we present will have the required qualifications to be successful in your role. You’ll receive a profile of each candidate we present, including their background, experience, skills, salary expectations, and feedback on potential fit. As you review, we’ll refine our search, which stays open until we find the right fit.

Interviews

We help you structure an appropriate interview based on your role, and provide sample questions. After each interview, we’ll touch base to adjust the search if needed.

Working Trial

We offer a “Working Trial”, which is an opportunity to see your candidate’s skills and fit in action. It’s a hands-on preview for both you and the candidate to determine if it’s the right match. Working Trials are up to 5-Day intensives at your family office, and are compensated at an agreed-upon hourly wage.

Employment Offer

Once you’ve selected the right candidate, we’ll draft an offer of employment, handle negotiations, and include an Employment Agreement outlining key terms such as duties, schedule, compensation, and employer policies.

Background Check

In addition to our own screening, candidates are required to pass an independent background check, which includes:

Hire & Post-Hire

After the hire, we offer support and resources for handling payroll, insurance, and other employment services. We’ll check in with you and the employee to ensure a smooth transition. And if you’re unsatisfied with your new employee for any reason in the first 90 days, we’ll replace them at no cost to you.

Frequently Asked Questions

Absolutely! We’d love to meet with you and learn more about your hiring needs. You can book an Introductory Meeting with one of our family office staffing experts.

 

This informal chat is the perfect opportunity to ask questions, learn about our services, or simply pick our brains about anything family office staffing related. No pressure—just a helpful conversation.

We’re excited to help! To get started, please complete a New Hire Request. Or if it’s easier, feel free to call us and we can complete it with you over the phone.

 

Still on the fence, or have more questions before moving forward? Book an Introductory Meeting to learn more about what we do and how we can help!

Most clients start reviewing candidates within 3–7 days, and our median length to fully place a candidate is 21 days. That said, we’ve placed candidates in under a week—and we’re happy to move as quickly or as slowly as you like. Timing generally depends on:

 

  • The type of position
  • Competitiveness of the role (e.g. salary, benefits)
  • Any unique or specialized requirements

 

We’ll share an estimated timeline after learning more about your role and priorities.

Most of our candidates are available to start immediately or within 2-4 weeks. We typically recommend reaching out about 30 days in advance.

 

That said, we can often place someone within a week—so contact us regardless of your timeline. We’ll be transparent about how long your search may take, and move as quickly as needed to meet your deadline.

 

Note: Candidates who are currently employed typically require at least two weeks’ notice, and may need additional time for relocation or transition planning.

Most of our candidates are professionals in their field who found us through word of mouth, referrals, or while actively job searching, and many register with us to be notified of upcoming opportunities.

 

In addition to our candidate network, we post your role on relevant job boards and industry platforms. We also partner with local universities and sister agencies to cast a wide net and find the best possible fit.

Your placement specialist will create a tailored job description outlining the key skills, experience, and personality traits for the role. After interviews, you’ll have the option to conduct a Working Trial—a short-term, hands-on evaluation period before extending a formal offer.

 

The Working Trial benefits both sides: it helps confirm the match for you and gives the candidate a real sense of the job. In our experience, it’s one of the best indicators of long-term success. Learn more about it here.

We proudly specialize in private staffing throughout the Mid-Atlantic region! While being a national agency certainly has its benefits, we believe it’s our responsibility to be upfront with our clients that our connections in the childcare and family staffing industry and our candidate network are strongest on the East Coast.

 

That said, we frequently handle placements for clients with multiple homes, clients that work or live in different states, or for positions that require frequent travel.

National agencies generally prioritize volume over depth, and each new search can feel like starting from scratch. They typically present a small pool of candidates (usually 3–5), leaving clients with limited options.

 

We take a different approach. As a local agency, we are experts in the local market, stay current on state-specific employment regulations, and maintain an established network of trusted professionals. That means faster, more personalized service—and better hires.

Yes! In fact, hiring for multiple roles at the same time can be a smart move. It allows you to consider how candidates complement each other, and streamlines your communication and scheduling with us/potential candidates.

 

You’ll work with one lead placement specialist for continuity, though other members of our team may join consultations to ensure each role gets the attention it deserves.

Yes! While most consultations happen over video or phone, we’re happy to visit your home or office if you believe that would help us better understand your needs. We offer complimentary in-person consultations to clients within 40 miles of our office in North Bethesda, MD.

 

You’re also welcome to visit us at 909 Rose Ave, Floor 4, North Bethesda, MD 20852.

You’ll approve what’s shared with candidates in a draft job description following our initial meeting. As candidates move through the process, we may share more about the role or workplace—but we never share personally identifying information without your permission.

 

Your data is stored securely in our encrypted CRM system. All staff are bound by confidentiality agreements, and our software meets or exceeds national standards for data security and privacy, including: IS 642819 ISO/IEC 27001, SOC 2 Type II, SOC 1 Type II, GDPR, CCPA, HIPAA, and more.

Woman Looking Around As The World Moves Quickly Around Her

The world is spinning faster every day.

Employment has changed drastically the past few years—how we work, the type of work we do, and even where we work. Yet, while the world adapts, solutions for hiring private staff seem to be stuck in the past.

 

At Old State Staffing, we believe the status quo is not enough, and that those who decide now is the time to settle will be left behind. In the face of great change, tinkering around the edges simply won’t do. Since Day 1, our approach has been built on four key principles:

1. Developing A Quality Product

We’ve built Old State Staffing from the ground up, implementing the same cutting-edge recruiting tools used by the nation’s largest family offices. Historically inaccessible to smaller clients, these tools improve the tracking and management of talent, utilize machine learning for smarter searches, and intuitively compare compensation and qualification benchmarks both regionally and nationally. This allows us to find and match families with the best candidates quicker and more efficiently than ever before.

2. Building A Great Team

We knew from the start that our team would be our greatest differentiator. That’s because our agency is composed entirely of family office professionals who know what exceptional candidates look like; because we’ve applied to, managed, and hired for each of those positions ourselves.

3. Creating Meaningful Relationships

Building and maintaining relationships is important today, more than ever before. We place immense value on our relationships, not just with our clients, but our candidates, and the community at large. We spent our “pandemic years” building partnerships with local universities, to open the doors of private staffing to recent college graduates in the most educated metropolitan area in the world.

4. Refusing To Settle

Change is inevitable, yet private staffing has historically lagged in both hiring and employment standards. We’ve always been disruptors, first to adopt AI and machine learning—ensuring smarter, faster, more accurate matches for our clients.


We know that choosing an agency is a personal decision, and we’re honored for the time you have spent considering us as a partner in your search. If you haven’t spoken to us yet, let me be the first to say that we can’t wait to introduce you to our contacts, to guide you through the hiring process, and to introduce you to the perfect candidate. We know the stakes are high, but so are the rewards. With Old State Staffing you’ll be empowered to make informed, meaningful hiring decisions, so you can continue to thrive in a world that’s spinning faster every day.

E-Signature - Adam Cook Black

Adam Cook
Founder & Managing Director

Headshot - Founder of Old State Staffing