Regardless of how keen a candidate seems to take a role, recruiters must ask certain key questions to minimize the risk that they'll withdraw from the recruitment process, says coach Sophie Robertson.

Some recruiters never seem to have candidates change their mind about job offers, she notes, and this is because of their thoroughness in the interview process and their willingness to discount a candidate if they are not convinced about their intentions to move.

As recruiters increasingly use social media and non-traditional means to source passive candidates, they need to take extra care to assess candidates' motivation, and ensure they don't end up red-faced, having wasted both their own and their clients' time, she adds.

Robertson, the director of YouNique Coaching, says asking these questions during initial interviews will help clarify your candidates' intentions and what is important to them in moving:

1. Why do you want to leave your current job? "If they say they want more money, ask what they would do when facing an offer of more money to stay. Repeat the process with the other factors they seek, such as shorter hours, more flexible working arrangements, more training, more coaching, more mentoring, more responsibility, fewer staff etc."

2. Have you discussed this desire/dissatisfaction with your boss? "If not, why not? Or, what was the outcome?"

3. How is your boss going to react when you resign? "Will he/she offer more money (or other benefits) to entice you to stay?"

4. If your boss offers you more money, will you take it? "Advise your candidate that surveys have shown that if you're truly unhappy where you are, then money alone won't change anything, and most people leave within six months of accepting a counter offer."

5. What are your values? "See if the candidate's values correspond with your client company's values. For example, if a candidate has a strong social conscience and your client offers time off every month for community work, this will help you get the placement across the line as the candidate's job/life satisfaction will be enhanced by joining your client."

6. Why are you prepared to take a substantial drop in salary? (If this is the case.) "Work through with your candidate how much the drop means on a weekly basis. Ask if this represents any hardship to them; how will they replace those dollars if it does?"

7. What other jobs are you waiting to hear the outcome of? "How does this job compare with those?"

Always take into account whether the candidate applied to you, or you headhunted them, Robertson says. "Were they actually active in the job market; in other words were they shopping or even window shopping?

"While it's true that many candidates in a skills-short market aren't even looking [for a new role] and you have to spend your time searching for them in a resourceful way, it is also your duty to ensure that they really want to make a move and that you're not just looking for a quick fix and avoiding asking the tough questions.

"Your ability to assess the candidate's true motivation to move can be the difference between making the perfect match or a disaster for client and candidate. Attention in this area will pay off for you in the long run."