Most recruitment processes start the same way: a client outlines what they need, a recruiter takes a brief, writes an advert, and starts the search.
It sounds straightforward, but it’s often the fastest way to a costly mis-hire.
Behind almost every failed placement or drawn-out vacancy sits the same problem: the role wasn’t defined properly at the start. The business moved too quickly, the recruiter didn’t challenge assumptions, and the market wasn’t tested. The result? Weeks of wasted time, mismatched candidates, and frustrated teams.
At RecruitNet, we see this pattern most often in small and mid-sized technical businesses. These leaders know exactly what outcome they want — stronger operations, better processes, or improved leadership — but the position they advertise doesn’t quite match what the business really needs.
It’s not due to inexperience. It’s the pressure of running lean teams where time is short and the urge to “just get the job out” is strong. Yet that first step, the brief, determines everything that follows.
The Risk of a Shallow Brief
When a recruiter doesn’t challenge your brief, they’re recruiting to an assumption.
It might be an assumption that the salary is competitive, that a candidate can cover several unrelated functions, or that a certain job title still means the same thing it did five years ago.
But markets shift quickly. What was realistic then may be impossible now.
We often meet clients after they’ve spent months advertising or using multiple agencies, only to discover that the perfect candidate never appeared. The issue wasn’t a lack of effort, it was that the search began with a role that didn’t exist in the market at that level or salary.
A vague or unrealistic brief sets off a chain reaction:
- Misaligned expectations within the leadership team about what success looks like.
- Job ads that miss the mark, appealing to the wrong audience.
- Under-budgeted salaries that quietly deter qualified talent.
- Repeated vacancies, each round costing more time and energy.
For SMEs, the impact is real. Every person matters, and a vacant or mis-hired role strains everyone else.
Why the Brief Matters More Than the Advert
Recruitment doesn’t go wrong because there aren’t enough candidates. It goes wrong because the starting point, the brief, isn’t market-ready.
A well-built brief doesn’t just describe the role. It defines the outcomes, the priorities, and what success looks like after six or twelve months. It translates a business need into a message the market can understand and respond to.
That level of accuracy doesn’t happen in a 15-minute phone call. It takes research, questioning, and the willingness to challenge the client’s first draft.This is where the difference between a transactional recruiter and a strategic partner becomes clear. A transactional recruiter will take the brief and run. A strategic recruiter will pause, unpack it, and test it.
Discovery First: How RecruitNet Works
At RecruitNet, every engagement starts with discovery, not delivery.
Discovery is the diagnostic stage where we test every assumption before we go to market. It includes:
- Salary benchmarking: confirming whether your expectations align with current market rates and what adjustments might expand your reach.
- Role calibration: reviewing responsibilities, team structure, and reporting lines to make sure the scope is achievable and positioned correctly.
- Market testing: quietly speaking with senior candidates to gauge availability and interest before launching the search.
This approach prevents wasted time, avoids unrealistic adverts, and often reshapes the role into something that will deliver more value long term.
We don’t see this as slowing the process, it’s ensuring the process actually works.
A Real-World Example
A Waikato manufacturing business came to us recently after trying to fill a “Production Manager” position for nearly three months.
They’d advertised twice, worked with several agencies, and interviewed people who were “close,” but no one quite fit.
During our discovery phase, it became clear why. The job combined three distinct priorities: daily operations oversight, supply chain planning, and continuous improvement leadership. It was too broad for one person at the salary level on offer.
We helped the client redefine the structure, splitting the role into a Production Supervisor and a Continuous Improvement Lead, each clearly scoped and realistically positioned.
Both roles were filled within four weeks. Productivity increased, leadership coverage improved, and the business finally had the depth it needed.
That’s what happens when the brief is right: the process flows, the shortlist is stronger, and the business outcome is achieved faster.
Why This Matters So Much for SMEs
Larger companies can occasionally absorb the cost of a mis-hire. Smaller and mid-sized technical businesses often can’t.
In SMEs, one wrong appointment doesn’t just mean wasted salary. It disrupts output, erodes morale, and can even damage customer relationships.
That’s why discovery and calibration matter more in these environments. Each hire shapes the culture and capability of the business.
Taking an extra week to define success, benchmark salary, and validate scope often saves months of under-performance later.
The Payoff of Getting It Right
When a recruitment process begins with proper discovery, the results are measurable:
- Better alignment between the leadership team and the recruiter.
- Stronger shortlists that balance technical skill with cultural fit.
- Faster time to hire, because the message to market is clear and credible.
- Reduced turnover, since expectations match reality.
- Enhanced reputation, as candidates experience a professional, transparent process.
In short, the return on investment in the discovery phase is significant, not just in cost, but in the long-term stability of your team.
Hiring Once, Hiring Right
If your last recruitment started with a quick briefing call and a job description, it’s worth asking, did that set you up for the right hire?
At RecruitNet, we don’t just take briefs. We refine them, test them, and make sure they’ll deliver. Because the real efficiency in recruitment doesn’t come from moving faster, it comes from starting smarter.
Discovery is how we help clients redefining what it means to hire right. It’s what turns recruitment from a reactive process into a strategic investment.
When you get the brief right, you don’t just fill a vacancy. You strengthen your business.