If you have to talk to a recruiter, we may as well do what we can to make it productive, right? 😉 


These questions are intended to be conversation starters  – you don’t have to ask ALL of them, and you don’t have to ask them exactly as written. Find a style that works for you, and dig into the information that matters most! Finally – understand that not all recruiters will be able to answer ALL these questions – there may be confidentiality issues, or 3rd party recruiters who may not have direct access to the hiring authorities. Use your best judgement on how to proceed and who you move forward with.

Feel free to use these questions throughout the process to stay well informed and (hopefully) frustration free as you move through the stages of hiring!


How to Respond to a Cold Email!

Recruiters have a bad habit of sending bulk messaging asking for your resume. DON’T SEND IT. Now hear me out – rule #1 of submitting a resume is TARGETING it to the role you’re interested in! Watch this video first! Until you get the recruiter on a call or at least get more information, that’s hard to do. So – if you get one of those vague emails with little to no details, here’s a template you can modify to get more info – 


Thank you (Recruiter) for contacting me! I am open to hearing about new roles, and I would love to learn more about this opportunity. I know how important it is to target my resume to my next role, so I’d love to learn more about the position you have in mind. I am available for a call (share availability) – if none of those times work, please let me know when would be a good time for us to connect. I can be reached at (contact info). Looking forward to hearing from you!

A lot of recruiters will provide a Calendy link or similar so you can book time with them directly – this can be a great option, and you can use the questions below to kick off the conversation!

Another option, if you’re like me and have a VERY clear wishlist to pull you out of your current gig, is to send a message like this:

Hi (Recruiter), thanks for reaching out! I’m not currently looking to make a change, but for the right opportunity I’d be open to exploring. My next role would be doing (1-2 things that are important to you) and I’d be looking for total comp of $X. I would only consider local to me roles OR relocation to (areas). If you have a role that may fit, I’d love to hear more. Thanks, (you)

I send messages like this multiple times a week to recruiters contacting me. I rarely get responses, but that’s ok! I’m not looking so no harm/no foul – but it does allow me to control how (and for what) I want to be contacted!

First call / early outreach

  • What can you tell me about the role that’s NOT in the job description?
  • How does this team fit into the larger organization? 
  • What is the most important deliverable for the person who accepts this role?
  • What about my background stood out to you most?
  • Why is the role open? / How long has the role been open?
  • What can you tell me about the culture of the team/company?
  • What will the new hire accomplish in the first 90 days / 1 yr?
  • How large is the team?
  • Is this a newly created position or backfilling someone who’s left the role?

Process / timeline

  • How soon are you looking to fill the position?
  • What does the interview process look like?
  • When do you expect the hiring manager to make a decision / get back to you about my candidacy? 
  • Should we schedule time for a follow up call in a few days/week?


Other info / context needed

  • Is there anything else I can tell you about my background that would help illustrate my fit for the role?
  • (if moving forward) Do you have any advice for how I can prepare for (next step)?

If not this role/team/org

  • Do you work with any other companies / teams that could use someone with my skill set?
  • Do you think I could be a fit in the future for other roles? 
  • How should I follow up with you / expect you to follow up with me?
  • If I see a role at (company) that I meet the criteria for, should I contact you directly?