What update rhythm should a family expect?
Agree on a cadence at intake and keep it even when there is no candidate to present. A weekly status note is one workable starting point, but a fast or highly specialized search may need a different schedule. State the next update date, the work completed, what is still open, and any decision the family owes. Do not let silence imply that no work is happening.
What belongs in a useful search update?
Give a short account of outreach, screening, candidate availability, and the reason a profile is or is not ready. Describe obstacles in terms the family can act on, such as schedule, compensation, duties, or interview availability. Protect candidate privacy and avoid promising a fixed number of profiles when the search has not produced suitable people.
What if the family has paid a deposit but stops responding?
Send a concise recap of the decisions needed and a specific response date. Offer a call if the issue is complex. If the date passes, follow the pause, expiration, and fee terms already agreed in the client contract; do not invent a new deadline or forfeiture after the fact. Record the outreach and tell the family what will restart the search.
When should the agency pause work?
Pause when missing decisions prevent responsible recruiting or when the agreed process calls for it. Explain which tasks can continue and which cannot, and confirm who owns the next action. A pause should be a documented search state, not an ambiguous period in which both sides assume the other is working. Set a response window for candidate feedback at intake and send a pause notice when it expires; do not leave candidates waiting without an update.
What if a search stretches from weeks into months?
Revisit the brief instead of repeating the same status note. Show the family which delays came from candidate supply, interview scheduling, changing requirements, or decisions still pending. Agree on a revised search plan and a date to decide whether to continue, pause, or change scope. Keep the candidate pipeline informed without promising a timeline the agency cannot control.
Should the agency restart for a family that repeatedly searches but never hires?
Review the prior searches and ask what changed: budget, authority to hire, schedule, or willingness to make a decision. Set a fresh brief and decision process before reopening work. Apply the agency’s signed fee and pause terms, and decline a new search if the family cannot commit to the steps needed to hire. A previous inquiry alone does not require the agency to restart indefinitely.
Should the family approve the position description before recruiting begins?
Yes. Confirm schedule, duties, compensation range, work location, decision maker, and interview availability in one written brief. Ask the family to approve it before outreach. The signed or acknowledged version gives the agency a reference point when the search later changes.
Should candidate profiles go out as soon as they are ready or in a batch?
Use a predictable cadence that fits the search speed. For a time-sensitive search, send a qualified profile when it is ready; for a broader search, a scheduled digest may make comparison easier. Tell candidates when they will be presented and ask the family to respond by an agreed date. Do not hold a strong candidate only to make a batch look fuller.
What if a family disappears and returns months later demanding a fast hire?
Mark the search inactive under a pre-disclosed response policy, then require a fresh intake before restarting. Reconfirm the brief, budget, timeline, and candidate availability. Explain that old candidate interest cannot be presumed to remain open. Give the family the next realistic milestone rather than promising to resume exactly where work stopped.
What if the family changes from full-time to part-time or permanent to temporary?
Treat a material change as a new decision point. Document what has changed, which candidates no longer fit, whether the service and fee model change, and whether a revised timeline is needed. Confirm the updated brief and commercial terms before continuing to recruit against a different role.