Choose an agency that can explain where it would look for people, how it would judge their suitability and who will do the work. For specialist financial services hiring in Ireland, a recruiter who understands the job behind the title will usually be more useful than one who simply has a large database.

Ask where they would look, and why

Suppose you need an investment operations manager for a small Dublin team. You could look at asset managers, fund administrators and custodians. There may be strong people in all three, but the work they do can be quite different. Someone overseeing a service provider may spend their week resolving exceptions and challenging a third party. Someone at the provider may have far deeper experience of running the underlying process. Either could be right. It depends on what you need the person to own.

A question I would ask any recruiter is: “Which three types of team would you search first for this role, and which would you rule out?” A good answer tells you how they think. It can also uncover a problem with the brief before you spend weeks looking for the wrong person.

Find out what a shortlist will tell you

Ask what you will know about each candidate beyond what you can read on their CV. I would want to see what they have actually owned, why they are interested in this particular job and where they might need support. If they are moving from a large institution into a lean Irish team, I would want to know which parts of the work they still do themselves and whether they want to keep doing them.

A shorter shortlist is useful if each person gives you a credible option. Ask the agency to explain the differences between those options, including any reservations. That makes the interview more productive and gives you something to test.

Compare delivery and terms together

Who will take the brief, speak to candidates and give you the market feedback? Research support is valuable. The key is knowing who is accountable for the search and whether that person is close enough to the work to tell you why it is progressing or where it has stalled.

Then compare the fee, what it is calculated on, when it is payable and what happens if a hire leaves early. Ask for an example of a comparable assignment or a relevant client reference where one can be shared. An example of how the agency handled a difficult brief tells you more than a list of impressive company names.

At Dolmen, I personally lead each search, with a small specialist team supporting the research and outreach. If you have a role that’s been difficult to fill, tell me where the search has stalled. I’m happy to talk through where I’d look next and what I’d test before going back to the market.