How to choose a recruitment partner that actually delivers
For founders and hiring managers who want results, not inbox noise
1. What you are really buying
You are not buying resumes. You are buying faster time to fill, better quality of hire, and less risk. Judge the work by real signals: time to shortlist, interview acceptance rate, offer acceptance rate, and retention at 90 and 180 days.
2. When bringing in a partner makes sense
You need speed or confidentiality.
The role is niche and the talent pool is small.
Your team is at capacity and outreach volume will dip.
You are entering a new market or geography.
You need a repeatable pipeline for a group of similar roles.
3. What great recruiters actually do
Define a clear success profile with must haves and nice to haves.
Map the market and name real people, not just titles.
Run targeted outreach across channels with proper follow ups.
Screen for skill, context, and motivation.
Orchestrate interviews and feedback so the process moves.
Prevent false starts with references and expectation alignment.
Report the funnel and adjust weekly.
4. The cost of waiting
Every open seat burns money quietly.
Lost revenue or delivery, extra load on the team, and a higher chance of a rushed bad hire later. Ask for a simple daily cost model and compare it to the fee. It keeps everyone honest.
5. Vendor models in plain English
Contingency. You pay on hire. Fast to start, lighter depth.
Retained. You reserve time and focus. Best for hard or confidential searches.
Embedded or RPO. A pod works inside your team. Best for scale and process.
6. Straight talk questions to ask any recruiter
Show three profiles you rejected this week and tell me why.
Walk me through your sourcing tree for this role.
What percent of outreach turns into first calls for similar roles.
How do you reduce offer declines before they happen.
What is your median time from intake to first shortlist.
Who does the screening and how is calibration done.
How do you handle candidate data and system access.
If week two stalls, what is the reset plan.
If any answer is a magic trick, ask again.
7. Red flags you can spot fast
Only job boards and no direct sourcing.
No written intake or success profile.
Reports that say busy but not where the funnel is stuck.
Pressure to lower requirements with no market data.
No examples of recent searches in your discipline or level.
8. What a strong partnership feels like
A tight kickoff with clear criteria.
A two week plan with channel mix and weekly targets.
A live report that shows pipeline, reasons for rejection, and next actions.
One feedback owner on your side and a shared calendar.
Decision gates where you either double down or pivot.
9. Metrics to track from day one
Time to first shortlist.
Qualified candidates per week.
On site to offer ratio.
Offer acceptance rate.
New hire retention at 90 and 180 days.
10. Quick buyer checklist
Do they understand your product and market.
Can they show fresh work in your discipline and level.
Do they commit to timelines and reporting, not vibes.
Are data handling and compliance documented.
Can they integrate with your ATS or deliver CRM ready data.
TLDR for busy leaders
Choose partners who show their work, commit to data, and move fast. Ask direct questions. Track simple metrics. Precision beats volume. Outcomes beat activity.
