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You hired a recruiter three weeks ago.
You’ve had two calls, reviewed five CVs, and interviewed one person who “wasn’t quite right.”
Something feels off, but you can’t put your finger on it.
Your gut is telling you this isn’t going well, but everyone says “good hiring takes time” and “be patient with the process.”
Here’s what nobody tells you: there’s a massive difference between “good hiring takes time” and “your recruiter is wasting your time.”
I’ve spent 20 years in recruitment. I’ve watched hundreds of founders ignore red flags because they didn’t want to seem difficult or impatient.
Then they lose 3-4 months and £10K-£15K before realising their gut was right all along.
If you’re currently working with a recruiter and something feels wrong, this post will help you diagnose exactly what’s happening – and what to do about it.
RED FLAG #1: THEY’RE NOT ASKING YOU DIFFICULT QUESTIONS
What it looks like:
Your intake call lasted 30 minutes. The recruiter asked basic questions:
- What’s the job title?
- What salary range?
- What experience level?
- What technical skills do you need?
They said “great, we’ll start sourcing” and ended the call.
Why this is a problem:
Good recruiters ask uncomfortable questions:
- “Why did your last hire in this role fail?”
- “What’s your biggest fear about this hire?”
- “Describe the worst-case scenario if we get this wrong.”
- “What does success look like in month 3, 6, and 12?”
- “What working style drives you absolutely mad?”
- “What’s your management style? How hands-on or hands-off are you?”
These questions are uncomfortable because they force you to confront the real challenges.
Lazy recruiters skip them because it’s easier to just post a job description and send CVs.
What this means:
They’re going to send you candidates based on job titles and skills, not chemistry and culture fit. You’ll waste weeks interviewing people who look good on paper but are fundamentally wrong for your environment.
What to do:
Send them an email: “Before we continue, I’d like to schedule a deeper briefing call. I want to make sure you understand our culture, working style, and what makes someone successful here beyond just technical skills.”
If they push back or seem annoyed, that’s a massive red flag.
RED FLAG #2: THEY SEND YOU CVSS WITHOUT CONTEXT
What it looks like:
You get an email: “Hi [Your Name], please find attached 5 CVs for your review. Let me know if you’d like to interview any of them.”
No context. No explanation of why they selected these people. No assessment of fit.
Just five PDF attachments.
Why this is a problem:
This means they’re doing the bare minimum: keyword matching.
They searched LinkedIn or their database for:
- Job title: “Marketing Manager”
- Location: London
- Years of experience: 3-5
Then they sent you whoever came up.
What good recruiters do:
They send a shortlist email that looks like this:
“Here are three candidates I’d recommend for first-round interviews:
Candidate A – Sarah [Last Name]
Why I’m recommending: 5 years in B2B SaaS marketing at similar-stage startups (20-50 people). Strong Google Ads background (managed £200K annual spend). Comfortable with ambiguity – left corporate role specifically to join startups. Potential concerns: Hasn’t managed a team yet, but you mentioned you need an IC for 12 months anyway.
Candidate B – James [Last Name]
Why I’m recommending: 4 years agency-side, then 2 years in-house at a scale-up. Great writing samples (I’ve read his blog). Self-starter – built their content engine from scratch. Potential concerns: Less Google Ads experience, stronger on content/SEO side.
Candidate C – Emma [Last Name]
Why I’m recommending: 6 years at fast-growth startups (Series A → Series C). Generalist skillset – comfortable doing everything from ads to content to email. Been through the chaos you’re experiencing. Potential concerns: Might be overqualified, could get bored if growth slows.”
See the difference?
What to do:
Reply: “Thanks for these CVs. Before I review, can you tell me why you selected each person? What makes them a good fit beyond meeting the job requirements?”
Their response will tell you everything. If they can’t articulate why beyond “they have the experience,” you’re working with a CV-pusher, not a recruiter.
RED FLAG #3: THEY’RE PRESSURING YOU TO MOVE FASTER
What it looks like:
You interviewed someone on Tuesday. Wednesday morning: “Hi, just checking if you have feedback? The candidate has another offer and needs to decide by Friday.”
You’ve interviewed two candidates. “We should move to offers soon – the market is really competitive right now and these candidates won’t be available long.”
Why this is a problem:
Creating false urgency is a sales tactic, not a recruitment strategy.
Yes, good candidates move quickly. But good recruiters also know that rushing you into a bad decision costs everyone more than taking two extra weeks to find the right person.
The truth:
If a candidate has “another offer” but is still interviewing with you, they’re not sold on that other offer. Real urgency doesn’t need to be manufactured.
What good recruiters say instead:
“I know you’re busy. Let me know when you’ve had a chance to review. In the meantime, I’ll keep the candidate warm and manage their expectations about timeline.”
Or: “This candidate does have other conversations happening. Let’s schedule your next interview for Monday so we don’t lose momentum, but I want you to feel confident about your decision.”
What to do:
Push back: “I appreciate the update, but I need to move at a pace that lets me make a good decision. If this candidate can’t wait, that’s OK – I’d rather take two more weeks and get it right than rush and regret it.”
If they keep pressuring you after this, they care more about closing the deal than your success.
RED FLAG #4: THEY DISAPPEAR FOR DAYS BETWEEN TOUCHPOINTS
What it looks like:
You send feedback on Tuesday: “Candidate A was great, let’s move forward. What’s next?”
Thursday: No response.
Friday: You follow up. “Sorry, I’ll get back to you early next week.”
Tuesday: Still nothing. You chase again.
Wednesday: “Sorry for the delay, I’ll send over next steps today.”
Why this is a problem:
Slow response times mean you’re not a priority.
They’re focusing on bigger, more lucrative clients while you sit in their queue.
What good recruiters do:
They respond within 24 hours (usually same day) because they know that:
- Candidates go cold if you lose momentum
- Your time is valuable
- Communication = trust
What to do:
Set expectations upfront: “What’s your typical response time? I need to move efficiently on this hire, so I’d like to know I can expect responses within 24 hours.”
If they can’t commit to that, find someone who can.
If they commit but don’t deliver, call them: “I appreciate you’re busy, but the slow response times are concerning. Is this role a priority for you? If not, let’s discuss whether this partnership makes sense.”
Be direct. You’re paying them. You deserve responsiveness.
RED FLAG #5: THE CANDIDATES THEY SEND CLEARLY HAVEN’T BEEN BRIEFED PROPERLY
What it looks like:
You interview a candidate. Five minutes in, they say:
“Wait, you’re only 10 people? I thought this was a Series B company.”
Or: “I didn’t realise this was fully remote. I was looking for an office-based role.”
Or: “The recruiter mentioned this was a marketing role, but you’re describing it as 50% sales?”
Why this is a problem:
This means your recruiter isn’t actually talking to candidates. They’re sending job descriptions and hoping candidates figure it out.
Good recruiters have proper conversations with candidates before putting them forward:
- Explaining company stage, size, culture
- Setting expectations about resources, autonomy, chaos
- Confirming motivation and fit
If candidates are surprised by basic facts in the interview, your recruiter did zero vetting.
What to do:
After the next mismatched interview, email your recruiter: “The candidate seemed surprised by [basic fact about the company/role]. Are you having proper briefing calls with candidates before sending them to me? I don’t want to waste time interviewing people who aren’t genuinely interested or suited once they understand the reality.”
Their response will reveal whether they’re actually working or just email-blasting job descriptions.
RED FLAG #6: THEY CAN’T EXPLAIN WHY CANDIDATES DROPPED OUT
What it looks like:
You interviewed three candidates. Two dropped out.
You ask: “What happened with Candidate A and Candidate B?”
Recruiter: “They withdrew from the process.”
You: “Did they say why?”
Recruiter: “They decided to pursue other opportunities.”
No detail. No insight. No learning.
Why this is a problem:
Good recruiters debrief every dropout:
- “Candidate A got an offer from another company that was further along – they wanted more structure.”
- “Candidate B was concerned about the equity percentage vs. salary split – they need more cash comp right now.”
- “Candidate C loved the role but wasn’t comfortable with fully remote work.”
This feedback is gold because it helps you understand:
- Is your offer competitive?
- Are expectations misaligned?
- Is the role description misleading?
If your recruiter doesn’t know why candidates are dropping out, they’re not actually managing the process.
What to do:
Ask explicitly: “Moving forward, when a candidate withdraws, I need to understand why. Can you commit to debriefing every candidate who drops out and sharing that feedback with me?”
If they can’t do this basic relationship management, they’re not adding value.
RED FLAG #7: THEY’VE NEVER SAID “THIS MIGHT NOT BE THE RIGHT FIT”
What it looks like:
You’ve interviewed six candidates. None felt quite right.
Your recruiter keeps saying: “Let’s keep looking” and sends more CVs that are equally misaligned.
They’ve never once said:
- “Based on these interviews, I think we need to revisit the job description.”
- “I’m noticing a pattern – you’re rejecting candidates for X reason. Let’s discuss if that requirement is actually necessary.”
- “To be honest, your salary range is below market for this skillset. We might need to adjust expectations.”
Why this is a problem:
Good recruiters challenge you when the brief isn’t working.
Sometimes the issue isn’t the candidates – it’s the requirements, the salary, the role description, or the expectations.
Lazy recruiters just keep sending CVs and collecting their fee regardless of outcomes.
What good recruiters say:
“I’ve noticed you’re looking for someone with 5+ years of B2B SaaS experience, strong technical skills, comfortable with ambiguity, AND willing to take a £10K pay cut to join a 10-person startup. That person exists, but they’re rare and competitive. Let’s discuss what’s truly non-negotiable vs. where we have flexibility.”
What to do:
Ask directly: “We’ve interviewed six people and none felt right. What patterns are you seeing? Is there something about the role, requirements, or offer that we should revisit?”
If they can’t give you strategic insights, they’re a CV-pusher, not a hiring partner.
THE “ONE MORE THING” RED FLAG: THEY DON’T KNOW YOUR INDUSTRY
Bonus red flag:
Your recruiter uses generic language and has clearly never worked in your industry.
They call your Series A startup a “small business.”
They describe your technical co-founder as “IT support.”
They don’t understand equity structures, vesting, or startup compensation norms.
Why this matters:
They can’t sell your opportunity to candidates because they don’t understand what makes it compelling.
They can’t assess culture fit because they don’t know what “startup-ready” looks like.
What to do:
Ask: “How many companies like ours have you worked with? Can you share examples of similar placements you’ve made?”
If they can’t give specifics, they’re learning on your dime.
WHAT TO DO IF YOU’RE SEEING THESE RED FLAGS
You have three options:
Option 1: Address It Head-On
Schedule a call: “I want to make sure we’re aligned on this search. I’ve noticed [specific red flag]. Can we discuss how we’re working together and reset expectations?”
Give them one chance to improve. Some recruiters genuinely don’t realise they’re dropping the ball.
Option 2: Cut Your Losses
If you’re seeing 4+ of these red flags, end the relationship:
“Thank you for your work so far. I don’t think this partnership is the right fit. We’ll be pausing the search with you.”
Most contracts allow you to exit if no placement has been made. Check your agreement.
Option 3: Bring In a Second Recruiter
If you’re desperate to fill the role, you can work with two recruiters simultaneously (unless your contract prohibits it).
But honestly? If one recruiter is failing, two mediocre recruiters probably won’t fix it.
THE REAL QUESTION
“Is this normal recruiter behaviour, or is my recruiter actually bad?”
If you’re seeing 1-2 of these red flags: Address it. It might be fixable.
If you’re seeing 3-4 of these red flags: You’re working with a mediocre recruiter who’s going through the motions.
If you’re seeing 5+ of these red flags: Stop. You’re wasting time and money. This will not end well.
Trust your gut. It’s usually right.
WHAT GOOD RECRUITMENT ACTUALLY LOOKS LIKE
For comparison, here’s what working with a good recruiter feels like:
✅ They ask uncomfortable questions in the intake call
✅ They explain why they’re recommending each candidate (not just sending CVs)
✅ They communicate proactively (you don’t chase them)
✅ Candidates arrive well-briefed and genuinely interested
✅ They debrief every dropout and share insights
✅ They challenge you when the brief isn’t working
✅ They understand your industry and can speak your language
If this isn’t your experience, you deserve better.
READY TO WORK WITH SOMEONE WHO ACTUALLY GETS IT?
If you’re stuck with a recruiter who’s wasting your time, or if you’re ready to start a search the right way, let’s talk.
I’ve helped 400+ small businesses make critical hires using Chemistry First methodology – with proper vetting, real communication, and meaningful guarantees.
Inside, you’ll get:
- Interview question bank (to run better interviews than your recruiter is providing)
- Reference check template (questions that reveal red flags)
- Red flag checklist (for both candidates AND recruiters)
- What to ask a recruiter before you hire them (so you avoid these problems)
Let’s diagnose what’s happening with your current search and figure out the fastest path forward – whether that’s fixing the relationship, starting fresh, or hiring DIY.
No pressure. No sales pitch. Just honest advice about your situation.
