Most founders vet candidates harder than they vet recruiters. They’ll spend hours screening CVs, refining interview processes, and defining “culture fit”, yet, when it comes to choosing a recruitment agency, many still go with whoever replies first or offers the lowest fee.
The problem? Your agency is the voice of your brand in the market. They shape first impressions. They tell your story. And they’re the first people your future hires speak to.
So before you let anyone represent your company, it’s worth asking: would I actually hire this person to represent me?
Here are ten questions that’ll help you find out.
1. Do They Feel Like an Estate Agent?
You’ve seen the type. Hundreds of listings. A handful of staff. Every role “exclusive.”
These agencies promise reach but rarely deliver depth. If they’re juggling dozens of clients, your opportunity isn’t their priority – it’s just another job on the board.
You can spot it early. Look at how they talk about their current roles. If it’s vague, generic, and full of buzzwords, that’s how they’ll talk about yours too.
If your recruiter’s shop window is overcrowded, your opportunity isn’t being sold, it’s getting lost in the noise.
2. Are They Playing Fastest Finger First?
Speed has become a badge of honour in recruitment, but fast doesn’t always mean good.
If five CVs land in your inbox before they’ve asked a single question about your company, culture, or goals, that’s not search. That’s guesswork.
Real recruiters slow down to understand before they speed up to deliver. They take time to define what good looks like, because they know sending CVs isn’t the same as solving hiring problems.
If it feels like a race, your recruiter’s chasing commission, not quality.
3. Is Their Brand Curated or Chaotic?
A quick look at how an agency presents itself tells you everything about how they’ll present you. Is their website and LinkedIn presence clean, credible, and well-curated? Or does it look like a clearance sale, hundreds of roles, inconsistent tone, no clear point of view?
Your brand sits right alongside every other company they represent. If their shop window looks messy, candidates won’t distinguish between you and the noise.
If their brand looks chaotic, that’s how candidates will see yours.
4. Could You Take Them to a Client Meeting?
The right agency should feel like an extension of your brand, not a third-party supplier.
They should understand your product, market, and customer base well enough that you’d trust them to represent you externally. If you’d hesitate to introduce them to a client, they don’t know your business well enough to sell it.
Recruitment isn’t just about process. It’s about brand alignment. The best agencies sell your opportunity with the same conviction you would.
If you wouldn’t put them in front of your customers, don’t put them in front of your candidates.
5. Do They Give You Real Confidence?
When you speak with them, do you feel reassured or slightly unsure? A good recruiter leaves you with clarity. They ask smart, specific questions. They demonstrate that they understand your business model and the stakes of every hire.
If you finish the call feeling more confused than before, it’s a sign they don’t grasp your market, or your expectations.
If they can’t explain your role confidently, they can’t sell it confidently.
6. Have You Ever Qualified Them?
You spend plenty of time qualifying candidates. But when was the last time you qualified your recruiter? Ask them how they screen candidates. How they define “fit.” What their process looks like from first contact to offer. What’s their replacement rate? What percentage of their placements stay beyond probation?
If they can’t answer those questions without flinching, it’s a red flag.
If you wouldn’t hire them onto your own team, don’t let them represent your brand.
7. What’s Their Real Motivation?
Every recruiter has incentives, but not all incentives align with your success.
Are they optimising for speed or accuracy? Are they measured by the number of CVs sent or the quality of hires placed? The difference is night and day.
The best recruiters measure success by long-term outcomes — not short-term wins. They care about retention, performance, and cultural alignment because that’s what builds lasting partnerships.
Great recruiters optimise for success rate, not send rate.
8. Can They Articulate Your Story Like You Can?
When they take your role to market, can they tell your story with conviction? Do they understand your mission, product, and vision deeply enough to sell it in their own words, or are they just copying and pasting from your job description?
Candidates are sharp. They can tell the difference between an advocate and a messenger.
If they can’t sell your story, they’re not representing your brand, they’re broadcasting your vacancy.
9. Are They Embedded or External?
Do they feel like part of your business? The best recruiters show up in the detail. They join team calls, share market intelligence, and help refine your interview process.
They act like insiders, not outsiders. If your recruiter disappears between CV sends or only resurfaces for feedback, they’re transactional, not strategic.
A true partner should feel embedded, not external.
10. Do They Make Hiring Feel Easier — or Harder?
Recruitment should bring clarity, not chaos. The best recruiters simplify decisions. They filter noise, pre-empt challenges, and guide you through each stage of the process with confidence. If every hiring cycle feels like a sprint through quicksand, something’s off.
A great agency lightens the load. A poor one just adds more admin.
If your recruiter doesn’t make hiring easier, they’re not your partner — they’re part of the problem.
Where the Right Recruiters Add Real Value
The best recruitment partners don’t just send CVs. They make you better at hiring.
They help you define what “good” looks like for your stage. They bring structure where you don’t have time to. They act as brand ambassadors who protect your reputation while building your team.
They understand that every hire is a reflection of your business. And they treat that responsibility like it’s their own.
The best recruiters don’t sell talent. They represent you.
You wouldn’t hire a team member who doesn’t believe in your product. So why work with a recruiter who doesn’t?
Choose a partner who brings the same care, curiosity, and conviction that you do. Someone who’ll tell your story properly and represent your brand with pride.
Because in the end, your recruitment partner says as much about your business as your next hire does.
Before you let a recruiter represent your brand, ask yourself one simple question: Would I hire them to represent me?
