Recruiters: Masters of the Vetting Game
Candidate vetting is one of the most under-appreciated and under-discussed skills in recruiting.
It’s not just about finding people—it’s about knowing how to qualify them for the right roles, in the right way, for the right clients.
There are at least three types of vetting we do consistently:
1. High-volume, low-response candidate vetting
2. Skill-set vetting
3. Culture & leadership vetting
High-volume, low-response candidate vetting
Some talent pools—early-career tax professionals, for example—are exceptionally hard to reach.
Why?
• Grueling hours
• High demand
• Low trust in headhunters
• Inbox fatigue
It takes serious discipline to keep a consistent outreach cadence, knowing response rates will be painfully low. This is where systems and grit matter more than charm. You have to believe in the long game.
Skill-set vetting
Some roles require a conversation to validate fit.
“Domestic tax experience” on a résumé doesn’t mean much until you dig deeper:
• Can they walk you through their ASC 740 exposure in detail?
• Do they own the provision or assist with it?
• What level of complexity are they comfortable handling?
No job description can replace a well-structured, vetting conversation. You’ve got to know the difference between buzzwords and expertise.
Culture and leadership vetting
This is the most nuanced—and in many ways—the most rewarding kind of vetting.
Roles like Controller or VP of Finance often get great response rates, but success depends on deeper alignment:
• Do they lead with empathy or authority?
• How do they interact with a founder, PE sponsor, or CFO?
• Will hybrid/WFH really work for them long term—or are they just saying that in the interview?
You’re not just checking boxes—you’re reading tone and body language, evaluating chemistry, and thinking 6–12 months ahead about retention risk.
We do all three.
Each takes a different skill set—and all of them matter.
The best recruiters aren’t just sourcers or schedulers.
They’re masters of the vetting game.
