# Internal screening notes vs a client-facing candidate write-up

Internal screening notes support the recruiting team's work; a client-facing write-up should contain the relevant, reviewed information the client needs for the role.

Canonical source: https://recruitrecap.com/blog/internal-notes-vs-client-candidate-writeup
Author: Recruit Recap editorial team
Published: 2026-10-06T13:45:00+11:00

Internal screening notes support the recruiting team's work; a client-facing write-up should contain the relevant, reviewed information the client needs for the role. Create the client document deliberately rather than forwarding the internal note by default.

## Decide what the client needs to know

| Information | Internal record | Client write-up |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Role-relevant experience | Detailed source and follow-ups | Reviewed summary with useful evidence |
| Open requirement question | Owner and investigation notes | Material unresolved point stated clearly |
| Internal coordination | Team assignments and draft actions | Only relevant agreed next steps |
| Superseded detail | History under agency practices | Current value with correction if needed |

The distinction is about purpose and audience. It is not permission to hide a material limitation from the client.

## Keep uncertainty while removing clutter

Fictional internal note: “Need to ask whether reporting role included budget authority; check with candidate before tomorrow.” A suitable client-facing statement, if sharing is appropriate before resolution, is “Budget authority has not yet been established.” Removing the internal task should not remove the unknown itself.

Conversely, do not include unrelated personal detail merely because it was captured in a conversation. Review relevance and the agency's information-handling requirements before creating the external document.

## Treat the transformation as a review step

A custom template can organize content for a client audience, but it cannot determine every disclosure decision. A recruiter should inspect the output for unnecessary detail, unsupported conclusions, old values, and references that make sense only inside the agency.

Check attachments, document properties, comments, and visible text in whatever format the agency uses. The review should cover the final artifact the client will receive, not only the source text.

## Maintain the connection to evidence

Keep source references accessible in the approved internal workflow. That allows a recruiter to explain a statement or correct it later without exposing the entire conversation to every reader.

The [candidate submittal template](/blog/candidate-submittal-template) is a starting point for the external narrative. [Screening evidence fields](/blog/screening-notes-facts-inferences-unknowns) support the internal record. Recruit Recap's [submittal page](/solutions/candidate-submittals) describes recruiter review of custom write-ups; it should not be interpreted as a promise of automatic redaction, permission management, or approval of every generated document for external sharing.