Nearly every failed search can be traced back to its first hour. The intake meeting is where alignment either happens or is quietly deferred until candidates are in the room and the disagreement surfaces as inconsistent feedback.
The questions that matter
Start with outcomes, not attributes. What must be true twelve months after this person starts? What is the first problem they will be handed in week one? What has been tried already, and why did it not work?
Then pressure-test the profile. Which requirements are genuinely non-negotiable, and which are preferences inherited from the last person in the seat? If two strong candidates arrive — one with domain depth, one with scale experience — which do you choose, and why?
Finally, get the process itself on the table. Who has a veto? How quickly can interviews be scheduled? What is the compensation range you will actually pay for an exceptional candidate, not the one on the requisition?
Why this saves months
Disagreement discovered in the intake meeting costs an hour. The same disagreement discovered at final-stage interviews costs a quarter — and often a candidate you will not get back.
A good intake is uncomfortable. If everyone leaves nodding, the hard questions were not asked.