Choosing a Recruiting Partner: Questions Every Company Should Ask Before Hiring a Firm

Written by: Lyndsey Pokornowski

At some point, manufacturers, distributors, dealers, or lumberyards find themselves needing outside recruiting help. Whether it’s replacing, planning for growth, or filling a confidential leadership position, choosing the right recruiting partner can have a major impact on the outcome of your search.

The challenge is that not all recruiting firms operate the same way. There are temp agencies, talent teams, and 3rd party firms. Some firms rely heavily on job postings and inbound applicants while others take a proactive approach and network with specific individuals in the industry.

Recently, many companies have found themselves needing a recruiter when they haven’t needed one in the past. Or companies that are familiar with recruiters are open to looking at different firm options. Whichever background you fit, you should make sure to ask the following questions before partnering with a recruiting firm.

Question 1: What experience do you have in our specific industry?

This should be the number one question you ask because there are both generalist firms and niche firms in the recruiting market. Building Materials is unique.

Selling lumber to builders and contractors is different from selling tile and stone to architects and designers. With so many products within the industry and different clientele, it is crucial to have a recruiter who understands the industry as they can better evaluate candidates and represent your company accurately.

Question 2: How are you sourcing candidates?

Many recruiting firms simply post a job and wait for applications. While that can work for some positions, the strongest candidates in the building materials industry are passively on the market.

The sourcing strategy can significantly impact the quality of candidates you see. If a recruiter relies solely on job postings, they’re competing for the same applicants as every other company. A proactive recruiting approach expands the talent pool by targeting individuals who may never have applied on their own.

Ask whether the recruiter actively targets passive candidates through direct outreach, networking, referrals, and industry relationships.

Question 3: How do you present candidates beyond the resume?

A resume only tells part of a story about a candidate, and you need the full story to understand if they would be a fit for you to speak with.

Ask what information is provided alongside candidate resumes and how candidates are evaluated before being submitted. A strong recruiting partner should save your team time by helping identify candidates who are not only qualified on paper but also aligned with the goals of the position and organization.

Also, if you have specific qualifications or experience, you’re looking for, make sure to bring this up to the recruiter as well. This should be something they can screen for you specifically.

Question 4: What is your replacement or Guarantee policy, if you have one?

Hiring is an investment, and it is important to understand what protection you have if a hire does not work out. A recruiting partner should be transparent about their guaranteed policy upfront, including what is covered, how long it lasts, and what situations may or may not apply. This helps set expectations early and gives both sides a clear understanding before the search begins.

While no one enters a search expecting a placement to fail, understanding the firm’s guarantee policy can provide insight into how confident they are in their recruiting process. It also demonstrates whether the recruiter views the relationship as a long-term partnership or simply a transaction. The goal is not necessarily to choose the longest guarantee, but to understand what support is available should circumstances change after a hire is made.

Question 5: What Fee Structures do you Offer?

Different searches may require different levels of partnership. A hard -to- fill leadership role may need a different approach than a lower-level position with a larger candidate pool. Understanding whether a firm offers contingent, retained, or other fee structures helps you determine what makes the most sense based on urgency, confidentiality, difficulty, and budget.

A recruiting firm’s fee structure can also tell you a lot about how they approach a search. Some firms are designed for volume while others are built around highly specialized or

executive-level searches. Understanding how they structure their services can help ensure both parties have the same expectations before the search begins.

Question 6: What does your process look like from start to finish?

A recruiting firm should be able to clearly explain how they manage a search from the first intake call through the final offer. This matters because a defined process keeps everyone aligned and helps avoid confusion once candidates are in motion. Recruiters should be involved in sourcing, screening, coordinating interviews, gathering feedback, helping with offer conversations, and keeping the process moving.

Every recruiting firm operates differently. Some firms take a very hands-off approach after submitting resumes, while others remain actively involved throughout the process. Understanding where the recruiter fits into the search can help determine how much support you can expect and whether their process aligns with your hiring style.

Question 7: How do you keep clients updated?

Communication is one of the biggest differences between a good recruiting experience and a frustrating one. A strong recruiter should keep you updated on candidate activity, market feedback, search challenges, and next steps. Even when there is not a perfect candidate ready immediately, you should still know what is happening behind the scenes and what the market is saying.

One of the most common frustrations companies have with recruiting firms is a lack of communication. Hiring managers should never feel like they are guessing where a search stands. Consistent updates help create transparency, allow for adjustments when necessary, and ensure everyone remains aligned throughout the search process.

Question 8: How do you represent our company to candidates?

Your recruiter is often the first impression a candidate has of your company. They should be able to speak clearly and accurately about your business, culture, opportunity, leadership team, products, customer base, and why someone should consider the role. If they cannot represent your company well, it can impact candidate interest before you ever get the chance to speak with them.

This is especially important in the building materials industry where reputation and relationships matter. Candidates are often evaluating not only the position itself, but also the company behind it. A recruiter who understands your story and can communicate it effectively will be better equipped to attract the right people to your opportunity.

Question 9: What questions are involved in your intake process?

A strong search starts with a strong intake. Before contacting candidates, a recruiter should understand the role, company, culture, compensation, reporting structure, territory, customer base, must-haves, nice-to-haves, and what success looks like. The more aligned the recruiter is upfront, the better they can screen candidates and avoid wasting your time with people who are not fit.

Many hiring challenges can be traced back to a lack of alignment at the beginning of the search. The intake process is where expectations are established, potential challenges are identified, and the ideal candidate profile is built. Investing additional time upfront often results in stronger candidates and a more efficient hiring process.

Question 10: What types of Roles do you typically Recruit?

Every recruiter has different strengths. Some focus on entry-level-roles, some focus on sales, some focus on operations, and others work across leadership or executive positions. Understanding what roles, a firm typically recruits helps you know whether they have the right network and experience for your search. In building materials, this matters because recruiting a Territory Sales Rep is very different from recruiting a Plant Manager, Buyer, VP, or C-suite leader.

However, sometimes recruiters can also try taking on new positions as well. If this is the case, I suggest understanding how they have had success within recruiting for new positions and how they would go to market by finding the right candidate for your company.

The BRIX WAY

At BRIX Recruiting Partners, we specialize in recruiting for the building materials industry, partnering with manufacturers, distributors, dealers, suppliers, and lumberyards across North America. Our team supports searches ranging from Territory Sales Representatives and Estimators to Plant Managers, Operations Leaders, and Executive Leadership positions.

As one of the lead recruiters for our Building Materials division, I have nearly a decade of prior experience within the industry specifically. Having worked in sales, recruiting, and business operations before joining BRIX. That experience allows me to better understand the challenges our clients face and the talent they need to grow.

At BRIX Recruiting Partners, we pride ourselves on being a strategic hiring partner rather than simply a resume provider. Through industry expertise, market knowledge, and consistent communication, we help building materials companies navigate hiring challenges and identify talent that aligns with their long-term goals.

Final Thoughts:

Choosing a recruiting partner is about much more than simply finding resumes.

The right recruiting firm should understand your industry, represent your company professionally, provide honest market feedback, communicate consistently, and proactively identify talent that isn’t actively searching.

At BRIX Recruiting Partners, we specialize in helping building materials manufacturers, distributors, dealers, suppliers, and lumberyards connect with top talent across sales, operations, management, and executive leadership.

Whether you’re planning a future hire or actively searching today, asking the right questions upfront can help ensure you choose a recruiting partner that delivers long-term results.