Free guide · Intake checklist
Fix the role before
you source the pipeline.
A weak intake meeting turns into three weeks of moving requirements, vague scorecards, and rejected candidates who matched the original brief. This checklist gets the hiring manager specific before sourcing starts.
0-5 min
Business reason
Why this role exists now and what breaks if it stays open.
5-15 min
Outcomes + signals
The first-90-day outcomes and evidence that predicts success.
15-25 min
Tradeoffs + loop
What you will accept, what you will not, and who tests each signal.
25-30 min
Close criteria
Fast yes, slow yes, and no before the first candidate arrives.
What’s inside
- A 30-minute hiring manager intake agenda
- Role definition questions that force concrete first-90-day outcomes
- Must-have vs. nice-to-have filter so wishlists do not become requirements
- Tradeoff map for sourcing strategy and candidate calibration
- Copy-ready intake summary template for kickoff notes