ENGLISH · TOS-4.0-EN
Terms of Service
The terms under which Talental provides its recruitment and selection services.
Language / Idioma. This document is published in English and Spanish. Both versions have the same content and version number. In case of discrepancy or divergence in interpretation, the Spanish version prevails.
A simple summary of the full agreement. The numbered sections that follow are the ones that govern.
| FEES | 15% of first-year target compensation: base plus cash variable at 100% of quota plus guaranteed bonuses. Minimum fee of MXN $30,000. Statutory benefits, equity, accelerators, discretionary bonuses, and signing bonuses are excluded. VAT not included. |
|---|---|
| PAYMENT | 30% down payment to start. The remaining 70% is invoiced on the hire's first day of work, calculated on the accepted offer, and paid within 10 business days. |
| WHEN WHAT IS PAID | The down payment opens the search and is non-refundable. The placement is not invoiced until the person starts working. If they withdraw before starting, we reopen the search under the same down payment. |
| THE FEE IS FIRM | The amount is set when the offer is accepted. It is not reduced by commission plan changes, missed quota, or the hire's departure. If compensation increases within the first 90 days, the fee is recalculated upward. |
| WHAT WE DELIVER | A fully assessed shortlist of finalists, with a written report per candidate and 24/7 pipeline visibility in our portal. |
| GUARANTEE | If the hire leaves within the first 90 days, tell us in writing within 30 days of the departure and everything you paid for that role, deposit included, becomes credit for any role at Talental or klania, usable within 6 months. No cash refund. |
| CALIBRATION VS. NEW ROLE | Adjusting the profile along the way is part of the service and carries no additional cost. Changing the function, the seniority level, the location, or moving compensation by more than 25% is a new search, with a new down payment and credit for candidates who still fit. |
| EXCLUSIVITY | We are the sole recruitment partner for the role while the search is active, and for a minimum of 30 days from the down payment. |
| FEEDBACK | Feedback within 2 business days per interview. No response within 7 days pauses the search; at 30 days, it closes. |
| OWNERSHIP | If the client hires any candidate we introduced, in any role and under any engagement format, within 12 months of their introduction, the full fee applies. Objections with evidence: 5 business days. |
| YOUR TEAM | We do not recruit the client's team for other clients during the contract or for the following 12 months. |
| DATA | Candidate data lives in our ATS, encrypted. It is not sold or shared. We comply with the LFPDPPP. |
| LAW | Mexico. Mexican entities: courts of Guadalajara. International clients: confidential virtual arbitration. Before that, we negotiate. |
| klania | Same terms, with a fee of one month of gross base salary (minimum MXN $15,000), a 30-day guarantee, and the same 30% down payment. See section 21. |
01Definitions.
Capitalized terms have the meanings assigned in this section, in singular and plural.
"Search": the recruitment and selection project for a Role, documented in its own SOW. A Search is "Active" from receipt of the Down Payment until the earliest of: the Hire's Start Date, its closure under section 06, or its termination under section 20.
"Role": the specific position identified in the applicable SOW.
"Candidate": any individual Introduced by Talental to the Client for a Role.
"Introduction": the moment a Candidate's profile, resume, or summary is shared with the Client through any written channel, including email, Talental's ATS, shared documents, or messaging platforms such as Slack or WhatsApp. "Introduced" is construed accordingly.
"Hire": the Candidate who accepts an offer from the Client and reaches their Start Date.
"Start Date": the Candidate's first effective day of work or services for the Client.
"Successful Placement": materializes on the Start Date. Before the Start Date, the Role is not considered filled for any purpose under these terms.
"Target Compensation": the sum of (a) annual base salary; (b) cash variable payable at 100% attainment of quota or targets (full quota), including commissions, performance bonuses, and bonuses tied to measurable milestones; and (c) guaranteed cash bonuses. Where the compensation plan includes a ramp period, stepped quotas, or a partial first year, the variable component is projected at full annualized quota over 12 months. Excluded: statutory benefits and legally mandated payments in any country (including aguinaldo in Mexico, the 13th salary in Brazil, and legal gratuities); in-kind benefits and vouchers; equity or any stock-based instrument; accelerators and overachievement payouts; discretionary bonuses; and signing bonuses.
"Material Profile Change": any of the following with respect to a Role with an Active Search: (a) a change in the Role's function or vertical; (b) a change in the Role's seniority level (for example, from individual contributor to Director, or from Director to C-level); (c) a modification of more than 25% in the Target Compensation agreed in the SOW, upward or downward; or (d) a change in location or work modality that substantially invalidates the existing Candidate pipeline. Adjustments arising from the calibration described in section 03 do not constitute a Material Profile Change.
"Guarantee Period": the 90 calendar days counted from the Hire's Start Date.
"Account in Good Standing": the situation in which the Client has no overdue unpaid invoice under the engagement.
"SOW": the Statement of Work signed by the parties for each Role, documenting the Role, engagement format, estimated Target Compensation, fee, Down Payment, contacts, and any Special Terms.
"Special Terms": the particular conditions agreed in a SOW or in the services agreement which, under the order of precedence in section 18, prevail over these terms.
"Down Payment": the initial payment described in section 04.
"Business days": working days under Mexico's official calendar, unless the SOW indicates another jurisdiction. "Calendar days": all days.
02Services and process.
Talental provides recruitment and selection intermediation services for Growth, Marketing, Sales, and Operations talent, including leadership and C-level positions within those verticals, for technology companies hiring across Latin America. We work as a single end-to-end service: Talental uses a proprietary ATS and AI-powered sourcing and assessment tools to cover the market with depth and speed, and human judgment stands behind every assessment, every recommendation, and every conversation that matters.
01 · Kickoff and Calibration. An initial call to align on the Role, the team, the company stage, and the criteria that define a successful hire. We produce a written Role profile that both parties approve before the Search begins. We share a first sample of profiles for the Client's review and feedback, which lets us fine-tune the Search from the first days.
02 · Sourcing and Interviews. We search across LATAM with a multichannel approach: LinkedIn, our proprietary database, referral network, niche communities, and active postings where appropriate. We run structured interviews with every Candidate before the Client does and deliver written reports with our recommendation, compensation expectations, and fit notes. Pipeline visibility is available 24/7 through our portal. Communication flows through the Client's preferred channel (Slack, WhatsApp, email).
03 · Shortlist and Offer. We deliver at least one fully assessed shortlist of finalists. We support offer negotiation, run reference and background checks, and stay involved through the Hire's first 90 days to ensure a successful integration.
By signing a SOW or paying the Down Payment, the Client accepts the terms set out in this document.
03Calibration and profile changes.
Calibration is part of the service. Almost every Search adjusts once real profiles are under review, and especially on new roles or first hires in a function. Profile adjustments arising from calibration, including requirement refinement, reprioritization among criteria, and scope adjustments within the same Role, are included in the service at no additional cost. Every version of the profile is documented and remains visible to the Client next to the previous one.
Material Profile Change. If a Material Profile Change as defined in section 01 occurs during an Active Search, the new profile is considered a distinct Role and is documented in a new SOW with its own Down Payment. Candidates already identified or Introduced in the original Search who reasonably fit the new profile are credited to the new Search at no additional cost for those Introductions, and their original Introduction dates are preserved for the purposes of section 07.
Procedure. When Talental identifies a possible Material Profile Change, it will notify the Client in writing, stating the applicable trigger, before continuing the Search under the new profile. The original Search may continue, close, or convert into the new one, as the parties agree in writing.
04Fees and payment.
Fee. The fee for each Successful Placement is 15% of the Hire's first-year Target Compensation. Each Successful Placement carries a minimum fee of MXN $30,000.00 (thirty thousand Mexican pesos) or its equivalent in the invoice currency: if 15% of Target Compensation is lower than that amount, the minimum is invoiced.
Calculation base by engagement format. For hires under payroll, the base is the gross payroll salary; if compensation was agreed as a net amount, the Client informs Talental of the gross salary its payroll registers to deliver that net. For engagements under professional services, or as a contractor or consultant, the base is the contracted amount annualized to 12 months, with no adjustment for tax burden. The Client confirms the format and applicable base at the time of the offer.
Down Payment. A Down Payment of 30% of the estimated fee, calculated on the midpoint of the Target Compensation range agreed in the SOW, is due upon signature of the SOW. The Search begins upon receipt of the Down Payment. The Down Payment is non-refundable and non-transferable, except as expressly provided in these terms, and is credited against the total fee of the Successful Placement.
Determination of the amount. The fee amount is determined on the date the Candidate accepts the offer, calculated on the Target Compensation of the offer actually accepted, not on the SOW estimate.
Payability. The remaining 70% is invoiced on the Hire's Start Date and is payable within 10 business days from the issue date of the corresponding CFDI or invoice. For clarity: determination of the amount upon offer acceptance fixes the quantity, it does not accelerate its payability; no amount other than the Down Payment is payable before the Start Date.
The fee is firm. Once determined, the fee is not reduced, and no refund, credit, or credit note arises, due to: changes to the commission plan, quota, accelerators, or bonus scheme after acceptance; the Hire failing to reach quota, targets, or milestones; changes to the engagement format, reporting line, or role scope; or the Hire's departure, which is addressed exclusively through the guarantee (credit) in section 05.
Upward adjustment. If the Hire's Target Compensation increases within the first 90 calendar days of employment, the fee is recalculated on the updated compensation and the difference is invoiced. This adjustment applies upward only.
Withdrawal before the Start Date. If a Candidate accepts an offer and withdraws before their Start Date, the final payment is not invoiced and the Search reopens under the same Down Payment, at no additional cost, provided the Client notifies Talental within 3 business days of the withdrawal. The reopened Search continues under these same terms, including section 06.
Currency and exchange rate. The fee is calculated and invoiced in the currency of the Candidate's compensation, unless otherwise agreed in the SOW. Where a conversion is required, the applicable rate is the FIX published by Banco de México on the invoice date, or the xe.com mid-market rate for currency pairs not covered by Banxico.
Taxes. Fees do not include VAT or any other applicable tax, which are added to invoices as required by law. Where withholdings apply, the Client delivers the corresponding withholding certificates.
Invoicing and disputes. For Mexican clients, payment terms run from the CFDI issue date. If the Client believes an invoice contains an error, it must notify Talental in writing within 5 business days of receipt, identifying the disputed item. Invoices not disputed within that window are deemed accepted, and any undisputed portion remains payable on its original schedule.
Payment method and billing party. Payments are made by bank transfer to the account designated in the corresponding invoice. Talental may designate in writing an authorized billing party to issue the invoices for the services; in that case, the invoice (including the CFDI, where applicable) is issued by the party receiving the payment, as stated in the invoice instructions. Full payment to the designated account against the corresponding invoice discharges the Client's payment obligation for that invoice.
Late payments. Invoices unpaid by their due date accrue interest at 1.5% per month, or the maximum rate permitted by law, whichever is lower. While any balance is overdue, Talental may suspend active or future Searches, and the guarantee (credit) is suspended as provided in section 05.
05Guarantee (credit balance).
What it is. Talental grants a guarantee on every Successful Placement during the Guarantee Period of 90 calendar days from the Start Date. If the Hire leaves the Client within that period, the Client receives a credit balance equal to what it paid for that Role (Down Payment and final payment) up to the day of its notice. It is a credit, not a cash refund. If the Successful Placement was paid in whole or in part with credit, it carries the full guarantee like any other, calculated on the total of that hire, regardless of how much was paid as a difference.
How it activates. The Client notifies Talental in writing within 30 calendar days of the Hire's departure. That notice is all it takes to activate the guarantee; without it, the guarantee expires.
How the credit is used. From activation, the Client has 6 months to use the credit and may open the new Search at any time in that window. The credit applies to any Role the Client chooses, with Talental or with klania, not only the same Role, and covers that Role's Down Payment. If the new Role costs more, the Client pays the difference. If it costs less, the rest stays as credit only until the end of the same 6 months; the period does not restart. Credit not used within the 6 months expires. Talental defines the tax handling (credit note or discount on the next invoice).
Conditions. The guarantee is valid only while the Client's Account is in Good Standing. It is suspended while any balance is overdue and reinstated once settled; it is lost if an invoice remains unpaid more than 30 calendar days after its due date.
When it does not apply. (a) Departure due to layoffs, downsizing, restructuring, or budget cuts. (b) The Client fails its obligations to the Hire: does not pay them or does not give them what was agreed, including promises made during hiring. (c) After the hire, the Client changed the Hire's duties, level, or salary without telling Talental.
Limits. The credit is not refundable in cash and not transferable to third parties; it can only be used with Talental or with klania.
06Working together.
Exclusivity. The Client works exclusively with Talental for each entrusted Role while the Search is Active and, in any case, for a minimum of 30 calendar days from receipt of the Down Payment, even if the Search ends earlier. Exclusivity applies only to the Roles entrusted to Talental, not to all of the Client's open positions.
Collaboration timelines. To maintain momentum and Candidate interest: (a) the Client provides feedback within 2 business days after each interview or assessment round; (b) if no feedback is received within 7 calendar days of profile delivery, the Search pauses automatically; and (c) if the Search remains inactive for more than 30 consecutive calendar days, due to lack of feedback, delayed decisions, or the Client's internal changes, the Search is considered closed and a new Down Payment is required to resume or restart it. Talental cannot ensure Candidates' continued availability or interest if the process is delayed beyond these timelines.
Conflict of interest. Talental discloses material conflicts of interest before accepting a Search. During kickoff, the Client may name restricted companies as Candidate sources, such as direct competitors or its own customers. If during a Search Talental identifies a Candidate currently employed by a restricted company, it will not contact them without the Client's written consent.
Anti-poaching. While the contract is active and for 12 months after its end, Talental will not actively recruit or contact the Client's employees for positions with other clients, except with the Client's written approval. This does not apply where: (a) a person responds to a public job posting or general advertisement, or (b) the person was already registered in Talental's database before joining the Client's company.
07Introductions and candidate ownership.
Objection window. If the Client believes an Introduced Candidate was already known to its organization, for example because they were already in its database, in an active process, or previously introduced by another provider, it must notify Talental in writing within 5 business days of the Introduction, with reasonable evidence of the prior source and date. Absent a timely objection, the Introduction stands and these terms apply to that Candidate.
Ownership period. If the Client engages any Introduced Candidate within 12 months of the date of their original Introduction, the full fee applies. This is so regardless of: (a) the position, which need not be the original Role; (b) the status of the Search, whether active, paused, closed, or cancelled; (c) whether the Introduction was the direct cause of the hire, with no effective-cause requirement applying; and (d) the engagement format, as described below.
Indirect engagements. The fee applies whether the Candidate is engaged as an employee, contractor, consultant, or freelancer; directly or through a parent, subsidiary, affiliate, or other related entity of the Client; or through a staffing firm, employer of record, or any third party acting on the Client's behalf. For contractor or consultant engagements, the fee is calculated on the annualized 12-month value of the agreed fees or compensation.
Duty to notify. The Client notifies Talental in writing, within 5 business days, of any offer extended to, or engagement of, an Introduced Candidate during the ownership period.
Hires in breach. Engagements made in breach of this section, including unreported hires discovered later, are billed at the standard rate of 15% of first-year Target Compensation, without any discounted rate that may have been agreed in a SOW, plus applicable late payment interest from the Candidate's Start Date. Discounted rates apply only to hires made through the agreed process.
Multiple hires from the same search. The fee covers one Successful Placement per Role. If the Client hires additional Candidates from the same shortlist for related positions, each additional hire is subject to the standard fee structure and carries its own guarantee (credit).
08Hiring decisions.
The final decision to interview, assess, and hire any Candidate rests solely with the Client. Talental's assessments, reports, and reference and background checks are performed in good faith, with professional diligence, and based on the information reasonably available at the time; they are professional opinions and verifications, not guarantees. Talental does not guarantee any Candidate's future performance, conduct, or tenure beyond the guarantee in section 05. The Client is responsible for ensuring its employment terms, contracts, and onboarding comply with applicable law, and for any representation made to the Candidate about the position, compensation, or working conditions.
09Confidentiality.
Each party may receive confidential information from the other during the engagement, including business strategy, hiring plans, compensation data, Candidate information, and any information marked or reasonably understood as confidential. Both parties agree to: (a) use confidential information only to fulfill their obligations under this agreement; (b) not disclose it to third parties without the other party's written consent, except to employees or contractors who need to know it and are bound by similar confidentiality obligations; and (c) return or destroy it upon written request after the engagement ends, except for one archival copy retained solely to comply with legal record-keeping obligations, which remains subject to these obligations. These obligations survive termination of the agreement for 3 years.
10Data protection.
Talental processes personal data of Candidates and Client representatives in connection with the services, in compliance with applicable law, first and foremost Mexico's Federal Law on Protection of Personal Data Held by Private Parties (LFPDPPP), as well as the GDPR for European candidates and the CCPA and applicable state laws for individuals in the United States.
(a) Candidate personal data is stored in Talental's proprietary ATS, with AES-256 encryption at rest and TLS in transit. (b) Access is role-based, with mandatory multi-factor authentication. (c) Talental does not sell, share, or use Candidate or Client data for any purpose other than providing the services. (d) Both parties act as independent data controllers of the personal data they process. (e) Talental obtains the Candidate's consent before submitting their information for a vacancy.
Data subject rights. Upon requests for access, rectification, cancellation, or objection (ARCO rights under the LFPDPPP, or their equivalents under other applicable laws), each party responds within the timeframes required by applicable law, and both provide each other reasonable assistance. For full data handling procedures and our privacy notice: info@talental.mx and talental.mx/privacidad.
11Intellectual property.
Client materials. The Client retains ownership of all materials it provides, including job descriptions, brand assets, and internal documentation.
Talental methodology. Talental retains ownership of its templates, frameworks, sourcing methodologies, assessment rubrics, software, database, and proprietary tools, including any improvements made during the engagement. Nothing in this agreement assigns or transfers Talental's methodology or tools to any client.
Deliverables. Upon full payment, the Client receives a non-exclusive, perpetual license to use the Role-specific deliverables (job descriptions, scorecards, candidate reports, interview guides) created during the engagement, for its internal hiring purposes.
References and marketing. Talental may identify the Client as a client and display its name and logo in marketing materials and case studies, always protecting Candidate data and the Client's confidential information. The Client may opt out at any time by written notice, and Talental will remove the reference within 10 business days.
12Labor compliance in Mexico.
Talental's services are recruitment and selection intermediation: Talental finds, assesses, and introduces Candidates, and the Client hires them directly under its own employment terms, payroll, and social security registration. At no time does Talental place its own personnel at the Client's disposal, direct or supervise workers within the Client's operation, or provide specialized services or works with its own workforce. Accordingly, the services do not constitute personnel subcontracting under articles 12 through 15 of Mexico's Federal Labor Law, as amended by the reform published in the Diario Oficial de la Federación on April 23, 2021, and REPSE registration is neither applicable nor required for this service.
Non-discrimination. Candidates are assessed based on their qualifications, experience, and fit for the Role, without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, age, or any other legally protected characteristic.
Anti-corruption. Both parties represent and warrant that they comply with all applicable laws, including anti-corruption, anti-bribery, and labor laws, and that neither will engage in any activity that causes the other to violate such laws.
13Limitation of liability.
To the extent permitted by law, neither party is liable to the other for indirect, consequential, incidental, special, or punitive damages arising from this agreement, including lost profits, lost business opportunities, or reputational harm. Each party's total liability is limited to the total fees paid or payable under the engagement in the 12 months preceding the event giving rise to the claim. This limitation does not apply to liability arising from gross negligence, willful misconduct, fraud, intentional breach of confidentiality, or intentional or grossly negligent breach of data protection obligations. Nothing in this section limits or excuses the Client's obligation to pay fees due under these terms.
14Force majeure.
Neither party is liable for delays or failures in performance caused by events beyond its reasonable control, including natural disasters, acts of government, pandemics, civil unrest, or major infrastructure failures. The affected party notifies the other promptly and resumes performance as soon as reasonably possible. Force majeure does not excuse payment obligations for services already rendered.
15Governing law and disputes.
This agreement is governed by the laws of Mexico. The parties first attempt good-faith resolution through direct negotiation for at least 30 calendar days before initiating formal proceedings.
Clients with a Mexican entity. Any dispute is resolved in the competent courts of Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico, and the parties expressly waive any other jurisdiction that may correspond to them by reason of their present or future domicile.
International clients. For clients without a Mexican entity, any dispute is finally resolved by binding, confidential arbitration before a single arbitrator under the Arbitration Rules of the Centro de Arbitraje de México (CAM). The seat is Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico; hearings are held virtually unless otherwise agreed; the language is Spanish or English as agreed in the SOW; and the award may be enforced in any competent court.
16Notices.
All formal notices under this agreement are sent in writing to the registered emails: to Talental at info@talental.mx, and to the Client at the email listed in the applicable SOW. Notices are deemed received on the next business day after sending, absent a delivery failure.
17Amendments.
These terms may only be modified, with respect to a specific relationship, through Special Terms agreed in writing in the SOW or in the services agreement, or through a written amendment signed by both parties. Verbal agreements, email exchanges, or conversations on messaging platforms do not modify these terms unless confirmed in a signed amendment. Talental may update these standard terms for new engagements at any time; material changes are communicated to clients with active engagements at least 30 calendar days before taking effect for any new SOW, and updates do not apply retroactively to active SOWs, which retain the version they incorporated.
18Entire agreement and order of precedence.
These Terms of Service, together with the applicable services agreement and SOW, constitute the entire agreement between the parties regarding the services and supersede all prior negotiations, proposals, representations, or agreements, written or verbal. In case of conflict, the SOW prevails over the services agreement, and the services agreement prevails over these terms. If any provision is found invalid or unenforceable, the remaining provisions remain in full force and effect.
19Survival.
The following survive termination of this agreement: (a) confidentiality, for 3 years; (b) anti-poaching, for 12 months; (c) candidate ownership and the duty to notify, for 12 months after each Candidate's Introduction; (d) intellectual property rights and licenses; (e) payment obligations accrued before termination, including the firm character of the fee; (f) the limitation of liability; and (g) governing law and disputes.
20Special cases and termination.
The Candidate declines and the Client hires them later. If a Candidate declines the offer, or the Client declines the Candidate, and the Client hires them later within the 12-month ownership period, the full fee applies per section 07.
Termination. Either party may terminate the engagement with 14 calendar days' written notice. Upon termination: (a) Talental ceases all active sourcing and assessment; (b) the Client pays for deliverables completed to the termination date; and (c) the Down Payment is non-refundable, unless Talental terminates without cause, in which case the unearned portion is refunded pro rata. The obligations listed in section 19 survive termination.
21klania terms.
These terms also apply to Searches engaged with klania, with only the differences in this section.
Fee. The fee for each Successful Placement is one month of the gross monthly base salary of the offer accepted by the Hire, instead of 15% of first-year Target Compensation, with a minimum fee of MXN $15,000.00 (fifteen thousand Mexican pesos) instead of MXN $30,000.00. The calculation base by engagement format in section 04 applies to that monthly amount.
Down Payment. The Down Payment is 30% of the estimated fee, same as Talental, calculated on the gross monthly base salary estimated in the SOW.
Guarantee. The Guarantee Period is 30 calendar days from the Start Date instead of 90. Everything else in section 05 applies equally: the credit balance, written notice within 30 calendar days of the departure, 6 months to use the credit, the conditions, the exclusions, and the limits.
Hires in breach. For klania, the standard rate in section 07 is the fee in this section.
Everything else. Apart from these differences, these terms apply equally to klania. For klania Searches, this section prevails over any different provision in the summary or in sections 01, 04, 05, and 07.