Conduct a work-needs intake

A needs intake is neither a personality test nor an employment interview. Its purpose is to gather the minimum information needed to select a useful service. Explain the purpose first: “We will identify the next goal, what you know about opportunities and what can be evidenced, then agree on one step.” Ask permission to record specific points and explain how the team will use them. If the service has a retention policy, follow it rather than inventing a universal retention period.

Use four layers of questions without reading them as a rigid questionnaire. Begin with the goal: “What kind of work would you like to test over the next month?” Ask about context: “What tasks have you done, and what practical constraints should we consider?” Move to evidence: “Do you have a posting, work sample or example that shows this?” Finally ask about the decision: “Which next step would help now?” An open question lets the person describe their situation; a focused question checks a fact that changes the route. If someone says, “I am excellent with customers,” ask for a situation, their action and what happened. If they say, “Employers reject me because of my age,” ask what responses they have received and what is their inference. Neither dismiss the experience nor certify a cause you cannot establish.

Keep three types of information in separate fields: a documented fact, the person’s report and an interpretation to test. “I sent five applications in two weeks” may be a report; dated copies are evidence; “the resume caused the problem” is a hypothesis. That distinction changes the service. The roles might not have matched, the resume might have hidden relevant skills, or the sample might be too small to infer much. Do not turn an application count into a personal success rate when the quality of vacancies and market conditions are unknown.

Before choosing a tool, check whether it is accessible to the person. Recommending an online portal to someone without reliable connectivity may create a barrier rather than support. A printed posting, a visit to an employment center or a shared device may be more useful where available. A person changing occupations after a long break needs a different route from a recent graduate even if both say “I need a job.” Do not assume university education, language proficiency or work history merely because a familiar framework begins with graduates.

Reflective summary is a verification tool, not a courtesy phrase: “I heard that you want a remote support role, you have experience solving device problems at home, and we have not yet seen evidence of handling written tickets. Is that accurate?” Invite correction. If the person corrects “remote” to “hybrid,” the search plan must change. Ask permission before sharing the summary with a partner service. Close with a check: “What will you do, and what will I prepare?” If the person cannot restate the plan in their own words, it may not be clear.

Some signals change the service order: an urgent safety or housing need, a legal obstacle, or a request for clinical help. Do not prolong a skills interview to bypass the issue. Record the minimum necessary signal and follow the approved referral route, while continuing any appropriate employability task the person wants. A specialist does not promise employment or determine social-support eligibility simply by conducting intake. Quality shows in a reviewable record and a next step conditional on evidence, not in the number of questions asked.