Yep, we each start with one card for each profession, plus two wild cards. The two people who we start with are free, but then we need to spend a card for each person who we recruit after that.
EDIT: person points do not translate into VP, they only determine play order. And yes, you keep the person points for people who you let go.
EDIT: person points do not translate into VP, they only determine play order. And yes, you keep the person points for people who you let go.