A recruitment agency represents your employer brand while also influencing hiring speed and candidate quality. The best fit depends on the type of roles, geography, seniority and whether you need occasional hiring support or an ongoing talent partner.
Define the hiring problem
Clarify role volume, seniority, location, required skills, salary range and target start date. Specialist agencies can be particularly useful when the talent pool is narrow or candidates are not actively applying.
Ask where candidates will come from
Understand sourcing methods, existing networks, advertising, outreach and screening. A large database is not automatically valuable if it is stale or poorly matched to your roles.
Evaluate screening depth
Ask what the agency verifies before submission and how it assesses motivation, compensation expectations and availability. Agree what information should accompany every candidate profile.
Make commercial terms comparable
Compare contingency or retained fees, payment milestones, exclusivity, refund or replacement guarantees and what happens if a candidate leaves early.
Protect candidate experience
Slow feedback or unclear communication damages both hiring outcomes and employer reputation. Agree interview coordination, feedback timelines and who communicates rejections.
What to confirm before you hire
- Role profile, salary and timeline clear
- Relevant functional or industry specialisation
- Candidate sourcing and screening process explained
- Fees, exclusivity and replacement terms documented
- Data/privacy responsibilities understood
- Candidate communication expectations agreed