The first call with a client decides how the next six weeks go. If you leave it with a job title and a vague wish, you will spend those weeks guessing.
These seven questions turn a wish into a brief.
1. Why is this role open?
Is it a new seat, a replacement, or a fix for a team that is struggling? The answer tells you what kind of person will succeed. A replacement for someone who left on bad terms needs different handling from growth hiring.
2. What would make someone fail in the first six months?
This is better than asking for strengths. People are usually clear about what went wrong last time. Use it.
3. What are the true must-haves?
Ask the client to split the list in two: things the person cannot start without, and things that are nice. Most briefs list ten must-haves. Usually there are three.
4. What is the salary range, honestly?
Get a real number, and whether it can move. A role that pays well below the market for its seniority is not fillable, and it is better to learn that now.
5. Who decides, and how many rounds?
Find out who is in the room. A brief that goes through a founder, a manager, and a committee takes longer. Tell the client what that does to the timeline.
6. How fast can they move?
Good candidates are off the market in days. Ask how quickly the client can give feedback and make an offer. If they take two weeks to reply, say so now.
7. Are you the only agency?
Exclusive and shared roles need different effort. You can decide how much to invest only when you know.
Write it down and send it back
After the call, send a short summary: the role, the must-haves, the salary, the process, the timeline. Ask the client to confirm.
This does two things. It catches misunderstandings early. And it gives you something to point to when the brief shifts in week three.
When to walk away
Some roles should not be taken. A low salary with a long list of demands, a slow process, and five other agencies is a role that will eat your time. Saying no politely is a skill, and it protects the roles you can win.