I use a recruitment intake form to turn a hiring request into an executable search. A job title and a target start date are not enough. Before I source, I want to understand why the role exists, what the person must deliver, which requirements are real constraints, and who will make each decision.
Role context and hiring goal
I start with the business context because it changes the candidate profile. I ask whether this is a new position, a replacement, planned growth, or a response to an urgent workload. I capture the team, manager, location, work arrangement, employment type, level, approved headcount, and target start date.
I also write the first meaningful outcomes in plain language. "Own the reporting process and reduce manual handoffs" is more useful for a search than "support business operations." If the outcome is still uncertain, I mark it as an intake decision rather than pretending the brief is complete.
Must-haves and dealbreakers
I separate requirements into three groups:
- Must-have: A job-related requirement needed at the start of the role
- Trainable: A capability the team can teach within a defined period
- Preferred: Useful experience that should not eliminate otherwise qualified candidates
I ask the hiring manager to name the dealbreakers and explain why each one matters. I challenge vague filters such as top-tier company, culture fit, or perfect communication. If a certification, schedule, location, language, or work authorization condition is required, I record the operational reason and confirm the approved wording.
Candidate profile and sourcing plan
The intake should describe the target candidate without turning one past employee into the only acceptable model. I capture relevant experience, adjacent backgrounds, skills to test, likely motivations, candidate objections, and examples of work that would transfer well.
Then I document how we will reach people:
- Internal applicants and employee referrals
- Existing talent community or previous finalists
- Direct sourcing by title, skill, or adjacent industry
- Job advertising and professional communities
- Agencies, if an approved supplier is needed
For each channel, I assign an owner and a first review date. I also ask what message will be credible to candidates. A clear project, manager, schedule, learning opportunity, or problem to solve gives sourcing better material than generic growth language.
Interview process and decision ownership
I write the interview stages in order, including the purpose of each stage, interviewer, expected duration, and decision output. Each stage should test a defined competency rather than repeat the resume review.
| Stage | Owner | Focus | Decision output |
|---|---|---|---|
| Recruiter screen | Recruiter | Requirements, motivation, logistics | Proceed or close with reason |
| Hiring manager interview | Hiring manager | Outcomes and working approach | Evidence against core criteria |
| Skills assessment | Assigned evaluator | Representative job task | Work sample rating |
| Final panel | Hiring team | Remaining competencies and questions | Independent recommendations |
I identify who owns the final decision, who can veto for a documented requirement, and who only advises. Without this, the process can stall while everyone assumes another person is deciding.
Compensation, timing, and constraints
I capture the approved compensation range, variable pay, equity or benefits that should be explained, and any flexibility rules. I do not tell candidates that the range is flexible when the team has not approved flexibility.
I also record the real urgency: business deadline, notice-period assumption, interview availability, approval dependencies, and the date when we will review progress. If the role is urgent because of workload, I ask what work will be delayed if hiring takes longer. That answer helps set a realistic search priority.
Copyable recruitment intake form
RECRUITMENT INTAKE FORM
Role title and level:
Department and hiring manager:
New role, replacement, or growth:
Employment type and work arrangement:
Location and schedule requirements:
Approved headcount and target start date:
Why does this role exist now?
What must this person deliver first?
What will success look like after the initial review period?
Must-have requirements and why they matter:
Trainable requirements:
Preferred requirements:
Dealbreakers and approved rationale:
Target candidate backgrounds:
Adjacent backgrounds to consider:
Skills or work samples to test:
Likely candidate motivations:
Likely objections or risks:
Compensation range and approved flexibility:
Benefits or terms to explain:
Interview stages, owners, and purpose:
Final decision owner:
Required approvals:
Feedback deadline after each stage:
Sourcing channels:
Sourcing message:
Recruiter owner:
Hiring manager actions:
First progress review date:
Open questions:
Decisions made during intake:
Close the intake with commitments
At the end of the meeting, I read back the requirements, constraints, interview owners, and first actions. I send the completed form for confirmation and record changes rather than relying on memory. When a requirement changes after sourcing begins, I note who approved it and which candidates need a fair re-review.
The intake form is complete when I can explain what I am searching for, where I will search, how candidates will be assessed, and who will decide. If any of those answers are unclear, the next step is another decision, not more applications.