You need to closely screen and supervise your recruiters. Start with an open-ended question: "how would you go about sourcing candidates for XXX position", "how would you screen them", "how would you entice them"? Listen closely to what they say and if you do not feel comfortable this would yield you the candidates you are looking for, fire the recruiter and look for one that would understand your needs.
Recruiters, like any other service professionals, are always trying to sell you on their experience, but you owe it to yourself to closely inspect their claims and methods. If recruiter is any good they won't be offended and would cooperate.
Contingency fee recruiters are especially renowned for sloppy work. If they only get paid when they place a candidate their only incentive is to sell you the first warm body they find. This type of attitude you have to nip in the bud.
Also, ask your new hires for opinions on recruiters. They've just been barraged by recruiters, and will likely have an idea of which are worth anything.
At the end of the day the responsibility for recruitment is with the company management. Recruiters could have a role to play, but it is above their pay grade to decide what kind of candidates you want. They could surely help sourcing and pre-screening though. But if you are going to use recruiters you have to manage them carefully. Recruiter not given clear direction is poised to waste your time and money trying to place the first wrong candidates they come across.
Recruiters, like any other service professionals, are always trying to sell you on their experience, but you owe it to yourself to closely inspect their claims and methods. If recruiter is any good they won't be offended and would cooperate.
Contingency fee recruiters are especially renowned for sloppy work. If they only get paid when they place a candidate their only incentive is to sell you the first warm body they find. This type of attitude you have to nip in the bud.