For employers · December 2025

How to brief a recruiter without wasting a week

A job title and a salary range will get you a pile of CVs. A usable shortlist needs the shape of the week, the reason the last person left, and what you will not compromise on.

Start with the person who just left

If you are replacing someone, say why they went — even in one sentence. “The book grew past what one manager could hold” is a brief. “Looking for a rockstar” is not.

Put numbers on the work

Lot count, admin ratio, systems, meeting load, on-call. Candidates decide on those details. If you hide them, the people you want will decline after the first conversation, and you will have lost a week.

Be honest about the hard part

Every role has one. A difficult committee, a principal who travels, a site that is mid-capital works. The right person can live with a known hard part. They cannot live with a surprise.

If you want us to write the brief with you, book a hiring call. The first conversation is usually enough to know whether we can help.

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