1. Candidate sourcing queue
When to use it: Every time a new role opens and the hiring manager wants a shortlist this week.
Inputs: Approved role summary, must-have skills, target count, any sourcing targets (companies, schools, geographies).
Starting prompt:
You are a recruiter filling this role. Write three search strings I can paste into LinkedIn's search bar:
1. Tight - only people who clearly match
2. Wide - adjacent people worth a look
3. Different title - people who do this job but call it something else
Use AND, OR, NOT and quotes. After each string add one plain line on who it finds and who it misses. Then give me a Google version of the tight one using site:linkedin.com/in, and list 10 companies where people with this background usually work so I can search inside them.
The role: [paste the job description, or 3 lines about it]
Must-have skills: [the non-negotiables]
Location: [city, or remote]
Level: [junior / mid / senior]Expected output: Three ready-to-paste searches plus a target-company list.
Boundary: It writes the searches; it can't see LinkedIn results, so you run them and judge.
Ready-made: the Sourcing Agent runs this as a standing workflow with gates, free download.
2. Scorecard-based resume screening
When to use it: When 20+ applicants land and every screen needs to be defensible later.
Inputs: Your approved scorecard criteria, the applicant files or form responses.
Starting prompt:
You are screening resumes for the role below. For each resume I paste, give me:
1. Verdict in one line: strong yes, maybe, or no
2. Each must-have marked proven, partly proven, or not shown - with the exact resume line as proof
3. Red flags: gaps, job-hopping, titles that don't match the work described
4. Two questions to ask this person in a first call, based on what's weak or missing
If the resume doesn't say something, write "not in resume" - never guess. After the last resume, rank everyone in one table.
The role: [paste job description]
Must-haves: [list]
Deal-breakers: [list]
Resume 1: [paste the full text, then keep pasting the next ones]Expected output: Every applicant read the same way, quotes as evidence, a ranking at the end.
Boundary: It reads what's on the page; you verify anything that matters.
Ready-made: the Screening Agent runs this as a standing workflow with gates, free download.
3. Candidate follow-up sweep
When to use it: Every morning, so nobody goes cold between stages.
Inputs: Your tracking sheet with candidate, stage, last touch date and cadence rules.
Starting prompt:
Write two emails for this candidate.
Email 1 - the follow-up: they interviewed [X] days ago and have heard nothing. Warm, three sentences, says exactly when they'll hear and from whom. No "circling back".
Email 2 - the rejection: thank them for the specific time they gave, say no plainly in the first two sentences, no fake compliments, one honest line on why if I give you one, human close. Only offer to stay in touch if I say it's true.
Under 100 words each. Plain words. Never "we have decided to move forward with other candidates".
Candidate's first name: [..]
Role: [..]
How far they got: [stage]
Real reason, if shareable: [..]Expected output: Two send-ready emails nobody screenshots and mocks.
Boundary: You decide who hears what.
Ready-made: the Follow-up Agent runs this as a standing workflow with gates, free download.
4. Pipeline hygiene pass
When to use it: Before the Monday pipeline review, so stages reflect reality.
Inputs: Your pipeline sheet and the approved changes from the week (emails, notes, updates).
Starting prompt:
You are my recruiting coordinator. Here's my candidate tracking sheet. Find every row that's gone stale: no touch in [7] days, stage unchanged in [14], interview done but no decision recorded, or an offer out with no response in [3] days. For each, one line on what should happen next and who owns it. Then give me a clean version of the sheet with a next-step column filled, and a 3-line summary I can paste to the hiring team. Never change a stage yourself - propose, don't edit.
The sheet: [paste rows: candidate, role, stage, last touch, next step]Expected output: A stale-row list with next steps plus a cleaned sheet.
Boundary: It proposes; you decide what actually changes.
Ready-made: the Pipeline Agent runs this as a standing workflow with gates, free download.
5. Interview question packs
When to use it: When a new interview loop starts and each interviewer needs consistent questions.
Inputs: The role summary, your scorecard criteria, the seniority level.
Starting prompt:
Read this job description and build an interview kit. Pick the 5 things this person will actually spend their time doing (not buzzwords from the requirements list). For each one write:
- One "tell me about a time" question
- One practical question or small case
- What a strong answer sounds like vs a weak one, in 3 bullets each, specific enough that any interviewer can grade it
Then add 3 questions about how they work with a team, and warn me about common questions to avoid in [country]. Format it as one page I can print per interviewer.
Job description: [paste]
Interview length: [e.g. 45 minutes]
Level: [junior / mid / senior]Expected output: A printable kit with questions and a grading guide.
Boundary: You own what's legal and final in your hiring.
Ready-made: no agent for this one yet.
6. Offer letter prep
When to use it: When the decision is made and the offer needs to go out today.
Inputs: Approved compensation details, start date, your offer template.
Starting prompt:
Draft an offer letter for this candidate. Use our standard structure: role, start date, compensation broken down exactly as I give it, benefits one-liners, probation and notice terms, deadline to accept, and who signs. Add a warm 2-line intro that mentions something specific from their interviews. Plain language - no legalese beyond the terms I paste. Mark anything you had to leave blank as [CONFIRM] so legal can fill it. Never invent a number or a clause.
Candidate: [name, role]
Comp and terms: [paste exactly]
Nice moment from their interviews: [..]Expected output: A draft offer letter with blanks marked, nothing invented.
Boundary: Legal and you own the final terms.
Ready-made: no agent for this one yet.
7. Onboarding checklist generation
When to use it: The day a candidate accepts, before day-one chaos.
Inputs: Role, start date, your onboarding template or last hire’s checklist.
Starting prompt:
Build a 30-60-90 day onboarding plan for this new hire. Week 1: access, tools, intros (name the people by role), and one small first task. Days 30, 60, 90: what they should own by then, how we'll measure it, and one check-in question per milestone. Include a "who to ask for what" list. Format as a table I can paste into a doc and send before day one.
Role: [..]
Team: [..]
What success looks like at 90 days: [..]Expected output: A paste-ready 30-60-90 plan with owners and check-ins.
Boundary: You tailor it to the actual human arriving.
Ready-made: no agent for this one yet.
8. PTO and leave tracker tidy-up
When to use it: Monthly, or whenever the sheet stops matching reality.
Inputs: Your PTO sheet and the approved leave records.
Starting prompt:
You are an HR ops assistant. Audit this leave tracker: balances that look wrong (negative, over the accrual cap, carry-over mistakes), people who haven't taken leave in [6] months (burnout risk), upcoming weeks with too many overlapping absences in one team, and rows missing approval status. Return: a fixed tracker, a question list for entries you can't resolve, and 3 summary lines for team leads.
The tracker: [paste rows]
Our leave rules: [accrual rate, cap, carry-over rule]Expected output: A fixed tracker plus a short question list.
Boundary: It flags from the data; you check with people before acting.
Ready-made: no agent for this one yet.
9. Policy question digester
When to use it: Whenever the same policy questions keep landing in your inbox.
Inputs: Your current policy documents.
Starting prompt:
You are an HR assistant. Answer this employee question using only the policy text below. Quote the exact lines your answer relies on. If the policy doesn't cover it, say so plainly and list what to ask HR - never fill the gap with what sounds reasonable. Give the answer in 3 versions: one line, a short paragraph, and the quote-backed version.
The policy: [paste]
The question: [..]Expected output: An answer with the policy lines quoted, in 3 lengths.
Boundary: It reads the policy you paste; judgment calls stay with HR.
Ready-made: no agent for this one yet.
10. Exit interview themes
When to use it: Quarterly, when exit notes have piled up unread.
Inputs: Anonymized exit interview notes.
Starting prompt:
You are an HR analyst. Read these exit interview notes and pull out: the top 3 reasons people actually left (with a quote each), anything mentioned by more than one person, the one thing leavers praised (so we protect it), and 3 changes worth discussing - each tied to the evidence, not generic HR advice. Keep quotes verbatim, strip names. If the sample is too small to conclude, say so.
The notes: [paste all interviews, separated]Expected output: Real leaving reasons with quotes, not exit-survey fluff.
Boundary: It reads these notes; it can't hear what wasn't said.
Ready-made: no agent for this one yet.
Quick comparison
| Workflow | Effort | Cadence | Risk | Ready-made agent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Candidate sourcing queue | One paste per run | Weekly | Draft-first, review before use | Sourcing Agent |
| 2. Scorecard-based resume screening | One paste per run | Per event | Draft-first, review before use | Screening Agent |
| 3. Candidate follow-up sweep | One paste per run | Daily | Draft-first, review before use | Follow-up Agent |
| 4. Pipeline hygiene pass | One paste per run | Weekly | Draft-first, review before use | Pipeline Agent |
| 5. Interview question packs | One paste per run | Per event | Draft-first, review before use | none yet |
| 6. Offer letter prep | One paste per run | Daily | Draft-first, review before use | none yet |
| 7. Onboarding checklist generation | One paste per run | Daily | Draft-first, review before use | none yet |
| 8. PTO and leave tracker tidy-up | One paste per run | Monthly | Draft-first, review before use | none yet |
| 9. Policy question digester | One paste per run | Per event | Draft-first, review before use | none yet |
| 10. Exit interview themes | One paste per run | Quarterly | Draft-first, review before use | none yet |
Free download
Get the HR intake sheet (CSV) - the companion file for these workflows, with sample rows filled in.
Platform notes
Instinct is a third-party product (https://instinct.com). We are not affiliated with or endorsed by them. Capabilities and names verified 2026-09-13; re-check before relying on specifics. The prompts above are platform-agnostic - they work in any capable assistant.
Want the job done instead of prompted? Browse the recruiters agent menu or the AI agents for recruiters guide.
Questions people ask
Are these Instinct workflows free?
Yes - every item includes a starting prompt you can copy free. Matching free standing agents are linked where they exist.
Are you affiliated with Instinct?
No. AI Agent Skills is an independent store; Instinct is named only because these workflows run on it. Facts checked 13 September 2026.
Last updated 13 September 2026 · Reviewed by the AI Agent Skills team.