What HiringBuddy does

HiringBuddy (legal entity: Hiring Buddy) is an Australia-incorporated, Sydney-headquartered private company founded in 2023 that operates an invite-only executive networking platform. The company targets senior executives earning AUD $200k or more, curating membership to what it describes as the 'top 2% of talent' drawn from corporates such as Google, Atlassian, Canva, Xero, Zip, Pfizer, and Commonwealth Bank of Australia. Candidates apply through a streamlined 6-minute flow that accepts either a CV or a LinkedIn profile URL and six short-form questions; accepted membership is free, while companies pay the platform to access the talent pool and receive curated shortlists.

The underlying product is a two-sided digital marketplace built around an AI-powered candidate matching engine that is described as 'Powered by AI, refined by humans'. Companies engage via a dedicated employer portal (/companies, /client) and receive shortlists of two to three pre-selected candidates per role without traditional job postings. The platform integrates Google OAuth for authentication and ingests LinkedIn profiles as the primary candidate signal. HiringBuddy positions itself as a cost- and time-efficient alternative to traditional executive search firms, focusing initial specialisation on Sales, Marketing, Project Management, and Tech leadership roles.

The business model charges companies for access to the talent pool and curated shortlists, while membership for executives is free post-acceptance. The company is governed by the laws of New South Wales, Australia, and operates under the Australian Privacy Act 1988 and the Australian Privacy Principles, with founder Darren Terkel identified as the primary contact. As of the input data, the company has 1–10 employees, a single disclosed seed funding round of AUD $378,840 dated 2023-10-20, no management team listing, no disclosed paying customer base, no patents or trademarks on file, and no awards or partnerships recorded.

Name

HiringBuddy

Legal name

Hiring Buddy

Website

https://www.hiringbuddy.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2023

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

HiringBuddy is a Sydney-based, invite-only executive networking platform founded in 2023 that uses AI-powered matching and human curation to connect pre-vetted senior executives (AUD $200k+ roles) with companies seeking leadership talent in Sales, Marketing, Project Management, and Tech.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Executive Recruitment Services

NAICS

Executive Search Services (561312), Employment Placement Agencies and Executive Search Services (56131)

SIC

Services-Employment Agencies (7361)

akta.pro primary industry

Functional Leadership Search (HR/Finance/Legal/Marketing/Sales/Ops) (BPACAAAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Professional & Technical Direct Hire (IT, Engineering, Finance, Healthcare) (BPACAFAC)

Keywords

• Executive recruitment
• Talent matching platform
• Executive search services
• Candidate shortlisting
• Private talent network

Headquarters

HQ city

Sydney

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations

Revenue model

1. Executive Recruitment Services to Employers: HiringBuddy generates revenue by charging companies for access to its exclusive talent pool and recruitment services. The platform delivers curated shortlists of 2-3 candidates per role, positioning itself as a cost-effective alternative to traditional search firms.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

HiringBuddy operates an invite-only private executive network that connects pre-screened senior leaders (top 2% of talent) with companies hiring for roles starting at $200k+ AUD across Sales, Marketing, Project Management, and Tech. Candidates apply via a streamlined 6-minute process by uploading a CV or LinkedIn profile, while companies access the talent pool through a dedicated portal and receive curated shortlists of 2-3 candidates per role generated by an AI matching engine refined by human curation.

Product overview

HiringBuddy operates as a single unified platform — an invite-only executive job matching network where hiring managers connect directly with pre-qualified senior candidates. The platform consists of the core HiringBuddy Executive Network Platform for candidate matching, supported by a membership application system where candidates upload their CV or LinkedIn profile, answer 6 insightful questions, and receive feedback. All roles on the platform start at $200k+ AUD, with membership limited to the top 2% of talent. The platform also includes a separate company-facing portal for employers to post jobs and access curated candidate shortlists.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• HiringBuddy Executive Network Platform An invite-only private network connecting senior executives (top 2% of talent) with hiring managers, featuring a 3-step membership process and curated shortlists of 2-3 candidates per role. Targeted at executive candidates seeking confidential, unadvertised roles and at companies hiring senior leaders in Sales, Marketing, Project Management, and Tech without public job postings.
• HiringBuddy for Companies A dedicated company-facing portal that lets employers sign up in under 6 minutes and receive a tailored shortlist of pre-selected executive candidates per role, powered by AI and refined by humans. Designed for companies seeking senior leaders without the cost of traditional search firms or the visibility of public job ads.

Quantifiable outcome

• 30% compensation increase reported by member

Named customers7 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

AI capability1 record

Feature1 record

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Emerging players

• Pallet: Pallet operates a curated talent network for operations, finance, and other functional leaders. Directly comparable to HiringBuddy as a curated, invite-light executive community targeting functional leadership talent.
• Wellfound (formerly AngelList Talent): Wellfounded connects tech professionals — including senior operators — with startup and tech employer opportunities. Comparable in using a curated platform model for technical and operational talent, though its focus skews startup-stage rather than $200k+ corporate executive roles.
• Toptal: Toptal operates an elite, vetted talent network for freelance professionals including executive-level consultants. Comparable in its top-tier positioning and selective membership model, though its core use case is freelance rather than permanent placement.
• Eightfold AI: Eightfold AI provides AI-driven talent intelligence, matching, and workforce planning for enterprises. Comparable in using AI for senior candidate matching and in serving enterprise HR buyers, though it is a software platform rather than a curated network.
• Hirect: Hirect runs an AI-powered direct hiring platform connecting candidates with employers through chat-based screening. Comparable as an AI-enabled alternative to traditional recruiting, though it targets broader roles rather than the executive segment HiringBuddy specializes in.

Broad incumbents

• Heidrick & Struggles: Global executive search firm specializing in senior leadership placements. Comparable as it addresses the same employer need — hiring C-suite and senior executives — but through a traditional retainer-based model rather than an AI-curated marketplace.
• Korn Ferry: One of the largest global executive search and organizational consulting firms. Targets the same senior hiring customer and offers executive search as part of a broader talent advisory portfolio, competing head-on with HiringBuddy's value proposition of cost-effective senior placement.
• Spencer Stuart: Leading global executive search firm focused on board, CEO, and senior leadership placements. Directly comparable employer-side: companies seeking senior leaders typically consider Spencer Stuart alongside newer entrants like HiringBuddy.
• LinkedIn (Talent Solutions): LinkedIn is the dominant professional network and a primary channel for executive sourcing, recruiter outreach, and passive candidate identification. Competes with HiringBuddy for employer attention on senior hiring, with massive incumbent advantages in data and network.
• Robert Half: Robert Half is a global staffing and talent solutions firm operating in finance, technology, marketing, and legal recruitment. Comparable employer-side as a longstanding alternative to in-house hiring for professional and leadership roles.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about HiringBuddy