I received a brief from a London fintech last week that consisted of - I kid you not - four bullet points and a salary range. The hiring manager seemed genuinely surprised when I called to explain I needed more information before sending over CVs.
After eight years placing professionals across APAC into UK and US companies, I've seen the full spectrum of recruitment briefs, from forensically detailed specifications to the cryptically vague "we'll know it when we see it" non-briefs.
The quality of your brief directly determines the quality of candidates you'll see. Thing is, most hiring managers have never been taught how to brief an agency properly. They assume recruiters are mind-readers or that a job title and salary range tell the whole story.
So let's fix this. Here's what your recruitment partners actually need from you - and the common briefing mistakes that waste everyone's time.
The Brief That Actually Works
A recruiter's job isn't just to "find people" - it's to find the right people for your specific needs. Without proper context, they're working blind.
The Non-Negotiables
Every brief should include:
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True job scope - Not the sanitised HR version, but what the role actually involves day-to-day. What will their first three months look like?
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Team dynamics - Who do they work with? Report to? Manage? The hierarchical and collaborative landscape matters enormously.
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Success metrics - How will you measure if this hire was successful in 6-12 months? What specific outcomes are you expecting?
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Genuine challenges - What are the actual difficult parts of the role? Every job has them. Hiding them only ensures you'll hire someone who'll quit when they discover the reality.
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Culture requirements - Not vague platitudes about "team players" but specific working styles. Does your team prefer written communication or verbal? Do you value independent workers or collaborative spirits?
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Deal-breakers vs nice-to-haves - Which requirements are absolutely essential and which are flexible? I constantly see companies rejecting great candidates over "requirements" that were actually preferences.
When I work with European companies hiring from Asia, the briefs that produce the best matches always include these elements. The ones that don't usually lead to wasted time for everyone.
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The Unspoken Stuff Recruiters Need To Know
Some of the most crucial information never makes it into formal briefs. But it's this context that helps agencies find candidates who'll actually succeed and stay.
What's Really Going On?
Be honest about:
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Why the role exists - Is this a replacement? Expansion? Has someone failed in this role before? If so, why?
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The real decision process - Who actually makes the final call? Is there consensus hiring or does one person hold veto power?
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Timeframe pressures - Is there genuine urgency or are you just testing the market? Both are fine, but agencies allocate resources differently depending on your answer.
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Background politics - Any sensitive context about the team or role? Internal candidates? Recent restructures?
Recently, I was working on a developer role for a UK SaaS firm. Only after several rounds did the hiring manager mention they'd had three failed hires in this position. This completely changed my approach - I needed candidates with resilience for a challenging environment, not just technical skills.
But I could have saved weeks if this had been clear from the start.
Briefing Mistakes That Create Disasters
Some briefs are worse than no brief at all. They actively mislead or waste everyone's time. Avoid these common pitfalls:
The Generic Job Description
Sending a standard JD copied from your careers page tells a recruiter you're not serious. These documents are typically sanitised, vague, and rarely reflect the actual role requirements. I had one client who sent me their "standard developer JD" - it was so generic it didn't even mention which programming languages they used!
The Unicorn Spec
Listing every possible skill and qualification creates an impossible brief. Last month, I received a requirement for a "senior marketing manager with deep SaaS experience, financial services background, fluent in three languages, with both B2B and B2C expertise" - all for a mid-range salary.
When I pushed back, the hiring manager admitted they really only needed 60% of those requirements. But by that point, we'd already lost valuable time.
The Moving Target
Constantly changing requirements suggests you don't actually know what you need. This happened with a client seeking a product manager - the brief changed from technical PM to growth PM to customer success-focused PM over three weeks. Each change meant starting the search from scratch.
If you're genuinely unsure what you need, say so upfront. A good recruiter can help you clarify your requirements through market insights and candidate conversations.
Making The Agency Partnership Work
Think of your brief as the foundation of a partnership, not a one-way instruction.
The Feedback Loop
The best briefs evolve through conversation. Good recruiters will challenge your assumptions and help refine your thinking. Let them.
A few years back, I was working with a Sydney-based company hiring a remote sales leader. Their initial brief specified 10+ years of experience. After reviewing early candidates, we realised what they actually needed was specific experience selling to enterprise clients - the total years mattered far less than this expertise. This refined focus completely changed (and improved) the shortlist.
The Competitive Context
A brief shouldn't exist in a vacuum. Smart recruiters need to understand:
- What makes this role attractive in the current market?
- How does your package compare to competitors?
- What flexibility exists around compensation for exceptional candidates?
In the post-2025 landscape, with salaries stabilising after the Covid-triggered remote work boom, being clear about your competitive positioning is crucial.
Brief Like You Mean It
Next time you're briefing a recruitment agency, set aside proper time for it. The 15-minute "quick call" rarely produces good results.
Instead:
- Share a detailed written brief before any discussion
- Schedule at least 45 minutes for a proper briefing conversation
- Invite the actual hiring manager, not just HR
- Be prepared to answer challenging questions about the role
- Stay engaged throughout the process
The strangest thing about poor briefs is that companies who spend ages agonising over £5K software purchases will rush through briefing for a £80K hire who'll influence their business for years.
Good recruitment partnerships are built on clear communication. The time you invest upfront will save weeks of reviewing unsuitable candidates and restarting searches.
I've seen countless recruitment processes drag on for months because the initial brief was vague. And I've seen perfect hires made in days when companies knew exactly what they needed and communicated it clearly.
Which outcome would you prefer?
Marco Santos helps professionals across Asia build global remote careers with European and US companies. Based in Manila, he has worked remotely with companies in London, New York and Sydney for over eight years. Connect with him on The OHub for more insights on remote careers and global hiring.
