Short enough to remember in the interview, direct enough to tell you what the recruiter's pitch won't.
Interviews are mostly the agency selling you. These five questions flip that. They're short enough to remember and specific enough that vague answers stand out.
Listen for a clear structure: hourly, commission-only, or a mix, with real numbers. Then ask whether any of the hourly pay is a draw against future commission. If the answer is hesitant or the document doesn't exist yet, treat that as information.
A good agency knows this cold. Vague answers like we have plenty usually mean the answer isn't flattering.
Leads, software, licensing renewals, errors and omissions coverage. Some costs are normal. What matters is that you hear all of them before you start, not after your first month.
This covers chargebacks, renewals, and whether there's a non-compete or non-solicitation clause. Ask for the contract language, not a summary. If something is unclear, have a qualified person read it.
Not the recruiter, not the owner. Someone doing the job. Ask them what surprised them in their first 90 days and how long it took to get their first full commission payment.
Direct answers, written documents, no pressure to decide on the call, and an agency that seems comfortable being asked. The best agencies get these questions all the time.
If you'd rather not run this process on your own, that's what we do. We vet agencies on these same questions before we ever introduce you.