A great search starts with a great intake call. The questions you skip in that first conversation often become the problems you face weeks later. Here's what to ask every client: 1️⃣ Who's involved in the hiring decision? Don't wait until round three to discover another stakeholder has the final say. 2️⃣ Why is this role open? A backfill and a new position require very different search strategies. 3️⃣ How flexible is the budget? Ask what they'd pay for an exceptional candidate. You may uncover options you didn't know existed. 4️⃣ What's the real hiring timeline? "As soon as possible" isn't a timeline. Find out what's actually driving the process. 5️⃣ What didn't work with the last hire? This tells you what to avoid, often more clearly than the job description tells you what to look for. Strong placements begin long before you source candidates. They begin with asking better questions.













