An intake interview is the call where a recruiter takes a job order from a client or hiring manager. The common questions cover the role, the must-haves, the pay, the shift and site, the timeline, and who decides. Five of them prevent most bad submittals. Start with "what would make this hire a mistake?" Then: which three things are must-haves, who decides and by when, who did this job well before, and what are the pay, the shift and the start date.
The five that matter most
1. What would make this hire a mistake? The client answers with the thing they forgot to put in the order. "Someone who can't do nights." "Someone without a current card." "Someone who talks back to the crew lead." That is your first must-have.
2. Which three things are must-haves, not nice-to-haves? Clients list ten things. Ask them to rank. The top three are what you screen for. The rest are tie-breakers.
3. Who decides, and by when? A name and a date. Without them, your submittals sit in an inbox and your time to fill grows.
4. Who did this job well before, and what made them good? You will hear the real job, not the job description. "Maria never missed a shift and didn't need telling twice." Now you know what to look for.
5. What are the pay, the shift and the start date? Exact numbers. "Competitive" is not a pay rate. "Soon" is not a start date.
The other common questions, in one line each
- Why is the role open? Growth, a leaver, or a problem. The answer changes how you screen.
- What does a normal day look like? The tasks that fill the hours, not the title.
- What is the site like? Cold, loud, outdoor, clean room. Candidates need to know.
- What is the interview process? How many steps, who is in the room, how fast.
- What have other agencies sent that you rejected? The fastest way to learn the real must-have.
- What equipment, certifications or background checks are required? Written down, with dates.
- Is there overtime, and is it expected? Candidates will ask you.
Turn the answers into a written order
The intake call is only useful if it ends in writing. Five lines: the result the client wants, the must-haves, the shift and site, the pay, and the start date, plus who decides. Send it back to the client the same day and ask them to confirm. Now you have an order you can source for, screen for, and check each submittal against.
Where M-Tracker fits
The written order is the standard every submittal gets checked against. In M-Tracker, that order is the brief, with its must-haves listed. When a recruiter attaches a submittal, they get a plain-words note on which must-haves are answered and which are missing, before the client sees it. The intake call pays off on every candidate that follows.
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Questions people ask
How long should an intake call take?
Ten to twenty minutes for a temp order. Longer for a senior or hard-to-fill role.
What if the client will not do a call?
Send the five questions by email. Do not start sourcing until at least the pay, the must-haves and the decision-maker come back.
Should I ask about budget for the fee on the intake call?
For a new client, yes, before you search. For an existing client, it is already agreed.
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