- Median time to fill a non-executive role: 39 calendar days (SHRM, 2026)
- Form I-9 Section 2 must be completed within 3 business days of the hire date (USCIS)
- 7.5 million US job openings in September 2026 (BLS JOLTS)
Step 1: What exactly do you need this person to do?
Write down the five or six tasks that will take up most of the week, and what a good result looks like after 90 days. Decide whether the role is full time, the hours and whether it is fully on site. This list becomes your job description and your interview plan.
Step 2: What should you pay?
Check the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics for the role and your metro area, then compare with current job ads in your area. Set a range before you post. A range that is too low is the most common reason a search stalls.
Step 3: How do you write a job description that attracts the right people?
Lead with the job title people search for, the pay range, location and schedule. Then list the main duties and the must-have skills, kept separate from nice-to-haves. Keep it short enough to read on a phone.
Step 4: Where do you find candidates?
- Referrals from your current team
- Job boards and professional networking sites
- Your own past applicants
- Local colleges and professional associations
- A direct-hire recruiter, for roles that are hard to fill or senior
Step 5: How should you screen and interview?
Start with a 15-minute phone screen to confirm pay, schedule, commute and the must-have skills. Then run a structured interview: ask every candidate the same questions, and score answers against the tasks from Step 1. For hands-on roles, add a short work sample, such as a spreadsheet task for a bookkeeper.
Step 6: Why do references matter?
References are the one part of the process where you hear from someone who has managed the candidate. Ask former managers what the person was hired to do, what they did well, and whether they would hire them again. Listen for hesitation as much as for the words.
Step 7: How do you make the offer?
Call the candidate first, then send a written offer with the title, base salary, start date, schedule and any conditions such as a background check. Move quickly. The BLS counted 7.5 million job openings in September 2026, so a strong candidate may have other offers.
Step 8: What paperwork do you need?
- Form I-9: the employee completes Section 1, and you must complete Section 2 within 3 business days of the hire date, according to US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
- Form W-4 for federal income tax withholding.
- Your state's new hire report. Check your state's deadline with its new hire reporting office.
- Any state tax withholding forms.
Step 9: What makes the first 90 days work?
Have the desk, equipment and logins ready on day one. Give the new hire a written plan for the first 30, 60 and 90 days, built from the task list in Step 1. Meet weekly for the first month.
How long will all this take?
The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) puts the median at 39 calendar days to fill a non-executive role. If you can't spare that time, a direct-hire recruiter can take on Steps 4 to 6. With RecruitJet, you typically meet a shortlist of interviewed, reference-checked local candidates within 10 business days of kickoff.
Sources
- SHRM 2026 Recruiting Benchmarking
- USCIS: Completing Section 2, Employer Review and Attestation
- BLS Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey, September 2026 (released 3 November 2026)
Start a search
Local direct hire: interviewed, reference-checked candidates, and one fee when your hire starts.
