How Intake Meetings Speed Up Time to Hire

What if just one, 30-minute meeting could speed up time to hire? It may seem too good to be true, but it’s not.

By being smarter and doing a little more preparation at the beginning of the recruitment process, you could end up saving a lot of time by getting to the ideal candidate more quickly.

All it takes is an intake meeting.

What is an intake meeting?

An intake meeting is a preliminary discussion between the recruiter and the hiring manager to set goals for the recruiting process and get aligned on the ideal candidate profile for the open position. It’s also commonly referred to as a kick-off meeting, strategy meeting or requirement gathering meeting.

While having an intake meeting is helpful for any type of open position, it’s especially beneficial for new or unique positions or for recruiters who are new to recruiting, to their organization, or to working with the hiring manager or client. The exception would be recruiters who are constantly filling the same role for the same hiring managers, because they likely know the description and expectations by heart and therefore don’t need to meet as regularly.

Why are they so important?

When recruiters and hiring managers can have a dialog, both parties benefit—as does the candidate. A smooth, transparent hiring process sets everyone up for success.

At intake meetings, recruiters should:

• Talk through the information the hiring manager has provided, ask any questions about the candidate profile, and fill in any holes on the job requisition.
• Challenge the hiring manager on prioritizing the most important skills and abilities of the ideal candidate versus the “nice-to-have” characteristics.
• Learn the context of what makes the job special in order to help them “sell” the opening to candidates.
• Establish relationships with hiring managers that can help speed up the process down the line when the next job needs to be filled.

Perhaps one of the biggest benefits of intake meetings is the chance for a reality check. “I encourage recruiters to conduct in-person meetings with hiring managers prior to the start of the recruitment process in order to level-set – and set expectations,” says Rosemary Haefner, CHRO at CareerBuilder. “Not only do intake meetings give recruiters the chance to get a clear picture of what hiring managers want in a candidate, it’s also an opportunity to provide insight around the available candidate pool and competitive marketplace so that recruiters aren’t left chasing after a candidate who doesn’t exist.”

If you know exactly the type of candidate you need to source and attract, you won’t be running down the wrong road looking for candidates who don’t match the right requirements. So, while no one really wants to add more meetings to their already packed day, having a 30-minute meeting on Day One of the recruitment process will save you time later – and help you fill the position faster.

Learn how to improve the recruiter/hiring manager relationship.