How to Write a Recruitment Brief Before You Start Hiring
Prepare a clear recruitment brief with a practical employer worksheet covering responsibilities, requirements, budget, assessment and hiring decisions.
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A recruitment brief is a practical record of the role you need to fill, the work involved and the evidence you will use to assess candidates. It gives the hiring company and its recruitment partner something concrete to clarify before candidate sourcing starts.
This guide offers a worksheet for employers. It does not set COREnglish's contract terms, promise a hiring deadline or guarantee a placement.
Start with the work, not a long wish list
Write a short explanation of why the role exists. Describe the work the person will do and how your team will recognise that the work is being done well.
For example, “support our customers” leaves many questions open. A more useful description might say: “Respond to product questions by email, explain the next step clearly and record unresolved issues for the support lead.” This is an illustrative role, not a vacancy offered by COREnglish.
Separate the essential work from tasks the person may learn later. If every preference becomes a requirement, your brief will not show which criteria should guide the initial review.
Use a recruitment-brief worksheet
Copy the following fields into a document. Write “to confirm” where your hiring team has not made a decision. Do not replace an unknown with an invented figure.
| Field | What to record |
|---|---|
| Role and reason for hiring | Job title, team and the work that needs an owner |
| Main responsibilities | The tasks the person will regularly carry out |
| Essential requirements | Skills, experience or qualifications necessary for the work, with a reason for each |
| Preferences | Useful capabilities that are not essential at the start |
| Work arrangement | Location, remote or on-site expectations and any required schedule |
| Engagement terms | Proposed employment or freelance arrangement, subject to the applicable agreement |
| Budget | Approved range, currency and what is included; mark undecided items clearly |
| Start and availability | Preferred timing, notice-period constraints and flexibility |
| Assessment | How you will assess each essential requirement using relevant evidence |
| Decision owner | Who reviews profiles, conducts interviews and makes the final decision |
| Open questions | Decisions your company and recruitment partner still need to resolve |
Treat this as a conversation aid, not a legal template. Check employment, contractor, privacy and other obligations with the appropriate adviser for the engagement and location.
Turn each requirement into a fair assessment question
For every essential requirement, ask: “What evidence would help us assess this?” Match the assessment to the work rather than collecting information simply because it is available.
For the illustrative support role, a short job-related writing exercise could help the hiring team review clarity and accuracy. Previous experience may provide useful context, but a job title alone does not describe how a person would handle your specific work.
Apply the same relevant criteria consistently. Record the criteria before reviewing profiles and keep interview notes connected to those criteria. Avoid asking a recruitment partner to filter candidates using personal characteristics unrelated to the role.
Agree on who makes decisions
Name the person who will clarify the brief and the people involved in reviewing candidates. Record how feedback will be shared and who can approve changes to the role or budget.
A useful feedback note explains a decision against the brief. “The example did not demonstrate the written troubleshooting required for this role” is more actionable than “not the right fit.” If feedback reveals that the role has changed, update the brief rather than silently applying a new requirement to later candidates.
Keep commercial terms separate from the role description
The recruitment brief explains the role. A separate written agreement, proposal, statement of work or commercial arrangement may govern the client engagement with COREnglish.
Do not assume that a worksheet, inquiry or candidate profile establishes a fee, service commitment or guaranteed outcome. Confirm the applicable terms with the recruitment partner before relying on them.
What happens when you share the brief with COREnglish?
COREnglish is a recruitment and talent acquisition agency serving companies across sectors. Its recruitment process includes sourcing, screening and interviewing candidates, then sending candidate profiles to hiring companies for review.
Use your brief to explain the work and highlight unresolved questions. Ask which information is needed next and confirm the scope of the engagement. Submitting an inquiry does not guarantee a placement or any specific outcome.
For an employer recruitment inquiry, contact hello@corenglish.com. If you are looking for a role yourself, use the application route on the Careers page instead.
Before you send your recruitment brief
- Check that the responsibilities describe the real work.
- Distinguish essential requirements from preferences.
- Mark the budget, schedule and timing decisions that remain open.
- Give each essential requirement a relevant assessment method.
- Name the decision owner and agree on how feedback will be recorded.
- Confirm engagement terms separately and avoid outcome promises.
Save a dated copy. When the requirements change, record what changed so that your hiring team and recruitment partner are working from the same brief.