Name the work you know
Be specific about the roles, seniority and markets where you have useful knowledge. A recruiter who can explain the difference between an applied AI engineer and a research scientist gives the client more confidence than a broad claim to cover everything.
Show the search behind a placement
Use an anonymized example to explain the role, the hard part of the search, how you reached candidates and what you learned. Separate your own contribution from the wider team’s work. Respect client and candidate confidentiality.
Make the first briefing useful
Ask why the role exists, what success looks like, which skills are essential and where the hiring team can be flexible. Discuss compensation context, location and the interview process before sourcing. A shared hiring brief keeps those answers connected.
Agree the working relationship
Confirm candidate attribution, the recruiter share, payment conditions and who gives interview feedback before starting a search. Clear engagement terms reduce uncertainty for both sides.
Let tools give you more time for people
Use research and note-taking tools where they help, review their output and keep candidate information appropriate to the task. Your judgment, candidate conversations and understanding of motivation remain the important part.
Introduce the niche, not just the agency
A short introduction should say who you recruit, where you work and which kinds of searches you can support. Use the recruiter introduction worksheet to prepare a focused first profile.
Put it into practice.
Turn the useful questions into a project brief you can keep, edit and share.
Create your brief