How VP searches perform at Series A, B, and C-stage startups — and why 68% stall past week 10.
Startup VP hiring fails for reasons that don't apply to enterprise search. Enterprise companies have defined roles, established teams, and compensation bands. Startups are hiring into ambiguity: the role often doesn't exist in its final form, the team is being built simultaneously, and the compensation structure — base plus equity plus milestone bonuses — adds negotiation complexity that most contingency firms aren't equipped to navigate.
The 68% stall rate past week 10 is largely a startup phenomenon. Searches stall because the hiring manager changes their mind about the role, because a competing VC-backed offer pulls the leading candidate, or because the shortlist approval process breaks down between founders.
| Funding Stage | Industry Median (Days) | Stall Rate Past Week 10 | Majhi Group Avg (Days) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Series A | 70–95 | ~72% | 35–48 |
| Series B | 60–85 | ~65% | 28–42 |
| Series C | 55–80 | ~60% | 28–40 |
| Growth / Pre-IPO | 50–70 | ~52% | 26–38 |
| Role | Industry Median (Days) | Offer Decline Rate | Majhi Group |
|---|---|---|---|
| VP Sales / CRO | 65–90 | 20–35% | 30–45 days, 90%+ acceptance |
| VP Engineering / CTO | 70–100 | 15–25% | 32–50 days |
| VP Marketing / CMO | 60–85 | 20–30% | 28–42 days |
| CFO / VP Finance | 70–95 | 12–20% | 35–52 days |
| VP People / CHRO | 55–80 | 15–25% | 28–40 days |
A declined offer resets a startup search by weeks or months. The candidate pool for a Series B VP search is finite — once the top candidates have declined, the search enters recovery mode. Majhi Group's 90%+ acceptance rate comes from pre-qualifying on compensation and equity before the formal process runs, managing competing offers throughout final stages, and beginning the closing process at first interview, not at offer stage.
Every week a VP Sales seat is empty costs roughly 1–2% of the annual revenue that role would generate. For a startup targeting $5M ARR growth under a new VP Sales, that's $50K–$100K in lost revenue per week of vacancy beyond the expected close date. A search that stalls from week 6 to week 14 costs $400K–$800K in foregone pipeline — far more than the retained search fee.
Industry median is 60–95 days depending on funding stage. Series B companies average 60–85 days. Majhi Group's average across startup VP engagements is 30–45 days.
68% of VP searches stall past week 10. Primary causes are role definition drift, competing offers from other VC-backed companies, and approval breakdowns between founders or investors.
Every week beyond the expected close costs 1–2% of the annual revenue impact that role would generate. A 6–8 week delay on a VP Sales hire can represent $300K–$800K in foregone pipeline.
Retained search front-loads intake, pre-qualifies candidates on compensation and equity before the process runs, and manages competing offers during final stages — driving higher offer acceptance and faster close times.
Industry average is 55–75%. Revenue-critical roles like VP Sales have higher decline rates due to competing offers. Majhi Group maintains 90%+ offer acceptance across engagements.
Every Majhi Group engagement starts with a 20-minute confidential search assessment — using your actual role as context, not a generic demo.
Request Search Assessment