Why Do Some Recruiters Send Poor Candidates

Bad hires rarely start with bad people. They start with bad recruitment.

One of the most common complaints we hear from new clients is this: previous recruiters sent candidates who were completely wrong for the role.

So why does this happen, and how can you avoid it?

Why Recruiters Send Poor Candidates

1. They did not understand the role.
If the recruiter does not understand your business, your team, or the role's purpose, they will rely on keyword matching instead of real insight.

2. They rushed the process.
Some recruiters work on volume. Their focus is on speed, not accuracy. That means you get the first available CV, not the right one.

3. They are not niche experts.
If your recruiter does not specialise in your industry, they will struggle to judge quality. They will send what looks good on paper without understanding what will actually work in practice.

4. They rely only on job boards.
Good candidates are not always active. If your recruiter is only pulling from job board responses, you are missing better options.

5. They ignore feedback.
If you have already said, this is not what I am looking for, and they continue to send similar profiles, they are not listening. That is a red flag.

What You Should Expect Instead

- A recruiter who takes time to understand your needs
- Clear reasoning behind every candidate sent
- A willingness to challenge unrealistic expectations
- Regular calibration based on your feedback

Final Word

At Harper Finley, we measure success by how well candidates perform in the role, not how quickly we can send a CV.

You should not have to filter out poor candidates. That is our job.