Write candidate motivation notes using the reasons the candidate actually gives, the role conditions they prioritize, and the questions they still have. Avoid turning a polite expression of interest into a commitment to move or accept an offer.
Record the decision context
Motivation is useful when it helps the recruiter explain why this particular opportunity may warrant another conversation. Generic labels such as “hungry,” “passive,” or “not serious” obscure that decision.
| Prompt | Fictional evidence |
|---|---|
| What caught your attention? | Opportunity to own a customer onboarding process |
| What needs to be different? | Wants clearer responsibility for post-sale delivery |
| What would you need to learn? | Team structure and manager expectations |
| What is agreed now? | Interested in a first client conversation |
This supports interest in learning more. It does not establish that compensation, location, or an offer would be acceptable.
Keep frustrations in context
If a candidate describes a difficult situation, summarize the job-relevant issue without adding a diagnosis about the person or their employer. “Seeking clearer project ownership” may preserve the useful point. “Cannot handle ambiguity” introduces an unsupported evaluation.
Use direct quotation only when the exact wording matters and the source is available. Otherwise identify the text as a recruiter summary of the candidate's statement. Do not put polished paraphrases in quotation marks.
Translate motivation into the next conversation
Prepare questions the client can answer: who owns onboarding decisions, what success looks like, and which responsibilities the role carries. This makes the note useful to the next interviewer rather than merely persuasive.
If the client's actual role differs from the candidate's stated priorities, name the mismatch. A candidate may still choose to continue, but the recruiter should not quietly replace those priorities with the job advertisement's language.
Review wording before a submittal
Fictional draft: “Ready to leave immediately for a leadership role.” Supported rewrite: “Interested in discussing a role with clearer ownership of customer onboarding; timing and management responsibilities remain to be confirmed.” The rewrite leaves the client with a practical conversation to have.
Add this section to your candidate submittal template. For the broader distinction between evidence and interpretation, use the three-field screening method. Recruit Recap's custom write-ups can help organize the conversation, but a recruiter should confirm that the final summary preserves the candidate's actual meaning.