The Ultimate Hiring Manager Intake Checklist

You've spent weeks fine-tuning that job description, aligning the team with the hiring goals, and sorting through a pile of resumes. The hiring manager intake meeting is the crucial next step to find the perfect candidate the first time. How do you ensure nothing is overlooked? Let’s get down to the essentials with the ultimate hiring manager intake checklist.

What Should You Prepare Before the Meeting?

Understanding the Role

Understanding the role you are hiring for is essential before stepping into the intake meeting. This involves more than just scanning the job description. Discuss with the team the specific responsibilities and expectations tied to the role. Ask team members about their interactions with the position and any gaps they foresee. This will help you to fully understand what success looks like in this role. Additionally, be aware of the industry standards for this position to have a benchmark for comparison.

Create a list that includes:

• Key responsibilities expected daily.

• Immediate challenges the role needs to address.

• How this role fits into the larger team structure.

• Growth opportunities and career progression paths within your company.

Pro-tip: Ask team members for recent examples where the role was crucial in achieving team goals. This helps pinpoint practical expectations.

Creating a Candidate Profile

After grasping the role's nuances, the next step is creating a detailed candidate profile. This is essentially a roadmap that defines the ideal hire. Detail your technical and soft skills and quantify the experience required. What is the must-have expertise? What is desirable but negotiable?

For this, consider:

1. Technical Skills: Define the core technical skills essential for the position.

2. Experience: Specify the years and type of experience required in a similar role.

3. Soft Skills: Identify key soft skills such as leadership, communication, and problem-solving.

Pro-tip: Use the previous successful employees' profiles to help shape the candidate profile for this role. This can provide a realistic picture of what works best in your company's environment.

Effective Hiring Manager Intake Meeting Checklist

Confirming the Job Description

Start by confirming the job description to ensure everyone is on the same page. This involves reviewing the job title, responsibilities, and expectations. Clarify any ambiguities regarding the role's scope or tasks. Make sure the description is up-to-date and accurately reflects the role's current needs.

Break down the job description into key points:

• Job Title and Department: Confirm the official title and the team or department it belongs to.

• Main Responsibilities: List daily tasks and long-term project responsibilities.

• Reporting Structure: Identify who the role reports to and who they’d manage (if applicable).

• Necessary Tools and Technologies: Verify what tools the candidate should be proficient in.

Pro-tip: Keep a copy of the job description handy during your meeting for quick reference.

Discussing Must-Have Skills and Qualifications

Next, focus on the must-have skills and qualifications for the role. Determine the essential hard and soft skills the ideal candidate needs. Also, discuss the required level of experience and any necessary certifications.

Create a bullet-point list for clarity:

• Hard Skills: Programming languages, software proficiency, technical writing.

• Soft Skills: Communication, problem-solving, teamwork.

• Experience: Number of years in similar roles, specific industries.

• Certifications: Degrees, course completions, professional licenses.

If you’ve got a Job leveling Matrix, be sure to reference this so the skills being looked at match the role.

Pro-tip: Prioritise the skills and qualifications into "must-haves" and "nice-to-haves".

Agreeing on the Interview Process and Assessment Criteria

Agree on the interview process and assessment criteria. Make sure there is a clear understanding of the stages of the interview, who will be involved, and the methods of assessment.

Typically, the process involves:

• Stages: Initial screenings, technical tests, panel interviews.

• Interviewers: List individuals from HR, technical teams, and management.

• Assessment Methods: Practical tasks, behavioural questions, case studies.

• Scoring System: Define how responses will be evaluated and scored.

Pro-tip: Use Evidenced to build your interview plans and run bias-free interviews that result in the most accurate hiring decisions for your team.

Establishing a Timeline for Hiring

Establish a timeline for hiring to manage expectations and ensure a smooth process. Discuss deadlines for each stage of the recruitment process and any potential bottlenecks.

Key milestones might include:

• Job Posting Date: When the job will be advertised.

• Application Deadline: Closing date for applications.

• Interview Scheduling: Timeframes for conducting interviews.

• Offer Date: Expected date to extend an offer.

Pro-tip: Allow for some flexibility in the timeline to accommodate unforeseen delays.

What to do after an intake meeting

After the intake meeting, ensure all the decisions and agreements are documented and shared with relevant stakeholders. Maintain clear communication and open follow-up channels to address any questions or changes.

Post-meeting tasks include:

• Document Distribution: Send out meeting minutes and key points.

• Action Items: Assign tasks such as job posting or preparing interview questions.

• Follow-up Reviews: Schedule catch-up meetings to review progress.

• Feedback Loop: Establish a feedback mechanism to refine the process as needed.

15 Sample questions to ask hiring managers during intake meetings

Prepare specific questions to ask hiring managers to gain deeper insights into the role and expectations. These questions help clarify important aspects and ensure a comprehensive understanding.

Example questions:

1. What are the critical responsibilities for this role?

2. Which skills and qualifications are non-negotiable?

3. What are the primary goals for the new hire in the first six months?

4. Can you describe the team’s dynamics and working style?

5. What career progression opportunities does this role offer?

6. Are there any specific projects or challenges the new hire will face immediately?

7. How would you describe the company culture in one sentence?

8. What tools or software will the candidate be expected to use?

9. How do you measure success for this role?

10. What common issues have previous employees faced in this role?

11. Who will the new hire be reporting to?

12. Is there any flexibility with remote work or office hours?

13. What is the anticipated time frame for the entire hiring process?

14. How do you gather feedback from new hires?

15. What training or onboarding processes are in place?

Pro-tip: Tailor these questions to the specific context of your organisation and role requirements.

An effective hiring manager intake meeting is foundational to a successful recruitment process. By comprehensively covering job descriptions, skills, ideal traits, interview processes, and timelines, you set a clear path for identifying and acquiring the right talent. Proper follow-up and communication ensure the process remains smooth, efficient, and aligned with organisational goals.