Why does first-round screening cap how many client roles an agency can work?
An agency's value to a client is a strong shortlist, delivered fast, and the first-round screen is where recruiter hours go before a shortlist exists. Every new client role brings another stack of applicants, and every recruiter screens a little differently. When screens pile up, they get shorter or get skipped, and the shortlist starts to depend on which recruiter had time that week more than on who fits the role.