Ron van Haeff
Director Interim Services
Market pressure and Recruitment Agency Behavior
The interim management market is under pressure. Not only due to economic uncertainty and corporate restructuring, but also because of the ongoing ambiguity surrounding regulatory frameworks like the Dutch DBA Act. The result is a market characterized by hesitation on the client side, shifts in demand patterns, and an observable tension among certain agencies.
This tension sometimes gives rise to behavior that, while perhaps understandable in context, poses a long-term risk to the integrity of the market. The recruitment industry’s reputation does not meet the standards we aim for. When speed starts to outweigh transparency, and placement becomes more important than partnership, both clients and candidates should take notice.
This article is a call for awareness. Not to point fingers, but to collectively protect the standards of a market built on trust and professionalism.
A Changing Market and Emerging Patterns
Recently, we’ve seen several situations that highlight the need for a discussion about agency conduct. These are not isolated incidents but rather signs of a wider pattern.
For example, some agencies advertise interim roles without a formal request or mandate from the client, sometimes even contradicting what the client explicitly stated. In one case, a client made it clear that they would only commit to a month-to-month arrangement. Yet the same role appeared online through third parties, advertised as a fixed three-month assignment. The client was unaware of this, and did not endorse it.
In another instance, multiple candidates were approached for an interim role at a company that hadn’t even approved the budget for external recruitment or initiated the request. The individual who might eventually need interim support hadn’t yet discussed the matter internally. Still, agencies were already introducing candidates based on rumors or anticipation.
These tactics seem to be on the rise, likely as a response to a slowdown in the interim market and increased competition between agencies. But they raise an important question: What should or can clients and candidates reasonably expect from a reliable agency?
What Reliability Actually Means in Our Opinion
In a fast-moving market, reliability is often mistaken for responsiveness. But real trustworthiness is built on more fundamental principles:
When these principles are sidelined, candidates are prematurely circulated in the market and clients lose grip on their employer brand and hiring process.
The Risks at Stake
Time to Reset the Standard
This isn’t just about agencies. Clients and candidates also play a role in shaping a healthy, transparent interim landscape.
- Clients should clearly define when and how agencies may use their name, and ensure roles are only shared externally once green-lit internally.
- Candidates should ask questions: Is this a confirmed assignment? Has the client approved your involvement? What are the actual terms?
- Agencies must prioritize long-term credibility over short-term placement wins.
- Trust isn’t built through volume or urgency, it’s built through consistency, honesty, and respect.
In Closing
Yes, the interim market is evolving. Regulatory uncertainty, such as the ongoing implications of the DBA Act, has created hesitation. But that uncertainty should not serve as a license to abandon basic professional standards.
By holding ourselves and each other accountable, we can ensure this market remains one where clarity and trust are the rule, not the exception.
Let’s protect that standard. Together.
