For many recruiters, the job feels done at placement.

The role is filled, the offer is accepted, and attention quickly moves on to the next brief. But in reality, placement is only the midpoint of the recruitment lifecycle, and what happens next is often where the most friction, risk, and inefficiency sits.

This “in-between” stage rarely gets talked about, yet it has a direct impact on candidate experience, client trust, and operational stability.

The handover that defines everything

Between placement and payroll, multiple handovers usually take place:

• From recruiter to compliance
• From compliance to payroll
• From payroll to finance or invoicing
• From internal teams back to the candidate

When these handovers aren’t supported by clear processes and reliable systems, gaps appear. Information is missed, timelines slip, and responsibility becomes unclear.

What should be a smooth transition often turns into a chain of follow-ups and fixes.

Where delays quietly creep in

This stage is particularly vulnerable to delay because it relies on accuracy rather than speed.

Common issues include:

• Incomplete or outdated candidate documentation
• Contract changes not reflected across systems
• Timesheets submitted late or inconsistently
• Pay and bill rates needing clarification after the fact

Each small delay creates knock-on effects, for candidates waiting to be paid, recruiters answering questions, and operations teams trying to reconcile data.

The impact on candidate trust

From a candidate’s perspective, this is the moment where trust is either reinforced or lost.

Late payments, unclear communication, or repeated requests for information signal disorganisation, even when the recruiter has done everything right up to placement.

Candidate experience doesn’t end with the offer letter.
It continues through onboarding, first shifts, and first pay.

Why recruiters feel the pressure anyway

Even when issues sit outside the recruiter’s direct control, they’re often the first point of contact when something goes wrong.

Recruiters end up:

• Chasing updates on behalf of candidates
• Clarifying pay or contract details
• Acting as intermediaries between teams
• Managing frustration that could have been avoided

This pulls recruiters away from recruiting, and adds unnecessary stress to already busy desks.

Why this stage deserves more attention

The period between placement and payroll touches:

• Compliance
• Finance
• Operations
• Candidate experience
• Client confidence

Yet it’s often supported by fragmented systems, manual checks, and informal processes that don’t scale.

When this stage runs smoothly, it’s barely noticed.
When it doesn’t, everyone feels it.

How better systems support the “messy middle”

Recruitment technology shouldn’t stop at placement.

Strong systems support the full lifecycle by:

• Keeping candidate, contract, and rate data aligned
• Supporting smooth handovers between teams
• Reducing manual intervention
• Making accountability clear
• Providing visibility without extra admin

This creates consistency, not just for internal teams, but for candidates and clients as well.

Placement may feel like the finish line, but for recruiters and candidates alike, it’s only the beginning of the next phase.

The better the systems and processes that support this stage, the less noise, risk, and friction recruitment teams have to deal with, and the more confidence everyone has in the outcome.