Author: fhai

Read a resume or CV against your written must-haves, not against a general impression. For each must-have, look for evidence: a task, a result, a tool, a qualification, a period of time. Note questions to ask at interview, and score every candidate the same way. This guide shows what to look for, what to ignore and how to avoid common traps.

Before you open the first resume or CV

Decide what you are looking for. Write the must-haves and the nice-to-haves, as explained in must-haves vs nice-to-haves and how to write checkable job requirements. A good must-have can be checked on a document. “Has used a spreadsheet to build a monthly report” can be checked. “Passionate about data” cannot.

Set up a simple sheet: one row per candidate, one column per must-have, and a column for notes and interview questions. If you also work with a recruiter, share the sheet. For volume, see how to screen applications quickly.

Step 1: match each must-have to evidence

Go through the document with one must-have at a time. Highlight the text that supports it, and write a short note. If you cannot find evidence, mark it as not shown. This is different from not met: the person may have the skill but not have written it down. You can ask at the interview or in a short screening call.

Must-have	Evidence to look for	Note
Managed a budget	A budget amount or scope, what it covered, any result	Ask about the largest item
Used a specific tool	Tool name, what it was used for, how often	Ask for a task example
Worked with customers	Role, type of customers, volume, outcome	Ask about a hard case
Held a licence or qualification	Name, issuing body, status	Check the original if it is a legal need
Led or trained others	Number of people, outcome	Ask how they handled a problem

Our guide on screening resumes with must-haves and evidence goes deeper on this step, and shows how FastHire is designed to place each requirement next to the exact passage that supports it, so you see the evidence at once. FastHire is coming soon, and people make every decision.

Step 2: judge the quality of the evidence

Not all evidence has equal weight. Ask four questions about each example.

• Scope: how big was the task, team, budget or customer base?
• Role: did the person do it, lead it or only help?
• Result: what changed because of the work? Is there a measure?
• Recency: when did they do it, and are the tools or rules still the same?

A short, concrete example beats a long, vague one. “Cut the time to close the month from six days to four by changing the order of tasks” says more than “improved processes”. Be careful, though: people who are not used to writing about themselves may under-describe their work. Ask a question before you reject.

Step 3: read for patterns, not single lines

Look at the whole document. Does the person show steady growth in responsibility? Do they learn new tools? Do they stay long enough to see results of their work? These are useful signals, but they are not rules. A person who moved often may have worked on contracts. A person who stayed long may have had many roles inside one company.

Signs that are worth a question

• A skill is listed but no job mentions using it.
• A title is senior but the described tasks are junior, or the reverse.
• Dates that do not add up.
• A big claim with no scope.
• Very generic text that could fit any job.

Each of these is a prompt for a question, not proof of a problem. Use a short screening call or interview question to check.

What not to read into a resume or CV

Some features feel important but do not predict work, and some can cause unfair treatment. Set them aside.

Feature	Why to set it aside
Name, photo, address	Can reveal sex, ethnicity, age or background, and are not job-related
Age or graduation year	Age discrimination law can apply
Marital status, children	Not job-related, and can lead to unfair assumptions
Gaps in work history	Common and often for good reasons. Ask about them neutrally if it matters, or not at all
School name or brand	Weak link to ability, and can favour people with more money or connections
Design, fonts, layout	Tell you about the writer tools, not the work
Spelling errors	Matter only if accuracy in writing is a real requirement. Consider the writer first language and any disability such as dyslexia

The law differs by country, but the principle is shared. In the US, the EEOC lists prohibited practices. In the UK, see GOV.UK employing people and the Equality Act guidance. In the EU, see the equal treatment guide. For ideas on reducing bias in the screening step, read how to reduce bias in resume screening.

Step 4: prepare interview questions from what you saw

The resume or CV is a list of claims. The interview tests them. For each finalist, write two or three questions that come from the document.

• “You list a budget of X. What did it cover, and what was your part?”
• “The role description mentions a tool. Show me how you used it in one real task.”
• “There is a gap between these two jobs. Is there anything you want to tell me about that period?” Ask only if the gap matters for the job, and only in a neutral way.

Then use a structured interview, as in how to run structured interviews, so each person answers the same core questions.

Step 5: score and compare

Use a simple scale, such as zero for no evidence, one for weak, two for clear and three for strong. Score each must-have, add notes, and set a threshold for moving to the next stage. Keep the scale the same for all candidates. Where possible, ask a second person to score a sample, and compare. If your scores differ widely, talk about why and adjust the criteria.

Score	Meaning	Example
0	No evidence on the document	No mention of the tool
1	Weak or vague	Lists the tool with no detail
2	Clear evidence	Used the tool for a named task
3	Strong evidence	Used the tool for a task with scope and a result

Do not add up scores blindly. The total is a guide. Look at must-haves one by one, and discuss close cases. People decide, not the sheet.

Using tools and AI for screening

If a tool helps you read resumes or CVs, keep a person in charge. Check what the tool does, what data it uses, and whether it can explain its output. Some places have rules for automated hiring tools, such as New York City Local Law 144 and GDPR Article 22. FastHire is coming soon and is designed to show evidence, not to rank or reject people.

A one-page checklist

• Must-haves and nice-to-haves are written before screening.
• One sheet is used for all candidates.
• Evidence is noted for every must-have, with its source on the document.
• Questions are noted for each gap or unclear claim.
• Name, photo, age and similar details are set aside.
• A second person checks a sample of scores.
• Reasons for each decision are written in terms of the requirements.

Common mistakes

• Reading for style, so good writers win over good workers.
• Rejecting on one weak line when the rest is strong.
• Over-valuing brand-name employers and schools.
• Changing the criteria after you see the candidates.
• Making a decision in the first 10 seconds and then looking for reasons.
• Keeping no record of why you rejected a person.

Worked example (fictional)

A hiring manager needs an operations coordinator. The must-haves are: schedules for a team of ten, uses a spreadsheet for weekly reports, and deals with suppliers. Candidate A writes “excellent organiser” and lists two job titles. Candidate B writes “planned weekly rotas for nine staff, built a stock report in a spreadsheet each Friday, and agreed delivery dates with four suppliers”. The manager scores A at one on each, because no evidence is shown, and B at two or three. She still invites A to a short call, because the document might hide good experience. In the call, A gives clear examples, and moves on. The sheet shows how each decision was reached.

Reading resumes or CVs for different kinds of role

Early career candidates

People with little work history show their skills through study projects, volunteering, part-time work and personal projects. Look for the same evidence: what they did, how big it was, and what resulted. Do not penalise a lack of years of experience if the must-haves do not require it.

Career changers

A person moving from another field may have strong transferable skills, such as planning, writing, handling customers or analysing data. Map each must-have to the closest example, even if the job title differs. Ask how they learned the missing parts and how fast they can close the gap.

Senior candidates

For senior roles, look for scope, decisions and results over time. Ask about the biggest decision and what they would change. Be wary of credit for team results without a clear description of the personal role.

Technical roles

A list of tools tells you little by itself. Look for what was built or fixed, with what constraints, and for whom. A short work sample can check the skill more fairly than a long list of keywords. See work sample tests.

How to handle documents in different formats and countries

Resume and CV formats differ by country. In the US, a resume is usually one or two pages and leaves out personal details. In the UK and much of Europe, a CV can be longer and may include more background. In some countries, photos and dates of birth are common on a CV, even though they are not job-related. Treat them in the same way: set them aside. If you receive a document from another country, adjust your expectations on format, and focus on content.

Make it easy for all candidates to apply. If someone cannot send a standard document, offer another route. Our guide to accessible job applications gives ideas.

Keeping records of your screening

Keep your sheet, your notes and the reasons for each decision. If a candidate asks why they were not selected, or if a regulator asks about your process, you can show that you used job-related criteria. Keep the records for the period that applies in your country, then delete them. The article on how long to keep rejected applicant data explains this in more detail.

Frequently asked questions

How long should I spend on each resume or CV?

Enough to check each must-have against the evidence. With a clear sheet, this can take a few minutes. Longer reading is for finalists.

Should I reject a resume or CV with spelling mistakes?

Only if accurate writing is a real requirement of the job. Even then, consider that the person may write in a second language or have a condition such as dyslexia.

How should I treat a gap in employment?

Do not assume the worst. Ask a neutral question only if the dates matter for the job. Many people have gaps for care, study, health, redundancy or travel.

Is it fair to use a score?

Yes, if the criteria are job-related, applied equally and checked. A score supports a decision made by people. It does not replace it.

Related guides

• Hiring managers hub
• Screen resumes with must-haves and evidence
• Employer guides

This is general information, not legal advice.

A 30-60-90 day plan sets out what a new hire will learn, do and own in their first three months. Write it before day one, share it on the first day, and review it at each stage. It should have a few clear goals for each period, a way to check progress, and room for change. This guide gives you a template and examples.

What a 30-60-90 day plan is for

New hires often do not know what good looks like. A plan answers that question. It also helps you: it forces you to decide what matters before the person arrives. A plan lowers the chance of mixed messages and gives both sides a shared view of progress.

The plan does not replace the first 30 days onboarding, which covers paperwork, access and welcome tasks. The plan adds work goals on top. If your company runs a probation period, the plan is a natural base for the reviews described in how probation periods work.

Step 1: start from the role brief

Take the main outcomes from your role brief. What results should the person deliver in the first year? Work backwards: what must they have learned and done by day 90 to be on track? Then split the path into three stages.

Step 2: set the goals for each stage

Days 1 to 30: learn

The first month is about orientation. The person meets the team, learns the tools, understands the customers and the goals, and does small tasks with support. Goals should be about learning and early practice.

• Meet each member of the team and key partners, with a note of what each does.
• Learn the main tools and complete the access and safety steps.
• Shadow or review the main processes, and write a short summary in your own words.
• Complete a small first task with feedback.
• Agree how you and the manager will work together: how often to meet, how to ask for help.

Days 31 to 60: contribute

In the second month, the person starts to own small pieces of work. They need less guidance on routine tasks and more feedback on quality. Goals shift from learning to doing.

• Complete a defined set of tasks alone, with a quality check.
• Take part in team meetings and share one idea or question each week.
• Find one process problem and suggest a fix.
• Build a working relationship with one partner outside the team.
• Show progress against a simple measure, such as tasks done on time.

Days 61 to 90: own

In the third month, the person runs a defined area from start to finish. They deliver results, show judgment and begin to help others.

• Own a project or area with clear results and a date.
• Present results to the team or manager.
• Make one improvement and measure its effect.
• Write a short plan for months four to six.
• Give feedback on onboarding so the next hire has a better start.

Step 3: make each goal clear and checkable

A good goal passes four tests. It is specific. You can see whether it was met. It is within the person control. It has a date. Compare these examples.

Weak goal	Better goal
Learn the CRM.	By day 20, log and update ten customer records in the CRM with no errors found in a manager check.
Be proactive.	By day 60, bring two ideas to the team meeting, with a note of the expected effect.
Improve communication.	By day 45, send a weekly status update by Friday noon, and ask for feedback at day 60.
Take ownership.	By day 90, run the monthly report from start to finish, with delivery on the agreed date.

Step 4: add support, not only goals

A plan with goals but no support is a test, not a plan. For each stage, say what help the person will get: training, a buddy, a regular meeting, access to data, time away from other work. Ask what else they need.

Support	Who	When
Welcome and tool access	Manager and IT	Before day one
Buddy for questions	A teammate	First 60 days
Weekly one-to-one	Manager	Every week
Skills training	Manager or learning lead	As planned in the first month
Feedback on first outputs	Manager	Within 2 working days

Step 5: schedule the reviews

Book the reviews before day one. A 45 minute meeting at day 30, 60 and 90 works for most roles. Use the same questions each time so the new hire can prepare.

1. What went well in the last 30 days?
2. What was harder than expected?
3. Which goals did you meet, and which not? What got in the way?
4. What help do you need from me?
5. Should we change any goals for the next stage?

Take notes and share them. Notes protect both sides and make the final review simple. If the plan feeds a probation decision, keep the same notes for everyone in the same role.

Template you can copy

Section	Day 1-30 (Learn)	Day 31-60 (Contribute)	Day 61-90 (Own)
Goals (3-5 each)
How we will check
Support and training
Review date and notes

Examples for three roles (fictional)

Customer support agent

• Day 30: complete product training, handle common tickets with a buddy check, learn the escalation rules.
• Day 60: handle the full range of standard tickets alone, with a quality check on a sample.
• Day 90: lead one improvement, such as a new reply template, and show its effect.

Marketing coordinator

• Day 30: learn the brand guide and tools, edit and publish two posts with review.
• Day 60: plan and run a monthly email, report results.
• Day 90: own the content calendar for one channel and suggest next quarter themes.

Junior accountant

• Day 30: learn the system and close routine, post entries under review.
• Day 60: complete reconciliations for assigned accounts with a manager check.
• Day 90: run a month-end task area alone and document the steps.

Adjusting for different roles and levels

Senior people need less time to learn tools but more time to understand context and people. Start them with listening: meet stakeholders, review past decisions, and learn the history. Their day 90 goal might be a plan for the year, with early wins already delivered. Junior people need more practice and feedback. Their goals should focus on skills and quality.

For remote or hybrid people, add goals for connection: virtual coffees with colleagues, clear rules for response times, and regular video one-to-ones. Make sure equipment and access arrive before day one. For people with a disability or health need, agree adjustments early, and see reasonable adjustments in interviews for the thinking that also applies at work.

Fairness, privacy and legal points

• Use the same plan structure for everyone in the same role, so reviews are consistent.
• Keep notes factual and related to the work. Do not record health, family or other private matters unless needed and allowed.
• Treat the plan as personal data. Store it securely and limit access.
• If the plan is part of a probation process, follow the rules in your country. See the UK employer overview on GOV.UK and the US SBA guide to hiring.

Common mistakes

• Too many goals. Five per stage is the practical limit.
• Goals that depend on others, with no support.
• No review dates, so the plan fades after week two.
• Setting day 90 goals that need a year of experience.
• Never updating the plan, even when priorities change.
• Using the plan only to find fault, not to help.

Worked example of a review conversation (fictional)

At day 60, a manager and a new analyst meet. The analyst met two of three goals. The report goal slipped because the data was late, not because of the work. The manager asks what would help, and the analyst asks for earlier access to the data feed. The manager agrees to arrange it, and moves the report goal to day 75. They write the change in the plan, and note the agreed support. The analyst leaves with a clear next step, and the manager has a record of why the date moved.

How to write goals when the work is hard to measure

Some roles produce results that are hard to count in the first months. In that case, use quality, timeliness and feedback instead of volume. Ask: what would a good colleague notice? What would a customer notice? Turn those signs into goals.

• Quality: a named reviewer rates the work against a simple checklist.
• Timeliness: tasks are done by the agreed date in most cases.
• Feedback: two or three partners say in a short check-in that work with the person is easy and clear.
• Learning: the person can explain the process in their own words and teach it to a colleague.

Avoid goals that reward speed at the cost of care. A new person who rushes may make mistakes that cost more later. Make quality part of the goal.

The manager part of the plan

The plan is also a promise from you. Write three commitments of your own, and share them with the new hire.

1. I will hold a one-to-one every week for the first 90 days.
2. I will give feedback on your first outputs within two working days.
3. I will introduce you to the people you need, by the end of week two.

Keep these commitments. A manager who misses the first two meetings tells the new hire what matters, and it is hard to undo. If you must move a meeting, move it and say why. The first impression of your management is built in the first weeks.

Using the plan with a probation period

If your contract includes a probation period, link the plan to it. The goals become the evidence for the decision, and the review dates match. Use the same form for everyone in the same role. Check local law on what probation means in your country, as it differs in the US, UK and EU. Our guide to probation periods explains the differences.

What to do if the plan is not working

Plans fail for many reasons. Look at the cause before you judge the person.

Sign	Possible cause	Action
Goals missed repeatedly	Goals too hard or unclear	Rewrite the goals with the person
No questions asked	Person feels unsafe to ask	Set a weekly time for questions, and ask first
Work quality is uneven	Missing training	Add targeted training or a buddy
Slow progress on one area	Skill gap	Agree a development plan and a review date
Person seems disengaged	Role differs from what was described	Talk openly, check the role brief against the work

If problems remain after support, record what you tried and follow your local process. Do not wait until day 90 to raise a concern. Raise it when you see it, kindly and clearly.

Frequently asked questions

How long should a 30-60-90 day plan be?

One page is usually enough. List three to five goals for each stage, the support, and the review dates.

Should the new hire help write it?

Yes, from day one. The manager drafts it before they arrive, and the person suggests changes after learning more. This builds ownership.

What if the new hire is ahead of plan?

Raise the goals or bring forward the next stage. Keep the aim of steady, sound progress.

What if the new hire is behind plan?

Find the cause. It may be unclear goals, lack of support or a skill gap. Fix what you can, then review again soon.

Related guides

• Hiring managers hub
• Onboarding in the first 30 days
• Employer guides

This is general information, not legal advice.

A headcount business case is a short document that asks for approval to hire. It states the problem, compares the options, costs the preferred option, shows the benefit and the risks, and asks for a clear decision. One page is often enough. This guide gives you the structure, the numbers to collect and a template to copy.

Why a business case helps

Approvers must compare many requests with a limited budget. A request that says “we are busy, we need another person” gives them little to work with. A request that shows the problem, the cost of leaving it, the options and the plan makes the decision easier. It also helps you think. Sometimes the case shows that a different fix is better, and that is a good result.

Step 1: state the problem in numbers you can check

Describe what is going wrong, who it affects, and how you know. Use data from your own systems: hours of overtime, tickets waiting, late orders, lost sales, missed deadlines, customer complaints, time spent on tasks that someone else could do. Keep to figures you can show.

Weak statement	Better statement
The team is overloaded.	The team logged overtime on most weeks of the last quarter, and a backlog of requests grew each month. Here is the log.
We lose customers.	We lost three accounts last quarter after slow response, according to exit notes in the customer system.
We need a specialist.	Two projects are on hold because no one on the team can do the data work. The projects are worth the amounts in the plan.

If you do not have data, collect two weeks of it before you ask. A simple tally of tasks and hours is enough to start. If you use a number from outside your company, link to a trustworthy source, such as the US Bureau of Labor Statistics or the Eurostat labour market pages.

Step 2: list the options

Approvers will ask: why not do it another way? Answer the question before it is asked.

Option	What it means	Main strength	Main weakness
Do nothing	Accept the current state	No cost	The problem continues or grows
Change the process	Remove or automate low-value tasks	Low cost, fast	May not be enough
Move work inside the company	Share the work with other teams	Uses existing people	Pulls capacity from other work
Use a contractor or agency	Buy capacity for a fixed time	Flexible	Higher hourly cost, less lasting knowledge
Hire an employee	Add a permanent role	Lasting capacity	Higher fixed cost, time to hire

If you consider a contractor, read employee or contractor first, because the label does not decide the legal status.

Step 3: cost the preferred option

Cost the full role, not only the salary. The cost to hire an employee guide gives the list. A simple structure helps.

Cost line	How to estimate	Source
Base pay	Midpoint of the range for the role and level	Your pay framework, official wage data
Employer taxes and contributions	Use the rate for your country and region	Tax authority or payroll provider
Benefits	Use the actual plan cost per person	Benefits provider
Tools and equipment	Quote from IT or suppliers	Internal quote
Search cost	Ad costs, recruiter fee if any, interviewer time	Your records
Onboarding and training	Manager and team time in the first months	Your estimate, with the method stated
Ramp-up	Period when output is below full level	Estimate, shown as a range

For official compensation data in the US, the BLS publishes employer cost information at bls.gov/ecec. In the UK, see GOV.UK employing people for employer duties, and in the EU use national tax authorities and Eurostat. If you are not sure of a figure, give a range and say what it depends on.

Step 4: show the benefit

Link the benefit to the problem in step 1. If the problem was overtime, show the overtime removed. If it was lost sales, show the sales you expect to protect and your reasoning. Use ranges, not single numbers, and state the assumptions. Where you cannot give a number, describe the benefit in words and say how you will know it has happened.

• Direct benefit: hours saved, work completed, revenue protected or added.
• Indirect benefit: lower risk, better quality, less stress on the team, faster response.
• Time to benefit: when will the effect be visible, given the hiring time and ramp-up?

Be careful with claims. Do not promise that one hire will double output or solve every issue. Approvers trust a modest, well-argued case more than a bold one.

Step 5: name the risks

Risk	How likely and how bad	What you will do
The hire takes longer than planned	Likely if the market is tight	Start early, agree interview dates up front
The person does not fit	Possible	Use structured interviews and a probation plan
Demand falls	Possible	Review at six months, consider a fixed-term or flexible contract if the law allows it
Budget changes	Possible	Phase the start date, agree a check point

Naming risks does not weaken the case. It shows you have thought about what could go wrong.

Step 6: set success measures and a review date

Say how you will know the hire worked. Pick two or three measures from your problem statement, and set a target and a date. For example: backlog reduced to an agreed level by month six, overtime back to normal, or a project delivered by a set date. Add a review at 90 days and at six months.

Step 7: ask for a clear decision

End with a request that can be answered with yes, no or not yet: “I ask for approval to hire one analyst at the pay range shown, with a target start date of X, for the budget shown.” State what you will do next if the answer is yes, and what you will do if it is no.

One-page template you can copy

Section	What to write
1. Title and owner	Role, team, who is asking, date
2. Problem	What is wrong, who it affects, the evidence (three to five lines)
3. Options considered	Do nothing, process change, internal move, contractor, hire (one line each)
4. Recommendation	Which option and why
5. Cost	Table of cost lines, with a total range
6. Benefit	Expected results, assumptions, time to benefit
7. Risks and plan	Top three risks and responses
8. Success measures	Two or three measures, targets, review dates
9. Decision requested	The exact approval and the date needed

Tips for a case that gets approved

• Use plain words. Short sentences. No jargon.
• Put the ask and the one-line reason at the top.
• Show the cost of waiting.
• Offer a smaller first step if the full request is large, such as a fixed-term role or a part-time start.
• Talk to the approver before you send it, so nothing is a surprise.
• Keep a copy of the case. It becomes the brief for the role.

Once approved, turn the case into a role brief and work with HR on the plan, as described in how to work with HR on a hiring plan.

Worked example (fictional)

A support lead at a software company logs that the team answered most tickets within a day last year, but in the last two quarters the median time grew and two large customers complained. The team worked extra hours in most weeks. The lead lists options: change the ticket form to cut repeat questions, share work with the onboarding team, use a temporary agency, or hire a support agent. The ticket form change would cut a part of the volume, so the lead recommends doing that first and hiring one agent. The cost table shows the pay range, taxes, benefits, tools, search and onboarding. The lead sets two measures: response time back to the earlier level by month six, and no regular overtime. The finance lead approves the hire with a review at 90 days.

How to answer the questions approvers ask

Expect questions. Prepare short answers before the meeting.

Likely question	A good short answer
Why now?	Here is what the delay costs each month, with the evidence.
Why not a contractor?	A contractor costs more per hour and leaves with the knowledge. We use one for peaks only.
What if we cannot hire fast enough?	We have dates for interviews booked and a fallback plan using temporary help.
How will we know it worked?	Two measures, with targets and a review at 90 days and six months.
What if the work disappears?	We review at six months and have the contract terms checked against local law.

Phasing the request when the budget is tight

If the full request is too large, offer a staged plan. Stage one might be a process fix and a fixed-term role. Stage two might be a permanent role once the measures are met. A staged plan lowers the risk for the approver and gives you a reason to come back with data. Be honest about what stage one can and cannot do.

Linking the case to fairness and compliance

Your case will lead to a job description and a hiring process. Build in fairness from the start. Write requirements that relate to the work, set a pay range that fits your pay structure, and plan an open process. This avoids rework later, and protects the company. The fair hiring hub lists the guides for each country.

What to do after approval

1. Thank the approver and confirm the decision in writing, with the budget and the target start date.
2. Turn the case into a role brief and a list of must-haves.
3. Book the interview dates and the panel.
4. Agree the pay range and the ad with HR.
5. Set a date to review progress after 30 days of searching.
6. Save the case. At 90 days and six months, compare the results with the measures.

At the review, be honest. If the benefit is smaller than planned, say so and explain what you learned. A track record of honest reviews makes your next request easier to approve.

Mistakes to avoid

• Asking for a job title instead of solving a problem.
• Using one big number with no range or assumptions.
• Leaving out the cost of onboarding and ramp-up.
• Skipping the options, so the approver suggests one you did not consider.
• Promising results that one person cannot deliver.
• Forgetting to set a review date, so no one checks if the hire worked.

Read your case aloud before you send it. If a sentence sounds like a slogan, replace it with a fact. If a number has no source or method, add one or remove it. A calm, honest case is the easiest one to approve, and it helps the hiring process that follows.

Frequently asked questions

How long should a headcount business case be?

One page is often enough, with a short appendix for the numbers. Longer is fine for a large request, but start with a one-paragraph summary.

What if I do not have data?

Collect a few weeks of simple data before you ask, such as tasks, hours and delays. Even rough numbers with a stated method are better than none.

Should I include the cost of search and onboarding?

Yes. They are real costs, and approvers know it. Leaving them out can damage trust later.

What if the request is declined?

Ask what would change the answer, and agree a smaller step or a date to ask again. Keep the case up to date.

Related guides

• Hiring managers hub
• How to write a role brief
• Employer guides

This is general information, not legal advice.

The best hiring plans split the work clearly: the hiring manager owns the need, the criteria and the decision, and HR owns the process, the legal checks, the pay framework and the candidate record. Agree these roles, the headcount, the approvals and the timeline in the first meeting, write them down, and review progress every week. This guide shows how.

Why the hiring manager and HR clash

Most friction comes from unclear roles. The manager thinks HR is slow. HR thinks the manager skips steps. Both are partly right. A manager wants a person quickly. HR wants a fair, legal, consistent process that can be defended later. Neither goal is wrong, and a shared plan can meet both.

In a small company there may be no HR team. If that is your case, use this guide to split the work between the manager, an owner and any outside adviser, and read how to hire without HR.

Step 1: agree the need before you ask for headcount

Start with the problem, not the job title. What work is not getting done? What does it cost? What would change if it were done? HR can help test the answer. They may know of existing staff with spare capacity, of contractors, or of a different job design that solves the same problem.

Bring a short headcount business case to the meeting. It should cover the problem, the options, the cost, the benefit and the risks. A clear case speeds up approval.

Step 2: set roles with a RACI table

RACI stands for responsible, accountable, consulted and informed. Write the names next to each step so that nothing falls between two people.

Step	Hiring manager	HR	Finance	Candidate-facing team
Confirm need and budget	A	C	R	I
Set pay range	C	A/R	C	I
Write role brief and must-haves	A/R	C	I	I
Write and post the ad	C	A/R	I	I
Screen applications	A	R (process)	I	R
Interviews and scoring	A/R	C (training, process)	I	R
Reference and background checks	C	A/R	I	I
Offer and contract	A	R	C	I
Onboarding plan	A/R	R	I	R

Adapt the names to your company. In some firms recruiters sit inside HR. In others they work in a separate team. The idea is the same: one person is accountable for each step, and everyone knows who that is.

Step 3: agree pay, level and approvals

HR usually holds the pay framework and the approval path. Ask before you talk to any candidate: what is the pay range for this level? Who must approve an offer above the middle of the range? What documents does finance need? How long does each approval take?

Our guide to setting a fair salary shows how to build a range. If you plan to post the range, check the rules in salary in job ads.

Step 4: write the brief and the ad together

The manager knows the work, and HR knows the language and the legal limits. Write the role brief together, then the ad. HR can check that requirements are job-related, that the wording is neutral, and that the ad includes required statements. The manager can check that the requirements match the real work. See also how to write checkable job requirements.

Step 5: build the timeline together

A realistic timeline protects the relationship. Work backwards from the date you need the person, and add the time for notice periods, checks and onboarding.

Stage	Typical owner	Time to plan for
Headcount approval	Manager and finance	Agree in advance
Brief and ad ready	Manager and HR	A few days
Application window	HR	1 to 3 weeks, set in advance
Screening	Manager and HR	Within days of closing
Interviews	Manager	Set dates before you post
Decision and offer	Manager and HR	Within days of last interview
Checks and notice	HR and candidate	Depends on the country and the notice period

Read how long hiring takes for a fuller view. Block the interview dates in diaries before you post the ad. It is the single best way to cut delay.

Step 6: share one tracker

Use one spreadsheet or tool that both sides can see. Keep it simple: one row per candidate, with the stage, the date of the last action, the next action and the owner. Update it daily. Do not keep a private list.

• Candidate name or ID
• Source
• Stage
• Date of last action
• Next action and owner
• Decision and reason (short, linked to the requirements)

A shared tracker makes the weekly check-in short. It also gives you the data to improve the next hire. Our hiring dashboard spreadsheet is a good starting point.

Step 7: run a weekly check-in

Hold a 20 minute meeting once a week while the role is open. Use the same agenda each time.

1. Where are we against the timeline?
2. Which candidates need a decision this week?
3. What is blocked, and who can unblock it?
4. Do the scores show a pattern, such as strong candidates dropping out at one stage?
5. What do we change for next week?

What each side should expect from the other

What HR should expect from the manager

• A clear need, with the budget and approval in hand.
• Timely feedback on candidates, within one or two working days.
• Use of the agreed process, including the same questions and scoring for everyone.
• Written reasons for each decision, tied to the requirements.
• No promises to candidates about pay, title or start date before approval.

What the manager should expect from HR

• A named contact and a stated response time.
• Clear guidance on pay, legal limits and policy, in plain words.
• Quick checks and clear steps for offers.
• Training for interviewers when needed.
• A good candidate experience, with updates and a respectful rejection message.

Legal and fairness checks that HR will raise

Expect HR to raise points that protect both the company and the candidates. Treat these as part of good hiring, not as obstacles.

• Job requirements must relate to the work. See the EEOC guidance on prohibited practices for the US, and GOV.UK employing people for the UK.
• Questions in interviews must avoid protected topics. Our interview questions you cannot ask guide lists them.
• Candidate data must be handled with care. See GDPR for job applicants.
• Reasonable adjustments must be offered when needed. See reasonable adjustments in interviews.

Common problems and fixes

Problem	Likely cause	Fix
Role posted late	Approvals started after the need was urgent	Start the case early, agree approvals in advance
Offer rejected on pay	Range not agreed before the process	Agree the range and the approval path in step 3
Candidates drop out	Slow updates	Set a response time and use templates
Manager skips HR steps	Pressure to move fast	Make the steps short and agree which can run in parallel
HR becomes the bottleneck	Too many tasks sit with one person	Review the RACI table and move tasks to the right owner

Worked example (fictional)

A product manager needs a new analyst by the start of the next quarter. In the first meeting with HR, she brings the business case, the pay range from the framework, and a list of three dates she can interview. HR confirms the approval path, which needs two signatures, and starts it that day. They write the brief together, and HR flags that one requirement, a degree, is not needed for the work. The manager changes it to a list of skills she can check on a resume or CV. They agree a two-week application window, use a shared tracker and meet each Monday for 20 minutes. The offer goes out on time, and the new analyst starts with a plan for the first 30 days.

How to brief HR on a role so they can help

HR can do much more when the brief is clear. Bring a one-page summary to the first meeting. It should answer the questions below in plain sentences, not in jargon.

• What problem does this role solve, and how will we know it is solved?
• What are the three to five things the person must be able to do on day one?
• What can we teach, and how long will it take?
• What is the budget, and who has approved it?
• When do we need the person, and what is the latest date that still works?
• Which team members will take part in interviews, and when are they free?
• Is there an internal candidate, and how will we treat that person fairly?

If you cannot answer one of these, say so. HR can help you find the answer, but they cannot guess it. A clear gap in the first meeting is better than a surprise in week four.

Handling disagreements about the process

Disagreements are normal. A manager may want to skip a step to save time. HR may want to add a step to reduce risk. Settle these with three questions. What is the risk of skipping or adding this step? Who bears the cost if it goes wrong? Is there a lighter way to get the same protection? For example, a long background check might be replaced by a short, targeted one for a low-risk role, if policy and law allow it.

Write down the decision and the reason. Over time, these notes become your own playbook, and the same argument does not return for every hire.

Working with HR when hiring across countries

If the hire is in another country, HR often needs more time. Rules on contracts, notice, right to work and data differ by country. Raise this in the first meeting, and read how to hire in another country and how to check the right to work. Ask HR whether you need a local entity, an employer of record or a local adviser, and add the extra time to the plan.

A one-page hiring plan template

Item	Details to fill in
Role and level
Reason for hire and expected result
Budget and pay range
Approvers and dates
Hiring manager and HR contact
Interview panel and dates
Source plan (channels)
Start date target
Risks and fallback plan

Keep this plan in the shared tracker and update it as things change. At the end of the hire, review it. What took longer than planned? What did HR do that saved time? What would you change? These notes make the next plan better.

Keeping candidates informed

While you and HR plan, the candidate waits. Agree who sends updates, how often and in what words. A short message every few days, even when there is no news, keeps good candidates from leaving. Use templates for the common cases: application received, moving to interview, decision delayed, and rejection with thanks. The candidate update email cadence guide shows a simple schedule, and the rejection email guide shows kind wording.

Frequently asked questions

What if my company has no HR team?

Split the roles between the manager, an owner or office lead, and an outside adviser for legal and payroll questions. Write down who does what.

How early should I contact HR?

As soon as you think you may need a new person. Early talks let HR check budget, approvals and options before the clock starts.

Who makes the final hiring decision?

The hiring manager makes the decision, using the agreed criteria. HR checks the process and the legal side, and the pay framework.

What if HR and I disagree about a candidate?

Return to the written requirements and the scores. If the disagreement remains, involve a senior leader and record the reason for the final decision.

Related guides

• Hiring managers hub
• Recruiter kickoff meeting
• Employer guides

This is general information, not legal advice.

Promote from within when you have a person who meets the must-have requirements today, or can meet them with a short, defined plan, and when the role does not need skills the team lacks. Hire from outside when the gap is large, when you need a new skill or view, or when no one inside can do the job in a reasonable time. Either way, use the same criteria and the same steps for every candidate.

Why this decision is harder than it looks

Internal promotion feels safe because you know the person. External hiring feels fresh because you do not know the flaws yet. Both feelings are biased. You see the daily work of an internal candidate but not their potential at the next level. You see the interview answers of an external candidate but not their work in your setting. A good process lowers the weight of both feelings and raises the weight of evidence.

Step 1: define the role at the next level

A promotion is not a reward for the last job. It is a hire into a different job. Start with a clear role brief, and write the must-haves and nice-to-haves for the new role. Ask: what will this person do in the first six months that they do not do now? What decisions will they make? Who will they manage or influence?

Step 2: list the candidates and the evidence

Make a short list of internal candidates and a plan to find external ones. For each internal candidate, collect evidence against each requirement. For each external candidate, you will collect the same evidence through resumes or CVs, interviews and work samples.

Requirement	Evidence from internal work	Evidence from external process
Leads a small team	Led a project team, feedback from members	Examples from past roles, references
Plans a budget	Managed a project budget	Described a past budget, case exercise
Handles clients	Client emails, call notes	References, role play
Learns fast	Time to master recent tools	Examples in interview

Step 3: use the same process

Internal candidates should not skip the interview because you know them, and external candidates should not face extra hurdles. The same questions, the same scorecard and the same panel make the comparison fair. Our structured interview guide and interview scorecard give you the tools.

Be careful with prior knowledge. If you manage an internal candidate, you may hold opinions that are not based on the requirements. Ask another panel member, ideally from a different team, to score the candidate as well, and compare the scores.

Step 4: weigh the trade-offs

Factor	Favours internal when	Favours external when
Skills	The person has or can quickly gain the key skills	The key skills are missing inside
Time	You need someone in place soon	You can wait for a search
Culture and context	Deep knowledge of the product and customers matters most	A fresh view is needed to change direction
Team morale	Growth paths are important to the team	The team has been through many promotions already
Cost	You can fill the vacant role cheaply	The backfill cost is high or the gap is large
Risk	Performance is proven	The role is new and needs a different profile

No single factor decides. Score each factor from one to five for each option, and discuss the gaps. Avoid the trap of picking the option you already prefer and then finding reasons.

Step 5: count the full cost

A promotion leaves a vacancy. If you promote an analyst to manager, you still need an analyst. The cost of the promotion includes the backfill search, the training of the new person and the time the promoted person needs to learn the new role. An external hire costs search time, onboarding time and a learning period. Our guide on the cost to hire an employee covers the main items, and the cost of a bad hire shows what happens if the choice goes wrong.

Step 6: communicate with care

How you tell people matters. Internal candidates who miss out can feel hurt, and their reaction affects the team.

• Tell internal candidates early that the role is open and how the process works.
• Interview every internal applicant who meets the basic requirements. A courtesy interview with no real chance is unfair.
• Give written, specific feedback to those who do not get the job, with a development path.
• Announce the result to the team with a clear reason that links to the criteria.
• Support the person who gets the job with a plan for the first 90 days.

Fairness checks

Internal hiring can hide bias. Watch for these patterns.

• Only people in your own team get the chance to apply.
• The job is promised to someone before the process starts.
• Part-time staff, remote staff or people on leave never hear about the opening.
• Criteria are rewritten to suit the preferred person.
• Women, minority staff or older staff are passed over without clear reasons.

Discrimination law applies to promotions as well as to hiring. In the US, see the EEOC page on prohibited employment practices. In the UK, see GOV.UK employing people and the Acas recruitment guidance. In the EU, national equal treatment law applies, as in our EU equal treatment guide. Post internal vacancies where all eligible staff can see them.

A decision table you can copy

Question	Internal candidate	External option
Meets all must-haves today?
Can meet them within an agreed plan?
Time to productive in the role
Cost including backfill
Risk if it goes wrong
Effect on team

When a hybrid works

You can run the process in parallel: open the role to internal and external candidates, score everyone on the same scorecard, and choose the best fit. Or you can promote someone into a stretch role with a clear plan and a review date, and hire externally to cover the gap. Both options need honest talk with the person and a written plan.

Worked example (fictional)

A team lead leaves a customer support team of eight. The manager has two internal candidates: a senior agent who is liked by the team, and a quieter agent with strong quality scores. The manager writes the must-haves: coaching skills, planning shifts, handling escalations, and basic reporting. Both internal candidates and three external applicants complete the same structured interview and a shift planning exercise. The quiet agent scores highest on planning and reporting, the senior agent on coaching. The panel picks the senior agent with a development plan for planning skills, and gives the quiet agent written feedback and a stretch project. The team sees that the process was fair, and the manager has a record of the reasons.

How to assess potential, not only past results

Promotion decisions often rest on past results in the current job. The next job is different, so ask what evidence shows that the person can do the new work. Look for signs such as taking on tasks beyond the role, learning new tools fast, helping others succeed, and making sound choices under pressure. Use the potential-based interview guide to turn these signs into questions.

Be careful not to confuse confidence with ability. A person who speaks well in meetings is not always the best person to lead. A quieter person may do careful, steady work that suits the new role. Score each person against the written requirements, and ask for examples.

What to do when an internal candidate is close but not ready

Sometimes the person is almost there. You have three choices.

1. Promote with a plan. Write two or three goals, a mentor, a review date at 90 days, and clear support. Only choose this if the gaps are not safety or legal risks.
2. Offer a stretch role or an acting role for a fixed time, with a review. Make it clear in writing that it is temporary.
3. Say not yet. Give a clear development plan and a date to reconsider. Make sure it is honest and that you follow through.

Whichever you choose, write down the reasons in terms of the requirements. Vague reasons such as “not ready” or “not the right fit” are hard to act on and can hide bias.

Managing the effect on the team

A promotion changes relationships. The new manager used to be a peer. Others may have wanted the job. Prepare for this.

• Meet each unsuccessful candidate in private before the public announcement.
• Hold a short team meeting to explain the new structure and the reasons.
• Ask the new manager to meet each team member one-to-one in the first two weeks.
• Agree how the new manager will handle friendships and past conflicts.
• Check in with the team after 30 days and listen for problems.

The first 30 days onboarding guide also works for internal moves. Do not assume that a known person needs no support.

Using data without over-trusting it

Performance reviews, sales numbers and quality scores can help, but they have limits. They may reflect the quality of a territory, the mix of tasks or the opinion of a past manager. Use them as one input among several. If you use any automated tool to rank or screen internal candidates, check the rules where you work, keep a person responsible for the decision, and be ready to explain the result. People make the decision, and tools only support it.

Short checklist before you decide

• The role has written must-haves and nice-to-haves.
• All eligible internal staff knew about the opening.
• Internal and external candidates took the same steps.
• At least two people scored each candidate on the same sheet.
• The full cost, including backfill, is calculated.
• Feedback is ready for those who do not get the job.
• A 90-day plan is ready for the person who does.

Questions to ask the internal candidate

• What parts of the new role are you most ready for, and what is new to you?
• Tell me about a time you led others without formal authority. What was the result?
• What would you change in the team in your first 90 days, and why?
• Who would you want around you to cover your gaps?
• What support do you need from me to succeed?

Ask the same questions of external candidates, adapting only the context. Score all answers on the same one-to-five scale, with a note of the evidence. If the internal candidate gives a weaker answer than the external one, discuss it openly in the debrief rather than defaulting to what you already know. The debrief guide at interview debrief meeting shows a fair way to run that discussion and to record the decision.

Frequently asked questions

Is it better to promote from within?

Not always. Internal promotion helps morale and speed, but it can limit new ideas. Use criteria and evidence for every case.

Do I have to interview an internal candidate?

It is good practice, and often required by company policy. A fair, structured interview gives the person a real chance and gives you evidence.

How do I give feedback to an internal candidate who did not get the job?

Meet in person, say the decision first, give two or three specific reasons tied to the requirements, and agree a development step with a date.

Should we post the job externally if we already have a candidate?

If you have a strong internal candidate and a clear reason, you may fill the role internally. Make sure your policy and local law allow it and that other eligible staff had a fair chance to apply.

Related guides

• Hiring managers hub
• Replace a departing team member
• Employer guides

This is general information, not legal advice.