The Starting Point Matters, In Other Words: “Who Are We Actually Looking For?”

It sounds obvious, but it is one of the most common sources of delays in the recruitment process. The project starts, time pressure grows, and the team responsible for hiring still does not know what kind of specialist it actually needs. There is no precise candidate profile, no scope of responsibilities, no information about the budget, and no clear form of cooperation.

The result? Wasted time, frustration, and an increasingly difficult decision-making process. In this article, we will look at why this happens, how to recognize the problem at an early stage, and what can be done to avoid it, from the perspective of a CIO, HR Business Partner, or Procurement representative.

Why is it worth starting by clarifying the need?

In many organizations, a recruitment need appears suddenly, the scope of a project changes, a key specialist leaves, or a new client assignment comes in. The CIO or Head of Delivery expects quick action, but HR or Procurement often does not have full knowledge of the context.

This leads to inconsistencies:

• Different visions of the role, the CTO wants a DevOps specialist with AWS, the Hiring Manager expects someone focused on CI/CD, while HR is thinking of a backend developer.
• No clear salary range, candidates drop out after the first conversation.
• Uncertain form of cooperation, B2B, employment contract, or temporary contract?

The result: the process drags on, recruitment works “in the dark,” and candidates lose patience.

How to recognize a false start?

One of the key warning signs is the lack of a consistent brief. If different versions of expectations already appear during the first conversations, it is a sign that one more internal discussion is needed.

Pay attention to:

• Frequent changes in the job description
• Differences in expectations regarding experience or technologies
• No decision-maker present during the briefing
• No data on the budget or project duration

All of this increases the risk of recruitment failure or significant delays.

What should be agreed before the process begins?

Before the agency gets the green light, it is worth preparing:

1. Scope of responsibilities: ideally 3–5 key tasks.
2. Technologies and level of proficiency: for example, not just “Java,” but Spring, Hibernate, Microservices.
3. Salary range: even an approximate one.
4. Form of employment: employment contract, B2B, or contract?
5. Manager availability: for making decisions and providing feedback.

Good agencies help structure this information, and sometimes even moderate the briefing, which is especially helpful for HR Business Partners working between the business and recruitment.

How can a recruitment agency help?

For CIOs and PMs who have limited time, fast delegation is key. A good agency will ask the right questions, clarify the details, and prepare a brief that enables effective action.

For HR and Procurement, a partner who can spot inconsistencies and provide advisory support is of great value, as they shorten the process, minimize errors, and increase stakeholder trust.

Case study: 2 weeks of delay due to the lack of a brief

A fintech company reported an urgent need to hire a Python Developer. The brief was vague, and during the process it turned out that the actual need was for a Data Engineer with a focus on ETL pipelines. The candidates were mismatched, time was passing, and frustration was growing...

Only a workshop with the Hiring Manager clarified the needs. Recruitment took another two weeks, although it could have ended faster.

Objections and how to address them

• “We do not have time to clarify everything”: that is why it is worth working with an agency that will do it for you.
• “We know best who we are looking for”: perhaps, but if everyone has a different vision, moderation is needed.
• “We do not want to involve too many people”: it is better to spend one hour on a brief than three weeks on corrections.

An unclear recruitment start is one of the most expensive mistakes. A proper brief is not a formality, but an investment in process effectiveness. A recruitment agency can play a key role here, from organizing information to clarifying roles.

Before you start the process, ask yourselves: “do we all really know who we are looking for?”