Hiring checklist

What to settle before a requisition goes out, so the search starts on the right people.

Name the job plainly
Use the title people in that job search for, and one sentence on why the role exists now: growth, a replacement, or a project.
Separate must-haves from nice-to-haves
Keep the must-haves to the few without which the person cannot do the job on day one. Every extra must-have shrinks the pool; list the rest as nice-to-haves.
Set the pay range before the search
Agree the range and the benefits with whoever approves the hire. Maryland requires job postings to include the pay range and a general description of benefits, and several other states and cities have similar rules; check the rules where the job is.
Decide where and when the work happens
On site, hybrid or remote; the schedule; any travel; and the start date you need.
Choose how you will take the person on
Contract, contract-to-hire or direct hire. See the comparison in these resources.
Plan the interviews
Who interviews, in how many rounds, and what each round tests. Write the questions down so every candidate gets the same ones.
Name the decision-maker and the timeline
Who says yes, and by when. Good candidates often have other offers; a decision that waits a week can lose them.
Agree how you will give feedback
A short note after each interview, even a no, keeps the search moving and tells the recruiter what to look for next.

General guidance, not legal advice. Pay transparency and other hiring rules differ by state and city; check the rules where the job is.

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