A recruitment agency can only search effectively when the employer gives it a clear and current brief. If the role, package or decision process is uncertain, both sides may spend time on candidates who never had a realistic opportunity to match the vacancy.

Use a structured brief to organise the operational conversation. Commercial terms, fees, exclusivity and other contractual commitments should be reviewed separately by the appropriate people before agreement.

Explain the work and why the role exists

Describe the role’s purpose, main responsibilities, reporting line and first priorities. Explain whether the position replaces an established responsibility or introduces new work. Avoid relying on an internal job title that means little outside the business.

Give the agency the same confirmed scope the hiring manager will use in interviews. The internal hiring brief is a useful starting point, but remove internal information the partner does not need.

Separate essential evidence from preferences

List the capabilities that must be demonstrated and explain how they connect to the work. Identify knowledge the business can help a new hire develop. Do not make familiar employer names or an unnecessarily narrow career path a substitute for relevant evidence.

Ask the agency to explain what evidence supports an introduction, while keeping the final assessment with the responsible hiring team. A summary should help the team understand the candidate’s experience, not replace a consistent review.

Confirm the practical parameters

State the approved salary range and pay basis, location, working arrangement, employment type and any regular travel or collaboration expectations. Mark unresolved points clearly and assign someone to resolve them.

Do not ask a partner to sell flexibility or progression that the business has not agreed. If the package or scope changes, update the brief and consider what existing candidates need to be told.

Agree the communication and record process

Decide who receives introductions, who provides feedback and how duplicate submissions or existing applications will be identified through the agreed process. Confirm the approved way to exchange candidate information and the access each participant needs.

Use a clear contact route rather than allowing several managers to give conflicting instructions. Set realistic review expectations and explain how delays will be communicated. Do not promise a turnaround time without confirming that the team can support it.

Use a concise brief checklist

  • Role purpose, reporting line and current responsibilities.
  • Essential evidence and genuinely trainable knowledge.
  • Approved package assumptions and working arrangement.
  • Interview stages, assessment purpose and decision owners.
  • Candidate-information handling and authorised contacts.
  • Review timing, update process and ownership of changes.

Check the completed brief with the hiring manager before the search begins. The public job description and the partner brief should tell a consistent story about the vacancy.

Review the partnership using evidence

Discuss whether introductions meet the agreed criteria and whether feedback is specific enough to improve the search. Avoid judging the process only by submission volume. A smaller number of relevant, well-explained introductions may be more useful than a large queue the team cannot review properly.