A client job brief template helps recruitment agencies turn a hiring conversation into a clear plan for the search. It brings together the role's purpose, the evidence a suitable candidate should demonstrate, the package, the hiring process and the details still to confirm.
Use the recruitment intake call template below when taking a new vacancy or refining an existing brief. It gives the recruiter and hiring manager a shared reference for sourcing, screening and presenting the opportunity.
In this guide
- Copy the client job brief template
- Ask useful recruitment intake questions
- Read a completed example
- Turn the brief into a search and job advert
- Frequently asked questions
Client job brief template for recruitment agencies
Copy these sections into your job intake notes. Record confirmed details, label assumptions and give each open question an owner. Treat the brief as a working document that the client can clarify as the search develops.
1. Vacancy and briefing details
Client and role reference: [Company; job title; reference]
Hiring manager and recruiter: [Names; responsibilities in the process]
Briefing date: [Date]
Employment or assignment type: [Permanent; temporary; contract; other agreed basis]
Search status: [Approved vacancy; exploratory discussion; details to confirm]
2. Why the role exists
Hiring context: [New role; replacement; project; team growth]
Problem this person will help solve: [Business or team need]
Early priorities: [What the person should focus on first]
What success looks like: [Agreed outcomes and approximate timeframe]
3. Responsibilities and team
Main responsibilities: [The work the person will own]
Team and reporting line: [Manager; team structure; key working relationships]
Scope: [Relevant customers, projects, systems or responsibilities]
Decision-making responsibility: [What the role can decide; where it collaborates]
4. Essential and preferred requirements
Essential requirements: [Requirement → why it matters → evidence to explore]
Preferred experience: [Useful experience the client can be flexible about]
Transferable backgrounds: [Other experience that could meet the need]
Qualifications or specialist knowledge: [Confirmed role-relevant requirements]
Flexibility to confirm: [Trade-offs the hiring manager will consider]
5. Location, work pattern and package
Work location: [Office or site; travel expectations]
Working pattern: [On-site; hybrid; remote; hours or shifts]
Salary or rate: [Agreed range; currency; basis; approval status]
Benefits and other package details: [Confirmed information]
Start date or assignment duration: [Target timing; flexibility]
6. Candidate proposition and messaging
Reasons to consider the opportunity: [Specific work, development or team benefits]
Context candidates will need: [Relevant opportunities and challenges]
Details approved for public use: [Company name; package; role information]
Details for later discussion: [Information to clarify before sharing]
Client approval contact: [Who confirms candidate-facing wording]
7. Hiring process and feedback
Selection stages: [Stages; purpose; participants]
Interview or assessment focus: [Role-related evidence to explore]
Candidate introduction format: [Information the client wants to review]
Feedback owner and timing: [Person; agreed turnaround]
Target decision timeline: [Milestones; known scheduling constraints]
8. Search plan and next actions
Agreed search priorities: [First areas to explore; key requirements]
Open questions: [Question; owner; due date]
Recruiter actions: [Search preparation; draft advert; next update]
Client actions: [Confirm details; review wording; arrange availability]
Next review: [Date; purpose]
Questions to ask on a client job briefing call
Use the intake conversation to make broad requirements concrete. If a client asks for “excellent stakeholder management”, ask who the person will work with, what situations they will handle and what a useful example would demonstrate.
- “What needs to be different after this person joins?” Establish the outcome behind the vacancy.
- “What will they spend most of their time doing?” Clarify the day-to-day work behind the title.
- “Which requirements are essential from day one, and what can be learned?” Agree the priorities for the search.
- “What would make you interested in an otherwise strong candidate from a different background?” Explore relevant transferable experience.
- “What can we confidently tell candidates about the role and package?” Confirm the proposition and approved wording.
- “How will we review candidates and keep the process moving?” Agree evidence, feedback and next steps.
Where the brief is still evolving, summarise the point back to the hiring manager and record what needs a decision. That gives the next conversation a clear purpose.
Example of a completed recruitment job brief
Fictional example: this simplified brief illustrates the template and does not represent a real client or vacancy.
Role: Customer success manager for a fictional software company expanding its onboarding team.
Hiring need: The new hire will take ownership of customer onboarding plans and coordinate training with account colleagues. Early success means establishing clear milestones and reliable handovers for new customers.
Requirements: Essential experience includes owning a customer-facing onboarding process and coordinating several stakeholders. Experience with a similar software product is preferred. The client is open to candidates from other business services with relevant examples.
Working arrangements: The hiring manager described a hybrid pattern. Office attendance, package and start-date flexibility are to be confirmed before the advert is approved.
Process: Proposed first-stage conversation with the hiring manager, followed by a practical discussion of an onboarding scenario. Participants and feedback timing remain open.
Actions: Client to confirm package and office expectations by Tuesday. Recruiter to prepare a draft advert and example screening questions for the client's review. Search priorities will be agreed at the next briefing.
Turn the client brief into a search plan and job advert
The job brief is the agency's detailed working record. A candidate-facing job advert selects the relevant, approved information and presents the opportunity clearly. Keep those two purposes in mind when moving from the intake call to public copy.
- Confirm the core details. Review responsibilities, essential requirements, location and package with the client.
- Build the search around evidence. Translate agreed requirements into sourcing priorities and useful screening questions.
- Draft the candidate message. Explain the role's purpose, the work, the confirmed package and what makes the opportunity worth exploring.
- Obtain the agreed review. Ask the appropriate client contact to confirm the details and wording your agency will use.
- Keep the brief current. Record material changes and bring them into subsequent candidate conversations.
A structured brief also makes handovers easier. Another consultant should be able to identify the search priorities, the candidate proposition and the decisions still outstanding without reconstructing the original call.
Use TalentLynk to capture the conversation behind the brief
TalentLynk AI call notes help recruiters turn client conversations into summaries, key points and actions. Custom AI workflows can help organise the information your desk needs and prepare a job description draft for review.
Use the headings in this client job brief template to shape the information you want to capture. Review the output against the conversation, confirm missing details with the client and edit the draft for its intended audience. Explore AI-assisted recruitment CRM updates and the Bullhorn integration to see how connected workflows can support your wider process.
Frequently asked questions
What is a client job brief in recruitment?
It is the recruiter's working record of the vacancy and hiring conversation. It covers the hiring need, responsibilities, requirements, package, process, candidate proposition and agreed actions.
What is the difference between a job brief and a job description?
A job brief captures the context and decisions behind the search, including open questions and internal follow-up. A job description or advert presents the role and relevant requirements to its intended audience using confirmed details.
Can this template be used for contract and temporary roles?
Yes. Adapt the package and timing sections for the assignment, including the agreed rate basis, duration, work pattern and start requirements. Confirm the details with the client before using them in candidate-facing material.
Can AI turn a client briefing call into a job description draft?
AI can help organise the conversation and prepare a draft from the information discussed. Recruiters can check the source, refine the wording and work with the client to confirm the final details.
See TalentLynk working with your client conversations
Book a demonstration to explore AI call notes, tailored workflows and how your agency can turn client conversations into useful next steps.
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