Claude for recruiting, from the intake call to the shortlist

Claude for recruiting works when each skill carries a recruiter's method, not a 1-line ask. These 6 Claude skills take a role from intake to shortlist: calibrate the search, rank who will move, write the first message, plan follow-ups, build the scorecard and write the submission. Install each SKILL.md once and Claude uses it.

6 skills, 1 role, intake to shortlist

1. Intake to search Turns intake notes or a JD into at most 4 must-haves, a title map, 8 to 12 feeder companies and 2 search strings.
2. Who's likely to move Scores a sourced list on 10 signals, such as a manager who left or 2 to 4 years without a promotion, so you message the likely movers first.
3. Candidate outreach Writes 3 versions of a 3-sentence first message under 75 words, each built on 1 fact from the profile.
4. Follow-up sequence Plans 4 touches on days 3, 7, 14 and 45, each carrying something new, plus scripts for the 4 most common replies.
5. Interview scorecard Builds knockouts, a behavioural question and 2 probes per must-have, and a 1 to 4 rubric with anchors written for the role.
6. Screen to submission Turns screening notes into a hiring-manager submission under 180 words, a counter-offer risk check, an ATS note and a candidate recap.

Copy the 6 skills

Each is a SKILL.md file. Save it in a folder with the skill's name, zip the folder and upload it under Skills in Claude's settings. Claude runs it when your request matches.

1. Intake to search

After every intake call, or when a search keeps returning the wrong people.

---
name: intake-to-search
description: Turns hiring-manager intake notes or a job description into a calibrated search. Use after every intake call, or when a search keeps returning the wrong people.
---

# Intake to search

## Input
Raw intake notes or a JD: [paste]. Company and size: [e.g. 120-person fintech].

## Method
1. **Must-haves.** Apply 1 test to every requirement: "Would the hiring manager reject an otherwise perfect candidate without this?" Keep at most 4. Everything else becomes a ranking factor, never a filter.
2. **Profile evidence.** Titles lie across company sizes. For each must-have, name what proves it on a profile: team size managed, quota or ARR, budget owned, named systems, regulated environment, certification.
3. **Title map.** Exact title, 5 adjacent titles, and the seniority translation by company size ("Head of" at 40 people often equals "Senior Manager" at 5,000).
4. **Feeder companies** (8 to 12), in this order:
   - direct competitors
   - companies 1 step up or down the supply chain, and vendors you use
   - companies acquired in the last 12 to 24 months (post-acquisition attrition)
   - companies with a recent reorg, layoff or leadership change in this function
5. **Timing filters.** Favour 18 months to 4 years in the current role. Deprioritise anyone promoted in the last 6 months. Note likely 1-year and 4-year vesting points for equity-heavy employers.
6. **Strings.**
   - LinkedIn boolean: titles OR'd in quotes, must-have terms AND'd, NOT for noise titles (intern, assistant, recruiter, sales for non-sales roles).
   - Google X-ray: site:linkedin.com/in ("title a" OR "title b") "must-have" "city" -intitle:jobs
   - The field's own platform where 1 exists: GitHub, Kaggle, Behance, Dribbble, Doximity, ResearchGate.
7. **Calibration.** Before sourcing at volume, pick 5 profiles: 2 ideal, 2 stretch, 1 deliberately wrong but close. Send them to the hiring manager within 48 hours. Their reactions rewrite the must-haves.

## Output
- Must-haves table: requirement | profile evidence | how to search it
- A 1-sentence brief, written as you'd say it to a colleague
- Title map and feeder list with 1 line of reasoning each
- Both strings, ready to paste
- The 3 questions to send the hiring manager now:
  1. The pay ceiling against market for this profile
  2. Which must-have they'd trade first
  3. Why the last hire or finalist for this seat didn't work

2. Who's likely to move

On every sourced list, before any outreach, so you contact the people who will reply first.

---
name: move-signals
description: Ranks a sourced list by how likely each person is to move now, so you contact the people who'll reply first. Use on every list before outreach.
---

# Who's likely to move

## Input
Profiles: [paste 10 to 50 profiles or a CSV export]. The role: [title, pay range, location, remote policy].

## Signals
| Signal | Effect | How to spot it |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Their manager or skip-level left in the last 6 months | Strong up | Manager's profile shows a new company |
| Company had a layoff, reorg or acquisition in the last 12 months | Strong up | News, WARN notices (US), a spike in past employees |
| 2 to 4 years in role with no promotion | Up | Dates on the profile |
| Near a 1-year or 4-year mark at an equity-heavy employer | Up just after the date | Start date |
| Recent certification, course or side project outside current scope | Up | Licences, Featured section, GitHub activity |
| Profile recently refreshed (new headline, new About) | Up | A headline that names a skill instead of the employer |
| Open to Work | Up, but competitive | Badge |
| Promoted in the last 6 months | Strong down | 2 titles at 1 company, recent date |
| Joined in the last 9 months | Down | Start date |
| Company just raised or is visibly growing their team | Down | News, careers page |

## Method
1. Score each person: sum the signals, strong = plus or minus 2, normal = plus or minus 1.
2. Check fit separately: a likely mover who misses a must-have is still a no.
3. Sort by fit first, then by move score.
4. For each of the top 10, write the line that opens the first message, built on the strongest signal. Name the situation without naming the bad news ("New leadership on your team usually means new priorities. Curious how that's landing.").

## Output
A table (name | fit | move score | top signal | opening line), then the 3 people to contact today and why.

3. Candidate outreach

For your top candidates on any search, with their profile and the role in hand.

---
name: candidate-outreach
description: Writes first messages to candidates that get replies, from a pasted profile and role. Use for your top candidates on any search.
---

# Candidate outreach

## Input
Profile: [paste LinkedIn text]. Role: [title, company type, location, pay range]. Why I think they fit: [1 line].

## Structure: 3 sentences
1. **Why them.** 1 specific fact from their profile (a project, a move, a result, a niche skill) linked to the role. Never their current title.
2. **The move.** The role in 1 sentence, leading with the thing that's rare for someone like them: scope, pay, remote, the team, the problem.
3. **The ask.** 1 question answerable in 5 seconds.
   - Passive candidates: "Worth a look, or bad timing?"
   - Open to work: "Free for 15 minutes Thursday?"

## Rules
- Under 75 words for email and InMail. Keep a LinkedIn connection note under 200 characters, the limit on free accounts.
- Include the pay range whenever you can. Strong candidates skip messages that hide it.
- Subject lines: 2 to 5 words, lowercase, read like a colleague wrote them. Example shape: "your [specific thing]".
- Banned: "I came across your profile", "exciting opportunity", "fast-paced", "rockstar", "I hope this finds you well", "quick chat", exclamation marks.
- Send in their local morning, Tuesday to Thursday.
- Tier your effort: hand-research the top 10. For the rest, write 1 custom first line on a shared body.

## Output
3 versions, each with a different hook:
- A: their work
- B: the career step this role represents for them
- C: a shared link (company, school, community), only if 1 is visible

Under each, name the fact it uses and the risk if that fact is out of date.

4. Follow-up sequence

Once per role, then reuse it for every candidate on that role.

---
name: follow-up-sequence
description: Plans candidate follow-ups where every touch adds something new, plus scripts for the common replies. Use once per role, then reuse for every candidate on it.
---

# Follow-up sequence

## Input
First message sent: [paste]. Role facts I can share: [pay range, hiring manager background, team size, what they'd own in 90 days, interview steps and length, why the seat is open].

## The rule
Every touch carries 1 new asset. Never mention that they didn't reply.

## Sequence
| Day | Channel | New asset |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 3 | Same channel as first | The detail with the most pull: usually pay, or what they'd own in the first 90 days |
| 7 | Switch channel (email to LinkedIn, or back) | The hiring manager: 1 line on their background and why people stay on their team |
| 14 | Either | Easy out plus a referral ask: "If it's not for you, who's the best person you've worked with in this?" |
| 45 | Original channel | Re-open with a material change: new pay band, new remote policy, the role went senior |

Each message is under 50 words.

## Reply scripts
- **"Not right now."** Ask when, and what would have to be true. Set a reminder for that date. Don't pitch.
- **"What's the salary?"** Give the range straight. If it's below their number, ask their number. Never argue it.
- **"Send me the JD."** Send 3 bullets on why it fits *them*, then attach the JD, then propose a time.
- **"I'm happy where I am."** Agree. Ask what would make them look in a year. Ask for 1 name.

## Banned
"bumping", "circling back", "just checking in", "following up on my last", "did you see my message".

5. Interview scorecard

Once per role, before the first interview, so every interviewer scores the same must-haves.

---
name: interview-scorecard
description: Builds a structured interview for a role: knockouts, evidence questions per must-have, a 1 to 4 rubric with anchors, and a debrief format. Use once per role before the first interview.
---

# Interview scorecard

## Input
Role and must-haves: [paste, ideally from intake-to-search]. Seniority: [level]. Interview length: [e.g. 30 min].

## 1. Knockouts (first 5 minutes)
Up to 4 yes/no questions that end the interview kindly if failed: work authorisation, location or on-site days, pay range, notice period, a licence the role legally needs.

## 2. Evidence questions
For each must-have, write:
- **1 behavioural question** that asks for a specific past example: "Tell me about the last time you...", never "How would you...".
- **2 probes** that get past rehearsed answers: "What did you personally do, versus the team?" and "What would you do differently now?"
- **1 technical or situational check** for skill must-haves, answerable in 3 minutes out loud.

## 3. Rubric, 1 to 4 per must-have (an even scale, so there is no safe middle score)
Write an anchor for each score in the role's own terms:
- **1:** no example, or only hypothetical.
- **2:** an example, but the candidate's own part is unclear or small.
- **3:** a clear personal example at the level this role needs.
- **4:** a clear example above this role's level, with a measured result.

## 4. Red flags to note, not score
Blames others for every failure · can't name a result with a number · answers a different question each time · talks only about the team.

## 5. Debrief format
Each interviewer submits scores **before** any discussion. Then: score per must-have, 1 quote of evidence per score, hire or no hire, and the 1 thing to test in the next round.

## Output
A 1-page interview guide in the order above, with timings that fit the interview length.

6. Screen to submission

Straight after every screening call, while the notes are fresh.

---
name: screen-to-submission
description: Turns screening-call notes into a hiring-manager submission, an ATS note, a candidate recap and a counter-offer risk check. Use straight after every screen.
---

# Screen to submission

## Input
Call notes or transcript: [paste]. Role and its must-haves: [paste].

## 1. Hiring-manager submission (under 180 words)
- **Headline:** 1 line on why this person, for this role, now.
- **Must-haves:** each 1 with the evidence from the call, in the candidate's own words where possible.
- **Motivation:** why they'd move. What they're running towards, not just away from.
- **Logistics:** current pay, expected pay, notice period, other processes and their stages.
- **1 honest risk** and how you'd manage it. Hiring managers trust a submission that names its gap.

## 2. Counter-offer risk check
Score low, medium or high from the notes:
- **High:** money is the only reason they gave; they haven't told anyone they're looking; they're in a key project or near a bonus or vesting date.
- **Lower:** a specific career reason the current employer can't fix (scope, manager, location, direction).
If medium or high, write the question to ask before submitting: "If your manager matched this tomorrow, what would you do, and why?"

## 3. ATS note (bullets)
Current role and scope · reason for moving · pay now and expected · notice · interview availability · other processes · next step and its date.

## 4. Candidate recap (under 80 words)
Thank them, restate the next step with a date, and say when they'll hear from you. Warm and direct, no filler.

## 5. Ask before submitting
List anything the hiring manager will ask that the notes don't answer.

Skill 1 ends with a 1-sentence brief. Paste that brief into The Cognitive and it searches ~900M public profiles for you. Start free trial · See how AI sourcing works

What each skill gives you, and what The Cognitive does with it

From skill 1's brief to a ranked list

A 1-sentence brief becomes filters, a search and a ranked list of people scored against it.

The intake skill ends with a brief you would say to a colleague. Type that same sentence into The Cognitive. It turns the brief into filters, searches, and reads each profile against your must-haves.

3 rules all 6 skills share

Put the pay range in. Keep every message short: 75 words for a first touch, 50 for a follow-up. Never write "just checking in"; every touch carries something new.

Run your desk from Claude

The Cognitive's MCP connector in Claude: 1 brief, 10 scored people, 2 shortlisted with emails.

Add the connector once: in Claude, open Settings, then Connectors, then Add custom connector, paste https://app.thecognitive.io/mcp and sign in. It sees what you see in the app, nothing more.

Got a role open now? Start the trial, then book 30 minutes with Sparsh, the founder. We run your first search together, live, and you keep every person we find. Start your free trial · Then book your 30 minutes

Keep reading

Talent sourcing strategy: 5 search traps · Recruiting email templates · What is full cycle recruiting? · Scorecard generator

Frequently asked questions

How do recruiters use Claude for recruiting?

Recruiters get the most from Claude on the thinking and writing work around a role: turning intake notes into a search, ranking a list, drafting outreach and follow-ups, building an interview scorecard and writing the submission. Claude does not search candidate databases on its own; add a connector and it can.

What is a Claude skill?

A Claude skill is a folder with a SKILL.md file: a name, a 1-line description of when to use it, and the method to follow. Claude reads the description and loads the skill only when your request matches, so the same 6 skills sit ready for every role.

How do I install these skills in Claude?

Save each file as SKILL.md inside a folder with the skill's name (intake-to-search, for example), zip the folder and upload it under Skills in Claude's settings. Then paste your notes or profiles and ask for the output, such as "turn this intake into a search".

Can I use these skills with the Claude connector for The Cognitive?

Yes. With the connector added, Claude can run the brief from the intake skill as a live search across ~900M public profiles, score the people it finds, shortlist them and reveal verified emails, all in the same chat.

Do these skills work as ChatGPT prompts for recruiters?

Yes. Each skill is plain text, so you can paste it into ChatGPT as your first message, or save it as a Project's instructions to reuse it. Claude is the better fit because it loads the right skill on its own.

Is it safe to paste candidate profiles into Claude?

Check your company's AI policy first. Remove contact details before pasting, use a business plan where you can, and never paste notes about health, family or other protected traits.

What is an intake call, and what should I ask in it?

An intake call is the meeting where a recruiter and the hiring manager agree what the role needs before any sourcing starts. Leave it with at most 4 must-haves, then ask 3 more questions: the pay ceiling against market, which must-have they would trade first, and why the last hire for the seat did not work.

What goes in a candidate scorecard?

Knockout questions, the must-haves, a behavioural question and 2 probes for each, and a rubric with a written anchor for every score. An even 1 to 4 scale removes the safe middle score. Each interviewer scores before the debrief, not during it.

How long should a candidate outreach message be?

Under 75 words for email and InMail, in 3 sentences: why them, the move, and a question answerable in 5 seconds. Follow-ups stay under 50 words and each carries something new, such as the pay range or the hiring manager's background.

What does the free trial of The Cognitive include?

100 sourcing credits and 2 AI interviews, with no credit card. A search costs 1 credit per candidate it returns, an email reveal 5 credits and a phone reveal 10, charged only when the reveal succeeds. AI Sourcing starts at $49/month and AI Interview at $99/month.

Explore: Talent sourcing strategy · AI hiring prompt library · How to source candidates · AI sourcing tool · Boolean search builder · The Cognitive MCP connector