A candidate introduction handoff should let both sides begin a useful conversation without reconstructing the search. Send the hiring team the relevant evidence and agreed open questions; send the candidate clear context about the people and next step.
The handoff is coordination material, not a hidden assessment dossier.
Prepare the hiring-side summary
Include the role, why the experience appears relevant, the candidate’s actual contribution, and what still needs to be assessed. Link the agreed profile or résumé through the approved system.
Use evidence language. “Owned the integration design and can explain the release decisions” is more useful than “exceptional operator.” Do not copy private source notes, personal circumstances, or speculative judgments into the introduction.
Prepare the candidate-side summary
Explain who will join the conversation, what each person does, its purpose, and whether preparation is needed. Share the current role brief and any agreed practical information.
If an assessment is involved, describe the format and permitted tools in advance. Do not surprise someone with a technical test in a conversation presented as an introduction.
Assign the next action
| Handoff element | Owner |
|---|---|
| Introduction and agreed materials | Recruiting coordinator or introducer |
| Scheduling response | Named hiring-team contact |
| Role questions | Hiring manager |
| Candidate communication | Agreed point of contact |
| Missing information | The person able to resolve it |
One named communication owner helps prevent parallel, inconsistent messages.
State uncertainty explicitly
A handoff may include unresolved questions about scope or work arrangement. State them plainly and identify who will answer. Do not quietly convert an assumption into an agreed term.
Distinguish a candidate’s stated preference from the hiring team’s approved position. Both can be accurately represented without implying that a negotiation is complete.
Check that the handoff landed
Confirm that the intended recipient can access the materials and that the candidate knows what happens next. If the hiring team cannot proceed, communicate that promptly rather than leaving the introducer to guess.
Keep subsequent interview feedback in the appropriate system. Sharing a status update with a referral source does not require revealing the assessment discussion.
Use interest confirmation before sending and the candidate update cadence afterward. Discuss a coordinated hiring search with Refery.