By MaryAnne Garcia, Founder and Managing Partner, Empower Partnerships
Hiring managers, are you tired of recruiters who send you unqualified candidates? Recruiters are you tired of chasing hiring managers for feedback, or wondering why they want to see more candidates to interview? It is probably because you missed a key ingredient in the recipe for recruiting and hiring success!
The key ingredient for a successful talent acquisition process starts with the intake meeting between the hiring manager and recruiter. This is a crucial step where recruiters and hiring managers align on the recipe for hiring success. Just like in baking, every ingredient must be carefully measured and accounted for to get the desired outcome. The recruiter facilitates the call to gain critical information such as job responsibilities, required and desired experience, skills, and competencies. Additionally, this is the time to set expectations on compensation, timing, and the interview process including who needs to be involved and how final selection will be determined. A key goal is to reduce time to hire. Skipping this step is like baking a cake without eggs, or worse yet, substituting the key ingredients.
A consultative intake call aligns the expectations of both the recruiter and the hiring manager, fostering an efficient hiring process that prioritizes a positive experience for both the candidates and the hiring managers. This alignment significantly increases the likelihood of making a quality hire. Conversely, without a proper intake call, the chance of finding a suitable candidate becomes largely a matter of luck, and that’s a recipe for failure!
Here are four key ingredients to the recipe for conducting a successful intake.
- Prepare by creating an Intake Form. Craft questions around the key ingredients for a successful hire. Include any recruiting assessments or skills testing available that may help the hiring manager make better hiring decisions using data.
- Prepare thoroughly for the intake call and aim for a strategic conversation rather than merely an order-taking session. Include the Intake Form in the meeting invite for easy access. During the call, ask open-ended, insightful questions. Ensure you are speaking with the final decision maker who understands your role in facilitating a successful hire. Establish clear expectations regarding the timeline and the challenges of finding the right talent. It’s also important to confirm interview times to expedite the scheduling process. Don’t be afraid to educate and guide hiring managers – remember, you are the expert in recruiting and hiring.
- Review the job description together. Align on required and desired skills and experience. Discuss the strategy for identifying top candidates, focusing on who to target, what qualifications to seek, where to find them, and why these elements are crucial.
- Share the final Intake Form with the hiring manager. This provides an opportunity for any last-minute edits or adjustments, ensuring full alignment before the recruiting process begins.
Final Thoughts
A great hire is dependent upon a successful intake call with the hiring manager which yields the essential ingredients for a successful hiring process. Just like baking a cake relies on precise measurements, an efficient hiring process depends on a well-conducted intake. Take the time to strategize your approach, ask insightful questions, and work closely with the hiring manager. Be attentive, engaged, and truly listen. Ensuring alignment on all key elements before concluding this critical session will lay the groundwork for hiring success.
Bypassing this step is like baking a cake without the key ingredients. You might end up with something, but it is unlikely to be what you envisioned. Approach the intake process with the preparation and care it deserves, and you will contribute to building a team that fuels your organization’s growth.
Wishing you success in your future intakes! Please reach out if you need assistance creating meaningful Intake Forms, or to share your secret recipes for hiring success!
Stay tuned for our next blog in the Empower Partnerships Talent Acquisition Intelligence Series on Step 2 of the recruiting and hiring process, “Attract.” Authored by Chelsea Johnson, Director of Recruiting and Client Delivery, this blog will outline modern tips for effective sourcing.
MaryAnne Garcia is the Founder and a Managing Partner of Empower Partnerships. She has over 25 years of experience in talent acquisition with a career focused on creating excellence in recruitment spanning large, Fortune 500 companies to mid-market firms.
