Harnessing the power of Intake meetings
The other day, a young colleague of mine had come to me seeking some advice on a position that he was working on for over a month with no positive feedback from the client's end. He was visibly disappointed that all his efforts were leading him nowhere. After a brief discussion with him trying to understand the 'what', 'why' and 'how' of the job requirement and his sourcing and screening approach, it dawned to me that there was neither a clear understanding of the position nor an understanding of the purpose behind hiring for this role. In my two decades of experience in the Talent Acquisition function, I have come to realise that the Recruiter fraternity does not leverage the power of intake meetings. Such meetings are immensely important both for the Hiring Manager and the Recruiter as it gives them an opportunity for a clear understanding of the role thereby avoiding the 'wild goose chase' that could eventually frustrate both parties also leaving a poor candidate / hiring experience. So, what are some of the key questions that a Recruiter should ask in an intake meeting?
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Is this a new position or a replacement?
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What is the ageing of this position or how long has this been open?
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Is there a degree of urgency associated with this position?
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What is the scope of this position?
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What is the reporting structure for this position?
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Will the incumbent be a People Manager or an individual contributor?
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What are the working relationships for this position within and outside the organisation?
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What is the Career progression for this position? Is the career path clearly defined?
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What is the salary / budget (fixed and variables) for this position?
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What are some of the target industries to source candidates?
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What are the 'must haves' and 'nice to have' skills in the candidates?
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What are the steps involved in the selection process (assessments, interviews etc.,)?
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Do you have a well written job description?
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How would you describe an "ideal candidate" for this position?
Even after 'buttoning down' everything, there will be a number of questions popping up as the Recruiter initiates the search, as a next step it is also extremely important for the Recruiter to gather inputs on the interviewing process to guide candidates accordingly. As we all know, in recruiting, "the devil is in the details".
See you soon on yet another follow-up article on the power of intake meetings.
About the Author
Rampriya Sridharan
Global Head Talent Acquisition I CIPD Trainer I Career Transition Coach I POSH Trainer I Economic Times Best HR Leader of the Year (Gold)
