--- title: "How a European Startup Can Hire in the US: A Practical Guide" description: A European startup can hire in the US through its own US entity or an employer of record. Start with a senior go-to-market hire and plan for time zones. image: https://funded.club/hubfs/blog-featured-images/fc-european-startup-hiring-in-the-us.png --- [![Primary\_logo](https://funded.club/hubfs/Primary_logo.svg)](https://funded.club/) [Book a call](https://funded.club/contact-us) - [Hire](https://funded.club) - [Pricing](https://funded.club/pricing) - [Find a job](https://funded.club/startupjobs) - [Case Studies](https://funded.club/case-studies) - [Locally](https://funded.club/case-studies/locally) - [Supernova](https://funded.club/case-studies/supernova) - [Isolocity](https://funded.club/case-studies/isolocity) - [WeTravel](https://funded.club/case-studies/wetravel) - [Digital Science](https://funded.club/case-studies/digital-science) - [Blog](https://funded.club/blog-results) - [Resources](https://funded.club/resources) - [Predict success](https://signup.predict.ventures/) - [Growth Planner](https://funded.club/growth-planner) - [Glossary](https://funded.club/glossary) - [FAQ](https://funded.club/faq) - [Contact us](https://funded.club/contact-us) [Book a call](https://funded.club/contact-us) - Engagement options: - [Hiring solutions](https://funded.club) - [Pay-as-you-go](https://funded.club/pricing) - Membership plan # How a European Startup Can Hire in the US: A Practical Guide ![how-a-european-startup-can-hire-in-the-us:-a-practical-guide](https://funded.club/hs-fs/hubfs/blog-featured-images/fc-european-startup-hiring-in-the-us.png?width=1200&height=628&name=fc-european-startup-hiring-in-the-us.png) [Ray Gibson](https://funded.club/blog/author/ray-gibson) Sep 29, 2026, 8:28:11 PM *Updated September 2026* A European startup can hire in the US by employing people through its own US entity or through an employer of record service, which employs the person on your behalf. Most start with one or two senior hires close to customers, usually in sales or customer success, and plan working hours, pay and interviews around a US audience. Take local legal advice before making any offer. ## Decide why you need people in the US Be specific about the job US hires will do. The most common reasons are: - **Selling to US customers.** Buyers often expect a rep in their own time zone who understands how they buy. - **Supporting US customers.** Customer success and support during US working hours. - **Access to specific talent.** Some engineering, product or leadership profiles are easier to find in particular US markets. The reason shapes the first hire. If the goal is revenue, a first account executive or US sales lead usually comes first. Our guide on how to [hire a VP of Sales](https://funded.club/blog/hire-vp-sales-startup) covers the leadership version of that decision. ## Choose how you will employ people You have three broad routes, and the right one depends on your plans, budget and the states you hire in: - **Set up your own US entity.** More setup work, but a long-term base if you expect a sizeable US team. - **Use an employer of record.** A provider employs the person on your behalf and handles payroll and benefits administration. Often used for the first few hires while you test the market. - **Engage contractors.** Sometimes used for short projects, but the rules on who counts as an employee differ from Europe and from state to state. Employment, tax and benefits rules vary, so take local legal advice before you choose a route or send an offer. Sort this out before you start interviewing, so you are not holding a candidate while the paperwork catches up. ## Adapt the role and the pitch for US candidates A job description written for Berlin or Amsterdam may not land in Boston or Austin. A few things to review: - **Titles.** Check that the title matches the scope a US candidate would expect for the level of responsibility. - **Compensation.** Research pay for the specific role and location rather than converting a European salary. Expect questions about variable pay for sales roles. - **Equity.** Explain your equity plan clearly, including how it works for someone employed outside your home country. - **Benefits.** US candidates will ask what benefits come with the role, so know what your chosen employment route provides. - **The story.** Explain why the company is investing in the US now and what this person will build. Early US hires want to know they are central to the plan, not an outpost. ## Plan the working relationship across time zones Depending on the coast, there can be six to nine hours between a European head office and a US hire. Agree a window of overlap each day for meetings, put decisions in writing so the US team is not waiting overnight, and schedule leadership visits in both directions. Interview in the candidate's daytime, and involve the person the new hire will work with most, even if that means an early or late call for your team. Give the first US hire a clear owner at headquarters and a direct line to the founders. Early hires in a new country often feel isolated, and that is a common reason they leave. ## Where Funded.club fits Funded.club is a fixed-fee recruiting partner for funded startups and fast-growing teams across North America, Europe and APAC, with a fully remote team of recruiters. It has helped 500+ startups from Seed to Series D since 2019, which makes it a practical partner for a company hiring across the Atlantic. One dedicated recruiter runs each US search end to end, from sourcing and headhunting to screening and support through offer. You see first screened candidates within 7 days, and the average time from kick-off to hire is 33 days. Fees are fixed and agreed upfront in dollars: $4,900 for salaries up to $70,000, $7,500 up to $110,000, $11,500 up to $150,000 and $15,900 to $21,900 above that. For a $140,000 US sales hire, a 20 to 25% contingency fee would be $28,000 to $35,000, while Funded.club's fee is $11,500. See [pricing](https://funded.club/pricing) for details. The employment itself runs through your own entity or an employer of record, so line that up alongside the search. ## Frequently asked questions ### Does a European startup need a US company to hire in the US? Not always. Many start with an employer of record service, which employs the person on the startup's behalf, and set up their own entity later. The right route depends on your plans, so take local legal advice first. ### What should a European startup's first US hire be? Usually someone close to customers, such as a senior account executive or US sales lead, because the first goal is often revenue. Choose someone comfortable building without a large local team around them. ### How long does it take to hire in the US from Europe? It depends on the role and how quickly your team can interview across time zones. With Funded.club, first screened candidates arrive within 7 days and the average from kick-off to hire is 33 days. ### Should we pay US hires the same as European hires? Most startups set pay based on the role and local market rather than converting a European salary. Research the specific role and location before you set the range. Worth a brief chat about your next hire? [Book a free call](https://funded.club/contact-us). ## Hiring after a funding round? First candidates in 7 days. Fixed-fee, no commission. [See pricing](https://funded.club/pricing) [Book a free call](https://funded.club/contact-us) [Try the Growth Planner](https://funded.club/growth-planner) [![Primary\_logo](https://funded.club/hubfs/funded-images2022/Primary_logo.svg)](https://funded.club) © 2019-2026 Funded.club B.V. All Rights Reserved. Chamber of Commerce: 63083809    VAT (BTW): NL855084844B01 ## Contact Us - [Hiring service](https://funded.club) - [Pricing - Recruiting projects](https://funded.club/pricing) - [Find a job](https://funded.club/startupjobs) - [Our team](https://funded.club/fundedteam) - [Blog](https://funded.club/blog) - [Case studies](https://funded.club/case-studies) - [Startup resources](https://funded.club/resources) - [FAQ](https://funded.club/faq) - [Contact Us](https://funded.club/contact-us) ## Follow Us © 2019-2026 All rights reserved. - [Privacy Policy](https://www.iubenda.com/privacy-policy/56133290) - [Cookie policies](https://www.iubenda.com/privacy-policy/56133290/cookie-policy) - [Terms of Use](https://funded.club/terms) ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@id" : "https://funded.club/#ray-gibson" }, "dateModified" : "2026-09-29", "datePublished" : "2026-09-29", "headline" : "How a European Startup Can Hire in the US: A Practical Guide", "image" : [ "https://7828179.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/7828179/blog-featured-images/fc-european-startup-hiring-in-the-us.png" ], "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@id" : "https://funded.club/blog/european-startup-hiring-in-the-us", "@type" : "WebPage" }, "publisher" : { "@id" : "https://funded.club/#organization" } } ``` ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@id" : "https://funded.club/#organization", "@type" : "Organization", "areaServed" : [ "North America", "Europe", "Asia-Pacific" ], "description" : "Fixed-fee recruiting partner for funded startups and fast-growing teams across North America, Europe and APAC. 500+ startups helped since 2019. 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