LESSON 3 OF 6 · ADVANCED
Make handoffs measurable
A handoff needs an owner, required information and an acknowledgment. Define what happens if the receiving person does not respond. A task marked complete by the sender is not proof that the next team can act. Use the same principle between sourcing and screening, recruiting and hiring managers, and acceptance and onboarding.
Write a handoff checklist with a response expectation and escalation route.
About 2 minutes reading + 12 minutes practice. Take longer when needed.
Apply the method
Define a handoff as a request that the receiving owner can understand and acknowledge. Include role context, relevant evidence, agreed candidate expectations, open questions, the requested action and a deadline or review date. Establish what happens if the owner is unavailable or the request is incomplete. Use a consistent handoff format without making it longer than necessary. Track acceptance separately from the sender’s task completion. This principle applies between sourcing and recruiting, recruiting and hiring managers, and acceptance and onboarding.
A worked application
Fictional example: A recruiter forwards a résumé with no summary and marks the task done. The manager cannot tell what decision is needed. The repaired handoff states the role, three relevant evidence points, one unresolved qualification and the proposed interview decision date. The manager acknowledges it and requests one clarification. The record now shows a usable process rather than merely an email being sent.
Common mistake to avoid
Sending information is not proof that another team has accepted ownership or can act on it.
Work through the case
FICTIONAL SCENARIO
A manager receives a résumé with no role context or agreed next step. The handoff exists in email but not as a usable decision.
Make it practical
Write a handoff checklist with a response expectation and escalation route.
Compare your reasoning with a worked response
Include the role, candidate consent where needed, relevant evidence, outstanding questions and the owner’s acknowledgment.
Takeaway
Use the method to explain your decision, identify what you still need to verify and choose an accountable next step.
Treat the response as a model for reasoning, not the only possible wording. Adapt it to the role, evidence and appropriate organizational guidance.