I recruit for a living, but I do not believe every business needs an agency for every job. If you can attract, assess and hire the right person yourself, good. That is the result you wanted.
Sometimes you need specialist knowledge, access to a different candidate market or simply enough time to give the job proper attention. That is where an agency can help. It works much better when you treat the recruiter as someone working with you, rather than a CV delivery service.
Decide what help you actually need
Are you struggling to attract people, find a particular skill or manage the process? Be specific. An agency cannot fix an unclear role or an offer that does not match the market simply by sending more CVs.
If you are still deciding whether to use one, start with the separate guide linked below. This part is about making the relationship work once you do.
You might pay a decorator because they can do the job better or because you have other things to do. Recruitment can be similar. Sadly, we will not paint your lounge as part of the service.
Choose the recruiter, not just the logo
Ask about their knowledge of the work, the businesses they recruit for and how they will approach your particular requirement. What do they need from you? How will they assess someone before making an introduction? What will an update actually contain?
Agencies differ in specialism, reach, working methods and commercial arrangements. Size alone does not tell you whether the person handling your job understands it.
Give them enough detail to explain their approach. You are looking for useful questions and a credible plan, not a promise that the perfect candidate is already waiting.
Understand the commercial arrangement
Contingent recruitment usually means a fee becomes payable on an agreed successful outcome, as defined in the terms. It does not automatically mean several agencies are involved. A contingent arrangement can also be exclusive.
Retained work involves an agreed commitment and payment structure. The stages, deliverables and terms vary. Neither label tells you everything you need to know about the service.
Read and agree the actual terms before introductions start. Understand the fee trigger, payment terms, any rebate or replacement provisions, exclusivity and how duplicate or previous introductions will be handled. If something is unclear, resolve it with the agency and take advice where needed.
Do not assume the first CV received settles every fee question. Disputes depend on the agreements and circumstances. A clear process is much cheaper in time and goodwill than an argument later.
More agencies do not automatically mean more candidates
My preference is to start with one capable, accountable specialist. If there is a clear reason to use a second, agree how that will work. That is my working recommendation, not a rule that every vacancy must follow.
Sending the same brief to ten agencies does not create ten separate candidate markets. It can mean the same people receive several approaches, while nobody knows what information is current.
I have seen the confusion that follows when agencies and employers are working with different versions of the job. A smaller number of properly briefed relationships can make it much easier to see what is happening and hold a useful conversation about the results.
Give them the brief you would want yourself
Explain why the vacancy exists, what the person will actually do, the central priorities and what can be taught. Share the agreed salary and package, working arrangements and any constraints.
Tell them what is attractive about the business and what may be difficult. If there is a problem candidates are likely to raise, let the recruiter understand it rather than discover it halfway through an interview process.
Agree who makes decisions and who can authorise the offer. Describe the assessment stages and the practical timetable. Meet in person or by video where that helps the recruiter understand the work and the people involved.
The agency should be able to explain your opportunity accurately. Help them do that, and expect them to question a brief that does not add up.
Agree how you will work together
Set a regular update and a realistic target for reviewing introductions. Prompt feedback matters, but there is no magic number of hours that makes every process work.
Useful feedback explains what matched the brief and what did not. “Not right” gives the recruiter very little to act on. If the priorities have changed, say so and agree the revised brief before the search continues.
Keep them informed about progress through other routes, including an internal applicant or a direct candidate reaching the final stage. Share the relevant process information, not unnecessary personal details about other people.
An honest update that the search is difficult is more useful than silence. Ask what the conversations are showing about the role, package or availability, and decide what you can change.
Keep responsibility for your hiring decision
A good recruiter should improve the information you have and help the process move. The employer still needs to assess the person, make the decision and carry out its own required checks for a direct hire.
Do not let a busy diary turn every interview and decision into a delay nobody owns. Equally, do not rush an offer because somebody has promised that a candidate will disappear by lunchtime.
Agree the next action, the person responsible and when it will happen. That simple discipline helps more than repeatedly asking for another batch of CVs.
You should finish with a better-informed decision, not just a fuller inbox.
See when a business should use a recruitment agency for the earlier decision, and the Employer Recruitment Pack for practical tools. Next: Part 4 — applications and interviews.