How to brief a recruitment request so the shortlist fits

A good shortlist starts with a good request. Write down the trade and what the work really is, how many workers, the salary, the site city, whether the visa is ready, how soon you need them, the experience you want, and anything special. With those eight facts an agency can show you three to seven workers who fit instead of thirty who don't.

Here is each one, and what goes wrong when it's missing.

1. The trade, and the real work

"Electrician" covers a man who wires villas and a man who terminates 11 kV cables. They are not the same hire. Add one line: building wiring, panel work, maintenance, or industrial. For welders, say the process (TIG, MIG, arc) and what they weld: pipe, structure, tanks.

2. How many

Give the real number per trade, and say if it may grow. If you need eight masons now and maybe twenty in March, say so. The agency can start building the second group early.

3. Salary

This is the line employers leave out most, and it costs the most. Without a number, the shortlist is a guess, and the worker you liked may say no at the offer stage. Write the basic monthly salary per trade in riyals, and what you add: housing, food, transport, overtime.

4. Site city

Riyadh, Jubail, NEOM and a remote camp are different jobs to a worker. The site changes who says yes.

5. Is the visa ready?

Be honest here. If the visa is approved, the agency can move fast. If you are still applying, the agency should not hold good workers for weeks. A clear "not yet, expected in December" lets everyone plan.

6. How soon

"Urgent" on every request means nothing. Pick one: normal, urgent (within a month), or as soon as possible. Then say why if it's urgent, for example a project start date.

7. Experience

Give a range, like 3 to 8 years. A range works better than a minimum: it stops you getting only very senior people who expect more money. Add whether Gulf experience matters to you. For many trades it shortens the time a worker needs to settle in.

8. Anything special

Certificates you need, languages on site, shift work, a trade test you will give on arrival. Small details, big difference.

A sample request that works

6 pipe welders (TIG/arc, carbon steel pipe), SAR 2,200 basic plus housing and transport, Jubail. Visa approved. Start within a month for a shutdown. 4 to 10 years, Gulf experience preferred. Must pass our own weld test on arrival.

That request gets a shortlist you can interview the same week.

Our request form asks for all eight things, and you can save a half-finished request on your own device and come back to it. Next step after the shortlist: the 15-minute video interview.