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How to brief a recruiter for a mid-management role
A 30-minute briefing saves weeks of search. The seven things your recruiter needs to hear.
The quality of a shortlist rarely beats the quality of the brief behind it. Here is what we ask every hiring manager before we start.
- Why is the role open? Growth, replacement or restructure: each changes the profile and the pitch.
- What must this person deliver in their first year? Two or three outcomes, not a list of tasks.
- Who will they work with? Reporting line, team size, key peers and the culture of the team.
- What does the right background look like? Industries, channels or company sizes that transfer well, and the ones that don't.
- What are the true must-haves? Separate the non-negotiables from the nice-to-haves. A list of ten must-haves usually means two.
- What is the package range? Including incentives, benefits and flexibility on location or hours.
- What is the interview process and timeline? Who decides, how many rounds, and which dates hiring managers are available.
Share internal context too: a previous hire that didn't work, a sensitive restructure, a competitor you'd rather not approach. It stays confidential, and it shapes a better search.
