"The Employer Mistakes That Make Recruiters Stop Trying"

Recruiters talk to each other. The employers who are difficult to work with become known, and gradually, the best recruiters stop prioritising their business.

Here are the mistakes that burn recruiter goodwill—and how to avoid them.

Slow or No Feedback

This is the cardinal sin. A recruiter sends candidates, and weeks pass with no response. Or the response is perpetually “we’ll get back to you.”

Recruiters work on commission. Time spent waiting on unresponsive clients is time not spent on responsive ones. Eventually, they prioritise elsewhere.

The fix is simple: respond within 48 hours. Even “no” is valuable. Silence is not.

Vague or Changing Requirements

“We’ll know the right candidate when we see them” isn’t a brief—it’s a treasure hunt with no map.

Worse: requirements that shift after candidates are submitted. “Actually, we’ve decided we need someone with more experience.” “We’re now looking for a different skill set.”

Recruiters invest significant time sourcing and screening. When that work is invalidated by changing goalposts, trust erodes.

Disrespecting Candidates

How you treat candidates reflects on the recruiter who sent them. When you:

Ghost candidates after interviews Keep people waiting months for decisions Conduct unprofessional interviews Lowball offers after lengthy processes

…you damage the recruiter’s reputation with their candidates. That makes them hesitant to send future candidates your way.

Using Multiple Agencies for the Same Role

Giving the same role to five agencies doesn’t get you better results—it gets you worse ones.

Recruiters who know they’re competing with four others reduce their investment. Why spend hours on your search when the odds of placement are 20%?

A retained or exclusive relationship gets dedicated attention. A shared contingency role gets whatever time is left over.

Negotiating Fees After the Work Is Done

Agreeing to terms, receiving candidates, making a hire, and then trying to reduce the fee is a relationship-ending move.

Word spreads. Recruiters will decline to work with you, or they’ll demand different terms upfront.

If fees are a concern, negotiate before the work begins—not after you’ve benefited from it.

Unrealistic Expectations

“We need a senior developer with 10 years experience, willing to commute to our suburban office, for $80k.”

When recruiters explain that your requirements don’t match market reality, listen. They talk to candidates daily. They know what’s possible.

Insisting on unrealistic specifications wastes everyone’s time and makes recruiters dread your calls.

Not Involving Decision-Makers Early

“The hiring manager loved them, but the CEO vetoed it.”

When key decision-makers aren’t part of the process until late, approved candidates get rejected, and the search restarts. Multiple times through this cycle and recruiters give up.

Treating Recruiters as Vendors, Not Partners

Transactional relationships produce transactional results.

The employers who get the best outcomes treat their recruiters as partners:

Share context about the business and team Include them in hiring strategy discussions Provide feedback that helps them calibrate Maintain relationships between active searches

The Reputation Effect

Every interaction with recruiters shapes your market reputation. Good employers become known for:

Quick, clear feedback Realistic expectations Professional treatment of candidates Honest communication Long-term relationship building

These employers get the best recruiter attention, the first call when great candidates appear, and extra effort when searches are difficult.

Building Better Relationships

Want better recruiter relationships? Start with:

Respond to every candidate submission within 48 hours Be honest about your requirements and limitations Treat candidates professionally throughout Follow through on commitments Pay agreed fees without negotiation

It’s not complicated. It’s just uncommon—which is why employers who do these things consistently stand out.