Our Process:Transparency at Every Step.
Recruitment and development each follow a clear, structured process — with agreed terms, useful deliverables and visible progress at every step.
- Six recruitment stages
- Six development phases
- Everything in writing
- IntakeRole brief
- SourcingLive pipeline
- AssessmentAssessment notes
- ShortlistShortlist
- OfferSigned contract
- AftercareCheck-in plan
Our promise
Whether we're finding the right talent or building your next product, we keep the process clear, the expectations aligned and the progress visible.
Recruitment process
From an Open Role to Someone Who Stays.
Recruitment is a filter. Here is what the filter actually does — and what reaches you at each turn.
- Intake
Role Intake & Talent Mapping
We work with your hiring manager and key stakeholders to define the role, skills, team context and salary range — then map where that talent exists across Belgium and Europe.
- Sourcing
Search & Outreach
Our talent pipelines, professional networks, market research and targeted outreach help us identify relevant candidates - including professionals who aren't actively applying to job ads.
- Assessment
Skills, Experience & Fit
We assess candidates against the requirements that matter for each role - including experience, capabilities, motivation and cultural fit.
- Shortlist
Shortlist & Interviews
Three to five profiles with written assessment notes, salary expectations and availability. We schedule your interviews and carry the feedback both ways.
- Offer
Offer, Contract & Compliance
We benchmark the offer against the market, run the negotiation and prepare the paperwork — payroll, permits and Belgian labour law included for contractors.
- Aftercare
Onboarding & Aftercare
Accounts, tools, a first-week plan and structured check-ins through the probation period. If a hire leaves inside the agreed period, we search again.
What you get at each stage
Clear Deliverables and Visibility at Every Stage.
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Role Intake
A written role brief covering responsibilities, required skills, team context, and a market-aligned salary range or daily/hourly rate.
Recruitment models
Three Ways to Hire Through Us.
Choose the model that fits your hiring needs — and adapt as your needs evolve.
- Direct hire
Permanent Hires
Full-time professionals recruited for your organisation, assessed against the role requirements and cultural fit before you meet them.
- Success fee on start date
- Agreed replacement period
- Onboarding support
- Flexible
Contract & Contract-to-Hire
Specialists for projects, peaks or specific expertise, with the option to convert to permanent when both sides are ready.
- Monthly rate per contractor
- Payroll & compliance by us
- Convert when ready
- Managed team
Dedicated Nearshore & Offshore Team
A dedicated team of developers, QA engineers and specialists working as an extension of your organisation, with nearshore and offshore delivery options.
- Nearshore or offshore
- Integrated with your team
- Managed HR & compliance
Recruitment pricing
What Hiring Through Us Costs.
No hidden fees. The numbers are in writing before the search starts.
| 01Permanent hire | 02Contract staffing | |
|---|---|---|
| Fee | Permanent hireA success fee, paid once the hire starts. | Contract staffingA transparent monthly rate per contractor. |
| Agreed up front | Permanent hireThe fee, the notice terms and the replacement period — in writing before the search starts. | Contract staffingThe rate and the notice terms — in writing before the contractor starts. |
| When you pay | Permanent hireOn the start date. | Contract staffingMonthly, against approved timesheets. |
| If it does not work out | Permanent hireA new search at no extra fee if the hire leaves inside the agreed period. | Contract staffingWe replace the profile and manage the handover. |
| Admin | Permanent hireThe hire joins your payroll; we support the onboarding. | Contract staffingPayroll, tax, permits and Belgian labour law handled by us. |
Recruitment FAQ
Hiring Through Us, Answered.
How Quickly Can You Present Candidates?
Timing depends on the role, location and availability of suitable candidates. For most roles, we aim to provide an initial shortlist within 48 hours. Scarce or highly specialised profiles may take longer, and we agree the expected timeline with you at the start of the search.
What Happens if a Hire Does Not Work Out?
If a permanent hire leaves inside the agreed replacement period, we run the search again at no additional fee. For contractors, we replace the profile and manage the handover.
How Do You Handle Candidate Data and GDPR?
Candidate data is processed on a lawful basis, stored inside the EU, and kept only as long as the search and the agreed retention period require. Candidates can ask us to remove it at any time.
Development process
From First Conversation to Live Product.
Every phase ends with something you can look at, test or sign off — not a status update.
- Discussion
Discussion
We understand your goals, users, requirements, constraints and what success looks like.
- Planning
Planning
We define the scope, roadmap, team, timeline and delivery approach before development begins.
- Design
Design
We turn requirements into wireframes and prototypes so you can see and test the experience before development.
- Development
Development
We turn the design into code, in focused sprints, with working software, regular demos and visible progress throughout.
- QA
QA & Testing
We test functionality, performance and key user flows to ensure the product is stable and ready for release.
- Deployment
Deployment
We deploy the product, complete final checks and support the transition into production.
What you get at each phase
Clear Deliverables, No Guesswork.
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Discussion
A shared understanding of goals, users, constraints and success criteria.
Development models
Three Ways to Work With Our Team.
- Team expansion
Extend Your Team
Virtually expand your existing staff to get the job done on schedule. Need more developers? Hire one of ours.
- Dedicated developers
- Your tools & rituals
- Scale up or down
- Managed project
Organised Project
An experienced, responsible team of designers and developers supervises your project from stem to stern.
- End-to-end delivery
- Fixed or flexible scope
- One accountable team
- Independent service
Specific Expertise
Need help with one discipline — UX/UI architecture, mobile or web development? We are a one-stop destination for all your application needs.
- UX/UI architecture
- Web or mobile
- Targeted engagements
Development pricing
Choose the Pricing Model That Fits Your Project.
Both models work — the right choice depends on your scope, priorities and how much flexibility you need during development.
| 01Time & materials | 02Fixed price | |
|---|---|---|
| Scope | Time & materialsEvolving, discovered as you go | Fixed priceWell defined and signed off up front |
| Budget | Time & materialsPay for hours worked, reported transparently | Fixed priceAgreed before a line of code is written |
| Flexibility | Time & materialsRe-prioritise every sprint | Fixed priceChanges handled through a simple change request |
| Best for | Time & materialsDiscovery work and growing products | Fixed priceMVPs and clearly specified products |
Development FAQ
Building With Us, Answered.
I Only Have an Idea. Can You Help Me Take It Further?
Yes. We can help turn an early-stage idea into a clear product concept, roadmap and development plan. We can support discovery, UX/UI design, prototyping and development — depending on what you need.
Can You Build a Product From an Existing Specification or Design?
Yes. We can work from your existing requirements, designs or technical specification, or help complete them if they are not fully defined. Our team can take the product from development through testing and deployment.
How Do You Choose the Right Technology for My Project?
We choose technology based on your product requirements, users, integrations, scalability, security, budget and long-term needs. We recommend the technology that fits the project rather than forcing every project into the same stack.
Can You Develop Web, Mobile and AI Applications?
Yes. We develop web applications, mobile apps and AI solutions, including AI agents, LLM integrations, RAG applications and intelligent automation. We can build a product from scratch or extend an existing application.
What Happens if My Requirements Change During Development?
It depends on the engagement model. Time & Materials allows requirements and priorities to evolve throughout development. For Fixed-Price projects, changes are assessed and handled through an agreed change-request process before the additional work begins.
Do You Provide Ongoing Support After Launch?
Yes. We can continue to maintain, improve and scale your product after launch, including new features, optimisation, technical improvements and ongoing development support.
How Do You Keep Me Updated on Progress?
Development is delivered in focused sprints with regular demonstrations and progress updates. You can follow the work through project management tools and version control, with visibility into what is being developed and what comes next.
How Long Does Software Development Take?
The timeline depends on the scope, complexity, integrations, design requirements and team size. After understanding your requirements, we provide a realistic delivery plan with key milestones and dependencies.
Start here
Let's Plan the Hire, or the Build.
Tell us the role you need to fill or the product you want to build. We come back with a scoped proposal and a realistic timeline.
General enquiries
info@thoughtlabs.beCareers
jobs@thoughtlabs.be