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Should You Hire Multiple Recruiting Firms for the Same Role?

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Why This Guide Exists

At first glance, hiring multiple contingent recruiting firms to fill the same role might seem like a no brainer. More recruiters equals more candidates, right? Not quite. This guide unpacks why that logic often backfires and when it actually makes sense to engage multiple firms. Whether you are scaling a go to market team or making your first GTM hire, we will walk through the pros, cons, and what to do instead.


The Case for Multiple Agencies, On the Surface


We get the impulse. Founders and revenue leaders often believe:

  • More reach equals access to more candidates, and faster

  • More urgency equals agencies will race to send candidates first

  • More options equals better odds of finding a top performer fast


But in reality, this model usually leads to:

  • Shallow effort from all agencies involved

  • Candidate overlap, since firms are tapping the same pools

  • Poor experience for candidates who get contacted multiple times

  • Low accountability, because no one feels true ownership

  • Brand dilution, as candidates receive conflicting or repetitive messages from multiple sources, which can create confusion and damage your startup’s reputation in the market


What Happens When You Pick Just One


When you work with one focused, specialized firm:

  • They act as an extension of your team, often sitting in on hiring syncs, advising on interview flow, and marketing the opportunity

  • They commit more time to sourcing quality over quantity

  • They care about long term fit and alignment, not just speed

  • Candidates get a more cohesive experience


This only works if you pick the right partner. Choose a firm that:

  • Specializes in the exact role and function you are hiring for

  • Has startup experience, especially your stage

  • Understands your GTM motion and customer type

  • Prioritizes quality, not just volume

  • Offers exclusive partnerships with opt out clauses, giving you confidence they will deliver without locking you in if things do not work out. It shows commitment on both sides, without sacrificing flexibility


So, When Does It Make Sense to Use Multiple Firms?


There are some cases where this strategy can work, but they are less common:

  • High volume hiring across multiple markets: if you are building out a team of 5 plus reps to start on the same date, it is often helpful to divide by region, Firm A covers Boston, Firm B covers NYC, and so on

  • Established talent teams with bandwidth: if you have a strong internal recruiting lead or team who can manage multiple firm relationships and avoid overlap, this strategy is more viable

  • Highly distinct roles: if you are hiring for very different GTM functions at once, for example AE, SDR, and CSM, using specialized firms for each role makes sense


But if you are hiring 1 to 2 roles at Seed or Series A? Stick to one great partner. You will get better candidates, faster, and a smoother process.


Final Thought

You do not need three firms racing to send the same SDR resumes. You need one great partner who gets your GTM motion, knows your stage, and is all in on the outcome.


About ClosedWon Talent

ClosedWon Talent is a specialized sales recruiting firm that helps growth focused companies hire top GTM talent. We partner with founders, revenue leaders, and investors to build high performing sales teams across SaaS and beyond.


What sets us apart is the ClosedWon Method, a proven recruiting framework built on speed, precision, and transparency. We combine deep industry expertise with a curated candidate network to deliver shortlists of qualified, motivated sales professionals...fast. Our team does not just fill roles, we act as embedded partners who understand how to assess selling style, territory experience, and growth potential based on each clients' specific needs.


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