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Job Inquiry Form Template

The best candidates don't always appear when you have an opening. A job inquiry form lets proactive talent introduce themselves on their timeline — so when a role opens up, you already have a shortlist. Stop starting every search from zero.

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Free for non-commercial projects, with unlimited forms and responses.

Last updated

The starting point

About this template

A job inquiry form is the careers page equivalent of leaving the door open. It acknowledges that great candidates don't always appear at the exact moment you have a job posting — and that companies that build talent pipelines proactively spend less time and money on every future hire.

More about this template

This template is designed for the candidate who's interested in your company but doesn't see an exact match in your current openings. It captures role interest, experience level, work arrangement preference, and availability — enough for a recruiter to quickly assess general fit and file the submission for future reference. A LinkedIn profile or portfolio link means a quick click tells you whether this person is worth a follow-up conversation without a formal application process.

formformform makes it easy to collect and organize these expressions of interest. All submissions are stored in your dashboard and searchable by any field. When a new opening comes up, you can review your inquiry pipeline before launching an external search — often finding a strong candidate who's already expressed interest and stayed warm.

9 fields to make your own5 required in this starting form

Make it fit your workflow.

Use your own copy to change labels, remove questions and add the details you need. Try the preview alongside this guide to see what respondents will be asked.

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The questions, explained

Fields in this template

Review the starting questions and choices. You can change them in your own copy.

  • Short answerRequired

    Full Name

    Jamie Torres

  • Email addressRequired

    Email Address

    jamie@example.com

  • Phone numberOptional

    Phone Number

    (555) 123-4567

  • Short answerRequired

    Role or Area of Interest

    e.g. Product Design, Backend Engineering, Sales

  • Single choiceRequired

    Experience Level

    4 choices
    • Entry level (0–2 years)
    • Mid-level (2–5 years)
    • Senior (5–10 years)
    • Lead / Principal (10+ years)
  • Short answerOptional

    LinkedIn Profile or Portfolio

    https://linkedin.com/in/jamie-torres

  • Single choiceOptional

    Preferred Work Arrangement

    4 choices
    • On-site
    • Hybrid
    • Remote
    • Flexible / Open to either
  • Single choiceOptional

    Availability

    4 choices
    • Immediately available
    • 2-week notice
    • 1-month notice
    • Longer — just exploring
  • Long answerRequired

    Tell Us About Yourself

    What do you do, what are you proud of, and what kind of opportunity are you looking for?

Where it fits

Who uses this template

Suggested uses, and why this starting point can help. Adapt the questions to your own process.

Growing startups building talent pipelines

Invites engineers, designers, and product managers to express interest in a fast-growing startup before specific headcount is approved.

HR and recruiting teams

Collect a consistent starting point for review, so the next conversation can focus on suitability and missing details rather than repeating basic questions. Review “Experience Level” in particular and adapt it to the detail you need.

Small businesses without dedicated job boards

Turn initial interest into information you can review. Use the answers to prepare a relevant follow-up and decide whether the opportunity fits your work. Review “LinkedIn Profile or Portfolio” in particular and adapt it to the detail you need.

Agencies with variable headcount needs

Get a useful brief before the first conversation. Written context helps you assess fit, prepare questions and decide what to discuss next. Review “Preferred Work Arrangement” in particular and adapt it to the detail you need.

Nonprofits with infrequent openings

Give people a straightforward way to get involved, while collecting the context needed to coordinate the work and follow up. Review “Availability” in particular and adapt it to the detail you need.

Consulting firms seeking specialized freelancers

Get a useful brief before the first conversation. Written context helps you assess fit, prepare questions and decide what to discuss next. Review “Tell Us About Yourself” in particular and adapt it to the detail you need.

Creative studios with project-based hiring

Lets copywriters, art directors, and strategists introduce themselves to an agency with project-based hiring needs throughout the year.

Companies in competitive talent markets

Turn initial interest into information you can review. Use the answers to prepare a relevant follow-up and decide whether the opportunity fits your work. Review “Experience Level” in particular and adapt it to the detail you need.

What's included

Role interest, experience level, and availability fields
LinkedIn profile or portfolio link for quick candidate review
Work arrangement preference for remote/hybrid/on-site fit
Open 'tell us about yourself' field for candidate personality
Instant notification to HR or hiring managers
Builds a passive talent pipeline for future openings
Embeds on your careers page alongside or instead of open roles
Unlimited submissions — build your candidate database continuously

How to create a job inquiry form

  1. 1

    Click 'Use this template' to open it in formformform with all fields pre-built.

  2. 2

    Update the intro paragraph to explain how you use these inquiries — 'We review all inquiries and reach out when a relevant role opens' sets honest expectations.

  3. 3

    Customize the experience level radio to match your seniority structure.

  4. 4

    Set the notification email to your recruiting team or hiring manager so inquiries land in the right place immediately.

  5. 5

    Optionally add a 'How did you hear about us?' dropdown to track candidate sourcing.

  6. 6

    Publish and embed on your careers page — place it below your open roles with a clear heading like 'Don't see the right fit? Introduce yourself.'

Best practices for your job inquiry form

Be honest about how you use inquiries

if you don't actively maintain a pipeline, say so. Don't promise follow-up you won't deliver.

Check your inquiry inbox before posting a new role

you may already have strong candidates who expressed interest.

Send a genuine auto-response

'We keep all submissions on file and reach out when something relevant opens' is much better than silence.

Ask about work arrangement early

remote/hybrid/on-site fit is often a deal-breaker. Collecting it upfront avoids a wasted discovery call.

Don't require a resume

this is an inquiry, not an application. A LinkedIn profile and a thoughtful 'tell us about yourself' response are enough to make a first-pass decision.

Review quarterly

set a calendar reminder to skim your inquiry inbox every quarter so warm candidates don't go cold in your database.

8 form ideas you can build with this template

Tech Startup Talent Pipeline Form

Invites engineers, designers, and product managers to express interest in a fast-growing startup before specific headcount is approved.

Creative Agency Open Application Form

Lets copywriters, art directors, and strategists introduce themselves to an agency with project-based hiring needs throughout the year.

Nonprofit Volunteer-to-Staff Pipeline Form

Captures interest from dedicated volunteers who want to transition into paid staff roles as organizational capacity grows.

Law Firm Associate Interest Form

Lets junior attorneys express interest in an associate position and describe their practice area focus before lateral openings are posted.

Restaurant Group Pre-Application Form

Collects FOH and BOH experience details from prospective staff so the manager has a bench when seasonal or sudden openings arise.

Consulting Firm Contractor Inquiry Form

Lets independent consultants describe their domain expertise and availability for project-based engagement before a relevant project begins scoping.

E-commerce Brand Freelancer Inquiry Form

Collects skill area, portfolio link, and hourly rate from freelance marketers, designers, and developers interested in project work.

School District Substitute Teacher Form

Builds a substitute teacher pipeline by collecting certification status, grade level preferences, and availability before specific vacancies arise.

Frequently asked questions

Is this job inquiry form free?

Yes, completely free. Collect unlimited candidate inquiries at no cost.

How is this different from a job application form?

A job application form is tied to a specific open role. A job inquiry form is open-ended — it's for candidates who want to introduce themselves regardless of current openings. It builds your passive talent pipeline.

Where should I put this form?

Place it on your careers page, below any open role listings. A clear heading like 'Don't see the right fit? Tell us about yourself' works well. You can also link to it from your LinkedIn company page.

Can I collect resumes or CVs through this form?

Resumes can attach directly, no link required. Add an Upload field in the editor and candidates can send a PDF, up to 2 MB — comfortably enough for a typical resume. This template also already includes a short text field for a LinkedIn profile or portfolio link, so candidates who'd rather point you somewhere than attach a file still can.

How do I organize candidate inquiries over time?

All submissions are stored in your dashboard with timestamps. You can export them as CSV to import into your ATS or build a simple candidate spreadsheet with role interest and availability noted.

What if I want to route design inquiries to one manager and engineering to another?

The simplest approach is to set the notification to a shared recruiting inbox and have your team route manually based on the role interest field. For automated routing, use the webhook feature to trigger a workflow tool.

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