in short
A recruitment agency or headhunter shortlists candidates, but the final call is yours. Make it objective with a structured interview against your brief, a test or work-sample task if the role calls for it, and a reference check. The probation period remains your last safety net.
why shouldn't you stop at the agency's shortlist?
A recruitment agency or headhunter gives you a short list, not a decision. Screening CVs, running first interviews and checking backgrounds are standard parts of an intermediary's service, but that upstream work does not replace your own assessment of how well each person matches your role, your team and your context.
The hiring risk stays yours: it is your team that will work with the new hire, your payroll that absorbs them, your probation period that absorbs the mistake if the choice is wrong.
what methods make a hiring decision more objective?
Companies increasingly look beyond gut feeling from the interview. Apec, the French executive employment agency, notes growing attention to behavioural skills, rated as at least as important as technical skills by 96% of companies.
the structured interview
Ask the same core questions of every candidate shortlisted for the same role: actual responsibilities, measurable results in the previous job, reasons for the move. A shared scorecard makes profiles comparable to each other, not just to your impression of the moment.
tests and work-sample tasks
The use of tests is rising again after a slight dip, driven mainly by work-sample exercises: useful for a technical or sales role, where you can watch someone act rather than describe what they would do.
48%
of companies used tests for at least one executive hire in 2025
Apec, Pratiques de recrutement de cadres 2026 (in French) (opens a new window), 2025 data
29%
of companies used work-sample tests (up 3 points)
Apec, Pratiques de recrutement de cadres 2026 (in French) (opens a new window), 2025 data
verifying diplomas and references
Most companies still verify diplomas, check references or search for the candidate online. Ask the agency or headhunter what they have already checked before duplicating that work.
82%
of companies verify diplomas, check references or search online for the candidate
Apec, Pratiques de recrutement de cadres 2026 (in French) (opens a new window), 2025 data
how should you run the final interview with the candidate?
Phone pre-screening has become standard ahead of the in-person interview: 71% of companies use it for at least one executive hire. Use that first call to clarify salary expectations and availability before setting up a longer interview.
- Go through the brief point by point: what is negotiable, what is not.
- Ask for concrete, ideally measurable examples rather than descriptions of past duties.
- Clarify the real reasons for the move and the real notice period before they can start.
- Compare every candidate for the same role on the same scorecard, ideally in the same week.
what signals should raise a flag?
- Vague answers about results achieved in the previous role, with no figure or example.
- A persistent mismatch with the brief after several rounds of feedback with the agency.
- Salary negotiation that focuses only on the amount, with no real interest in the role itself.
- Reluctance to provide references or to explain a recent job change.
If the candidate is still employed and talks drag on after an offer, read our guide counter-offers: how to plan for them when hiring an employed executive.
how do you confirm the decision with the agency or the headhunter?
Give precise, fast feedback on every candidate put forward: an agency or headhunter who misreads your rejection will keep sending off-target profiles. If nothing convincing comes up after several rounds, ask for a new search rather than settling for an average choice.
- For sales recruitment or developers, a specialised headhunter judges a technical work-sample task better than HR alone.
- For a role in construction or industry, check that the agency knows the role's actual certifications, not just the broad sector.
- For an executive or finance role, ask for a wider reference check before finalising the offer.
frequently asked questions
Do you need to redo every interview if the agency already ran them?
No. Focus on what the agency cannot judge on your behalf: how they will work with your team, their future manager and your ways of working. Rely on their initial screening for criteria already checked (diplomas, background, salary expectations).
Is a recruitment test necessary for every role?
No, it is not standard practice. Apec notes that test use remains a minority practice but is growing, especially work-sample tasks for technical or sales roles where you can watch someone act.
Who checks diplomas and references: the agency or the company?
It depends on the contract. Many agencies do it upfront, but get it in writing before assuming it is settled: most companies still check diplomas and references themselves.
What should you do if the candidate put forward does not match the brief?
Give precise feedback on the gap and ask for a new search. On Muzzo, the assignment stays with the headhunters who have hired the most in your field, at no extra cost before a hire.