Ask anything. Plain answers.

Nothing. There is no registration, intake, retainer, deposit, subscription, administrative, cancellation, résumé, counselling or minimum fee — directly or indirectly. The only fee we charge a client is the placement fee.

Ten percent of your first-year gross annual base salary — excluding bonuses, equity, commissions, benefits and other variable compensation. For hourly positions, 10% of projected annual gross earnings at the contracted rate × 2,080 hours. It is mathematically identical to 120% of your first month's gross base in every compensation class, and it never exceeds the posted fee schedule.

In full within fifteen calendar days of your first day of employment with the placing employer. We deliver a written fee calculation when you accept the offer, so there is no ambiguity about the amount.

Credit card, debit card or ACH bank transfer through our secure Stripe portal at naturalharmonics.careers/payment. Where a single payment is impractical, Klarna is available on terms arranged directly between you and Klarna; we receive nothing from Klarna. We never take a confession of judgment, promissory note or assignment of wages.

Because it is disclosed, capped and consented to in writing before you sign. Under a separate Employer Placement Agreement the hiring employer pays us 10% of your first-year base; combined with your 10%, we never receive more than 20%. Our fiduciary duties under your agreement run exclusively to you — we do not act as the employer's agent — and we tell every prospective employer that you have engaged us and pay us a fee. Your obligation is independent of whether the employer enters into, or pays under, its agreement.

Amounts not received by the due date accrue interest at 1.5% per month (18% per annum), compounded monthly. Good-faith disputes about the calculation must be raised in writing within ten calendar days of the due date and are resolved through the agreement's negotiation process. If you foresee a problem, tell us before the date — not after.

No. Base salary only. A stronger negotiated outcome on equity, sign-on or bonus costs you nothing additional — which is one reason we negotiate those components hard.

Yes, as to other agencies: during the term you do not retain another employment agency, headhunter, staffing firm or reverse-recruiting service for substantially similar services. It does not restrict you from applying directly to employers on your own initiative.

Self-sourced applications do not trigger a fee — provided the employer is on the Pre-Existing Contact List you deliver within five business days of signing, or we played no role in the introduction. Employers we introduce during the term remain fee-bearing for twelve months after the introduction, whether or not we stay involved.

A written list — delivered within five business days of the effective date — of every employer, hiring manager, staffing firm and recruiter you have had direct substantive employment contact with in the preceding twelve months. We acknowledge receipt in writing. Accept a role with a listed employer that we did not independently introduce, and no fee applies. Employers not on a timely list are presumed introduced by us, so be thorough.

Yes — in writing within 48 hours of receiving any offer, from an employer we introduced or otherwise. It lets us run the offer analysis and negotiate before you commit, and it keeps the fee position clear on both sides.

Either party may terminate at any time on fifteen days' written notice. No fee, charge or penalty of any kind attaches to termination. Only fees already earned — on employers we introduced during the term, for twelve months — survive.

No. We are a California Employment Agency offering job placement services only. Résumé tailoring, career counselling and interview preparation are provided as an integral part of placement and are included in the placement fee. We do not offer, advertise or provide them as stand-alone services for a separate fee.

No. We require your target compensation range — a minimum acceptable base and a desired level. We do not seek, request or rely on your current or prior compensation in any aspect of the service, consistent with California Labor Code §432.3.

Ongoing written status updates are part of the service: active placement efforts, applications submitted, employer responses and interview scheduling. You also receive a structured debrief after every interview round.

We operate under California Civil Code §§1812.500–1812.508 and maintain a surety bond (No. 566610Y) filed with the Secretary of State, in favour of the people of California, for the benefit of anyone damaged by a violation of that title. It also means statutory refund and placement protections, a posted fee schedule, and a prohibition on registration fees and wage assignments. See the statutory disclosures.

If you have paid or become obligated to pay a fee and fail to accept employment, we repay it on request — and if not returned within 48 hours, we pay an additional equal sum. Employment counts as permanent only if it lasts longer than ninety days; leave for just cause or be discharged for reasons other than misconduct in that window and the fee is refunded or reduced under Civil Code §1812.506. If we fail to perform, you receive a full refund; if we perform partially and no placement results, a pro-rata refund.

In addition to your statutory refund rights, if your employment ends for any reason within ninety days of your first day, we conduct a replacement placement search on request at no additional charge — and no further fee is payable on the result, regardless of whether it pays more or less.

Yes, at no cost to you. We arrange and pay for up to one hour with an independent California employment attorney who represents your interests exclusively. Our payment creates no attorney-client relationship between us and that counsel and does not direct the advice you receive (California Rules of Professional Conduct Rule 1.8.6). We are separately represented by our own counsel, who does not represent you.

We do not disclose your identity or personal information to prospective employers without your authorisation. The single required disclosure — that we receive a fee from you upon placement — is made to every prospective employer, and you authorise it by signing. We do not sell or share personal information; California privacy rights are set out in our Privacy & Data Use policy.

California law. Before any proceeding, the parties confer in good faith for up to thirty days. Unresolved disputes go to the Superior Court of California, County of San Francisco, or the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. Nothing limits your rights under Civil Code §§1812.500–1812.508 or against the surety bond.

Under a separate Employer Placement Agreement, 10% of the placed candidate's first-year gross annual base compensation, payable upon hire. No retainer, search fee or other charge of any kind. See For employers.

No. Our fiduciary duties run to the candidate. We disclose that to every employer, along with the fact that the candidate pays us a fee. What employers receive is a screened, prepared, valuation-backed candidate — and an honest read on fit.

Yes. For our top target employers we analyse whether an unlisted need exists that a specific doctorate could fill, and bring a business case with a payroll and benefits figure specific to your organisation. Some of the best placements begin with a role that did not exist the week before.