Clarify prior relationships before a recruiting engagement so the team can route introductions and questions consistently. Record relevant facts without assuming that knowing a candidate establishes a particular commercial right.
The actual agreement determines contractual treatment and should be reviewed by the appropriate owner.
Identify the situations worth clarifying
Examples include a candidate already in the company’s process, an earlier introduction from another source, or a recruiter’s existing relationship with a hiring manager.
Do not circulate a broad private contact list to resolve a narrow question. Share only the information necessary through the approved channel.
Use a factual record
| Field | What to record |
|---|---|
| Relationship | The relevant prior interaction |
| Timing | When it occurred, where necessary |
| Evidence | The existing record supporting the account |
| Current status | Whether an active process already exists |
| Open question | What needs commercial or operational clarification |
| Decision owner | Who can resolve it under the agreement |
Separate facts from interpretations. “A conversation occurred” is different from “this source owns the candidate.”
Resolve questions before duplicate outreach
If two sources may contact the same person, pause the duplicated action while the designated owner checks the records.
The candidate should not have to arbitrate a commercial dispute or repeatedly provide the same information to several uncoordinated parties.
Keep the tone neutral
Use a short clarification message that describes the overlap and asks for the agreed process. Avoid accusations based on incomplete records.
If the facts are disputed, preserve the relevant evidence and involve the authorized commercial owner. Do not improvise a legal conclusion in a recruiting chat.
Update the working instructions
Once resolved, tell the people coordinating the search what to do next. They need an operational answer: who communicates, which introduction proceeds, and where the decision is recorded.
They usually do not need the full commercial discussion or unrelated candidate history.
Use the duplicate introduction guide, agreement questions, and internal-external coordination map. Discuss a coordinated hiring search with Refery.