Intake interview
Assignments range from a specialist project to a replacement due to burnout or maternity leave. Although the interim landscape is constantly changing, the demand for interim professionals remains. As an interim professional you must possess multiple skills: be an expert in your field, but you must also be able to quickly adapt to a new work environment and complete projects in a company where you do not yet know the rules. Still, the first step is the most important: the intake interview.
An intake interview is not the same as a job interview. After all: you know as an interim professional that your way of working is different from that of a permanent employee. You are interesting to the client because you can be deployed across different business units. The client has different expectations of an interim professional than of a permanent employee. In short, in the intake interview it is not about whether you fit the job description, but whether you are a good match for a particular assignment.
5 handy tips for an intake interview
Most companies have a clear idea of the interim professional they are looking for. It can be about specific expertise or experience within a particular sector. Based on the following points to consider, you'll come well prepared:
1. Prepare yourself well
Make sure you know what the client’s wishes are. Before the meeting, look up all the necessary information about the company. View the website and familiarize yourself with the sector in which the client is active. This way you get an idea of what the company does, what it stands for and what its objectives are.
2. Listen and show interest
Take the time to listen carefully to the client and ask questions to show that you are interested in the assignment and the company. Consider the following questions:
What is the purpose of the assignment?
What results are expected of me?
What are the specific tasks and responsibilities?
Which bottlenecks play a role in the project?
This way you also get a better idea of what is expected of you and can assess whether the assignment suits you.
3. State your expertise and be transparent
It is important that you can distinguish yourself from competitors. Show what your added value can be for the client. Use concrete examples that demonstrate that you possess the requested competencies that are being asked for. For this you can the STAR-method use. Also indicate what your expectations are with regard to the assignment: your rate and what conditions you set for the assignment.
4. Make a personal connection
Create a personal rapport with your conversation partner. Naturally you should show that you are substantively suitable for the assignment, but the assignment must also be granted to you. Therefore ensure a presentable appearance and demonstrate your social skills.
5. Work together with your recruiter.
Do you work via a mediator ? Then it's smart to make use of the available knowledge. The recruiter has already held preliminary interviews and knows what the client will pay attention to during the conversation. Seek advice from your recruiter and prepare together for the intake interview. You will immediately receive feedback on your social skills, and the recruiter may be able to give you some useful tips.
