Wellfound (AngelList Talent) Review: Startup Recruiting for the 'We Have Equity' Crowd
Wellfound (AngelList Talent) Review: Startup Recruiting for the 'We Have Equity' Crowd
Wellfound, formerly known as AngelList Talent before someone decided that name wasn't SEO-friendly enough, is a recruiting platform specifically built for startups trying to hire people who will accept equity instead of reasonable salaries. Let's see if it actually works.
What It Actually Does
Wellfound is a job board meets recruiting platform designed for the startup ecosystem. Companies post jobs, candidates create profiles, and there's supposed to be some magical matching algorithm that connects overworked engineers with companies that have ping pong tables but no profits.
The platform focuses on tech and startup roles - think software engineers, product managers, and "growth hackers" (whatever that means this week). You won't find many accounting positions here unless you want to be "Accountant #1 at a Disruptive FinTech Revolutionizing Payments."
According to G2 reviews, the candidate experience is actually decent. Profiles are cleaner than LinkedIn, the application process is faster, and you can see salary ranges upfront - which is revolutionary in an industry that loves playing "guess the compensation" until the final interview.
The Good Parts
For startups with no recruiting budget and no employer brand, Wellfound is actually useful. You can post jobs for free, browse candidate profiles, and reach out directly without paying LinkedIn's extortion-level InMail fees. The platform attracts candidates who specifically want to work at startups, so at least you're fishing in the right pond.
User reviews on Capterra highlight that the quality of candidates tends to be higher than general job boards, mostly because people actively choosing to browse startup jobs are self-selecting for risk tolerance and equity gambling.
The "curated matches" feature supposedly connects companies with relevant candidates, though how well this works depends on how thoroughly you filled out your company profile. Put in minimal effort, get minimal results - shocking.
The Problems Nobody Mentions
Here's the thing about Wellfound: it works great if you're a Series A company with VC backing and actual salaries to offer. If you're a pre-seed company trying to hire senior engineers with equity and "opportunity," good luck. Candidates aren't stupid - they can see your funding status right on your profile.
The platform also skews heavily toward Bay Area startups, which means compensation expectations are calibrated to San Francisco rent prices. If you're a startup in Cleveland trying to hire, you'll be competing against companies offering 2x your salary budget.
Reports from recruiters indicate that response rates can be hit-or-miss. Just because candidates are on Wellfound doesn't mean they're actively job searching - many profiles are stale or belong to people "open to opportunities" (translation: not really looking but ego-browsing).
The Verdict
Wellfound is legitimately useful for early-stage startups that need access to tech talent without enterprise recruiting budgets. It's not magic, and you still need to actually sell your company to candidates, but it's a hell of a lot cheaper than LinkedIn Recruiter or agency fees.
Just be honest about your compensation. Listing "competitive salary" when you're offering $80K plus 0.1% equity in a pre-revenue company isn't competitive - it's delusional.
Best for: Funded startups hiring tech roles Skip if: You're a traditional company or hiring non-tech roles Pricing: Free basic posting, paid plans for enhanced features
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