Project Staffing Runbook

Intro/summary - we use this to quickly ramp up resources on an immediate project need or source contract help for near-future resourcing needs

Our Recruiment Decision Flow - how to know when to use what
Different Recruitment Processes - how to recruit different types of contractors
Current Recruitment Tools - what we use and how we use them
Recruitment Communication Templates - standards for communicating with applicants at various stages of the recruitment process

Recruiment Decision Flow

We use the following decision flow when one of the following has occurred:

We’ve landed a new client
An existing project has a new need/request
An existing team member resigns
An existing team member takes an extended leave (e.g., parental leave)

Question Flow:

Q1: Does our current team have the capacity to handle the new workload?

Yes - See question 2
No - See question 3

Q2: Does our current team have the skill set necessary to satisfy the new job requirements?

Yes - staff with existing team
No - see question 3

Q3: Do we have any already-contacted contractors in our updated contractor pool with the necessary skills to satisfy the job requirements?

Yes - email appropriate contractors in pool (see template EXISTING_CONTRACTOR_OUTREACH)
No - See question 4

Q4: Do we have a general interest application form for developers with the necessary skills for this new work?

Yes - go to 5
No - go to 6

Q5: Are there any applicants in that list?

Yes - email appropriate applicants (see template EXISTING_CONTRACTOR_OUTREACH)
No - Begin promotion of form (see “Promoting an Existing General Interest Contractor Form”)

Q6: Is this a type of work that we might get again?

Yes - Create a new general interest application form (see “Creating a New General Interest Application Form”)
No - Create a one-off job listing and begin the recruitment process (see “Recruiting for a Short-term or Project-Specific Role”)

Recruitment Responsibilities

Not every step in the recruitment process must be done by the hiring manager. Here is a breakdown of each major step, the primary responsible role, and which role(s) may complete the step if the primary person is not available.

Section	Step	Primary Responsible Role	Acceptable Substitute
Preparation
---	Document the role and it’s responsibilities	Engineering Manager	none
---	Discuss the proposed role with the team	Engineering Manager	none
Hiring Request
---	Submit hiring request to COO	Engineering Manager	none
Job Posting
---	Create a new open position folder in Google Drive	Engineering Manager	Project Manager, Office Admin
---	Establish a hiring team	Engineering Manager	none
---	Draft job ad	Engineering Manager	Project Manager, Office Admin, Intern
---	Post the position	Engineering Manager	Project Manager, Office Admin, Intern
---	Share the job ad	Engineering Manager	Project Manager, Marketing Manager, Office Admin, Intern
Candidate Screening
---	Reach out to known candidates with matching skills	Engineering Manager	Project Manager, Office Admin
---	Review applications for minimum role criteria	Engineering Manager	Project Manager, Office Admin, Intern
---	Rank candidates and send video screen requests to top 5	Engineering Manager	Project Manager, Office Admin, Intern
---	Hold appropriate interviews	Engineering Manager	none
Candidate Selection
---	Evaluate candidates and select ideal candidate	Engineering Manager	none
---	Make offer via email, contingent on successful background check. Start background check	Engineering Manager	Project Manager, Office Admin
---	Print a PDF of the job ad and also the job application form. Store these in Google Drive	Engineering Manager	Project Manager, Office Admin, Intern
Close Job
---	Move Google Drive > HR > Open Positions > This Position to Google Drive > HR > Open Positions > !Archived	Engineering Manager	Project Manager, Office Admin, Intern
---	Ensure job ad/listings are updated/removed to reflect that the position is now closed.	Engineering Manager	Project Manager, Office Admin, Intern
---	Send email to remaining candidates letting them know an offer has been accepted and the role is closed	Engineering Manager	Project Manager, Office Admin, Intern
---	Upload signed working agreement to Gusto	Engineering Manager	Project Manager, Office Admin, Intern
---	Create Onboarding board in Asana	Engineering Manager	Project Manager, Office Admin, Intern

Referenced Recruitment Processes

Recruiting a Full-Time Employee

See 01.Recruitment to view our full-time employee recruitment process.

Recruiting Full-Time or Long-Term Contractor Partners

We generally recruit this type of contractor when we have an ongoing need for support and expect to be able to use the skills brought to the team by this resource regularly; for instance, on a long-term retainer project or in a tech stack that other existing clients use (Rails, React, Laravel, etc.).

See Recruiting, Hiring, and Working with Contractors for an extensive overview of the steps involved in recruiting long-term contractors.

We can source these contractors from one of two places: an existing general interest application board (for Rails, say); or, a one-off job posting.

Steps for Resourcing from an Existing General Interest Board:
- Document the role by clearly outlining duties, responsibilities, and success metrics
- Review existing applicants for ones that match the job requirements and project needs (availability, rates, location, etc)
- Reach out to applicants using the EXISTING CONTRACTOR OUTREACH or GENERAL INTEREST CONTRACTOR INVITE TO VIDEO SCREEN communication templates, as needed
- Follow the remainder of the Contractor Recruitment steps outlined in the above-linked Recruiting, Hiring, and Working with Contractors.
Steps for Resourcing from a One-Off Job Posting (These steps are similar to the ones outlined in 01.Recruitment and 03.Contractors, with special considerations made for the role and project duration):
- Document the role
- Determine the budget, including our ideal hourly billing rate range, any weekly or monthly billing ceilings, or the total roject line item amount for this role
- Draft a job add and post in Workable, LinkedIn, and any other relevant job listing sites/tools
- Share the job in Slack channels, forums, or job boards to target role- or skill-specific communities
- Perform appropriate interviews, including SEM video screen, PM project discussion, or a skill assessment
- Once the ideal candidate has been chosen, create a new Planet Argon Working Agreement from the PA Template in Google Drive.

Recruiting Short-Term or Project-Specific Contractor Partners

Define the Role
- Clearly outline the responsibilities, scope of work, success metrics, and the duration of the engagement.
- Include details about the skills, experience, and availability needed for the role.
Determine Budget and Engagement Terms
- Establish the hourly rate or total budget range for the project.
- Specify whether the contractor will bill hourly or for a fixed fee.
- Determine any restrictions on billing, such as weekly or total caps.
Create and Post Job Listing
- Draft a concise, specific job ad that includes:
  - The scope of the work.
  - The required technical skills and experience.
  - Project duration and expected time commitment.
  - Location, time zone, and language preferences (if applicable).
  - Compensation range.
- Post the job listing on relevant platforms, such as Workable, LinkedIn, or role-specific job boards.
Promote the Opportunity
- Share the job posting in professional forums, Slack channels, or community groups that align with the required skill set.
- Use internal and external networks to spread the word.
Screen Candidates
- Review applications to ensure candidates meet the minimum role criteria.
- Reach out to potential candidates using the LONG-TERM/ROLE-SPECIFIC CONTRACTOR APPLICATION RECEIVED template.
- Conduct a short initial screening to evaluate skills, availability, and alignment with project needs.
Assess Technical Skills
- If necessary, include a brief technical discussion or exercise to validate the candidate’s expertise.
Select the Candidate
- Evaluate candidates based on skill set, availability, location, and budget alignment.
- Notify the selected candidate and send a working agreement based on the Planet Argon template.
Onboard the Contractor
- Follow onboarding steps, including:
  - Setting up the Contractor Onboarding checklist in Asana.
  - Providing access to necessary tools and project documentation.
  - Scheduling an introductory meeting to align on project expectations.
Monitor and Manage the Engagement
- Conduct regular check-ins to ensure project alignment and address any challenges.
- Maintain open communication to provide feedback and address any concerns promptly.
Conclude the Engagement
- Ensure all deliverables are completed and handed off as required.
- Provide feedback to the contractor and request feedback about their experience.
- Archive project materials and update contractor records in the database for future reference.

Creating an Existing General Interest Contractor Form

Create a new project in Asana from the General Interest Candidate Recruitment template.
Name the project appropriately (e.g., “General Interest React Native Contractor Recruitment”).
Within the project, click on the “Forms” option from the ‘Forms for this Section’ icon.
Update the form title and job description. Update, add or remove any specific questions you want candidates to answer.
Update Workflow settings to automatically sort or filter candidates based on form responses.
Ask the Planet Argon website manager to embed the link to the form in the “Join our Contractor Network” section on the Culture and Careers page.
As applications start coming in, use Asana to organize and manage the submissions.

Referenced Communication Templates

EXISTING CONTRACTOR OUTREACH

Purpose: We have a new or existing project need and we believe a contractor we’ve previously worked with would be a good fit for it

Hi candidateFirstName! I hope you’ve been doing well since the last time we spoke. (if applicable, reference last conversation month or week) I’m reaching out because we have a potential project in our resourcing pipeline that I think would be a good fit for your skill set and experience.

Here is some basic info about the project:

type of business/industry
tech stack
approximate hours/week we expect to need
estimated project start/stop dates
our ideal hourly rate/range

If this sounds like something you would be interested in working on, please use my Calendly link below to schedule some time with me to discuss the project in greater detail.

Click here ---> Schedule your video call (ADD CALENDLY LINK) <— Click there

Sincerely, senderName senderTitle

GENERAL INTEREST CONTRACTOR APPLICATION RECEIVED

Purpose: We are responding to a general interest applicant for the first time

Dear candidateFirstName,

Thank you for your interest in partnering with Planet Argon in a contractor capacity. As the Engineering Manager, I’m always excited to chat with experienced developers like yourself about the possibility of collaborating on a future project. I’ll be following up in the upcoming week to schedule a time for us to chat and talk more about your experience and what is involved in joining our contractor network.

Thanks again for your interest in Planet Argon!

Sincerely, senderName senderTitle

GENERAL INTEREST CONTRACTOR INVITE TO VIDEO SCREEN

Purpose: We are responding to a general interest applicant to invite them to an initial video screen

Dear candidateFirstName, Thank you for your interest in working with Planet Argon in a contractor capacity. I have reviewed your application and I would like to invite you to join me for a short, introductory discussion over a video call. During this video call we can discuss your background and the type of projects on which we have need for help, and I’ll answer any questions you have about the work or Planet Argon.

Please schedule our chat using my Calendly link below:

Click here ---> Schedule your video call (ADD CALENDLY LINK) <— Click there

If you have any questions, please feel free to respond directly to this message. Thanks! I look forward to speaking with you soon.

Sincerely, senderName senderTitle

LONG-TERM/ROLE-SPECIFIC CONTRACTOR APPLICATION RECEIVED

Purpose: We are responding to a direct applicant for a long-term or role-specific job posting for the first time

Dear candidateFirstName, Thank you for your interest in the role position we have open at Planet Argon. As the hiring manager for this role, I’m excited to see the large response from highly qualified candidates like yourself. I will be reviewing resumes over the next few days and will be responding to all applicants early next week.

Thanks again for your interest in Planet Argon!

Sincerely, senderName senderTitle

LONG-TERM/ROLE-SPECIFIC CONTRACTOR INVITE TO VIDEO SCREEN

Purpose: We are responding to a direct applicant for a long-term or role-specific job to invite them to an initial video screen

Dear candidateFirstName,

Thank you for applying for the role position we have open at Planet Argon. After taking a look over your application I’d like to invite you to join me for a short, introductory discussion over a video call.

During this video call we can discuss what we’re looking for in the role and I’ll outline the next steps should both parties be interested in talking further.

Click here ---> Schedule your video call (ADD CALENDLY LINK) <— Click there

Sincerely, senderName senderTitle

LONG-TERM/ROLE-SPECIFIC CONTRACTOR INVITE TO ROLE INTERVIEW

Purpose: We are responding to a direct applicant for a long-term or role-specific job to invite them to a Role Interview

Hi candidateFirstName,

Thank you for taking the time to chat with me in the initial screening call. I enjoyed our conversation and would like to move you forward in the interview process to the Role Interview. In this 50-minute interview you will speak with members of our team about your communication and collaboration style, your technical experience and skills, your development style, and how you approach specific technical problems. You will also have time to ask questions of the interview team.

In this call you will be interviewed by:

interviewer1Name, interviewer1Title
interviewer2Name, interviewer2Title

Do any of the following times work for you?

List of times available for team interview

Thanks! We look forward to continuing the interview process and learning more about you.

Sincerely, senderName senderTitle

LONG-TERM/ROLE-SPECIFIC CONTRACTOR POSITION CLOSED

Purpose: We are responding to a direct applicant for a long-term or role-specific job because we have selected a different candidate or closed the position

Hi candidateFirstName,

Thanks for your interest in the job position at Planet Argon. We have recently selected a candidate for this position and are closing the opportunity. Please keep an eye on our Careers page and apply for similar positions that open up in the future.

Thanks again for your time and consideration.

Sincerely, senderName senderTitle

LONG-TERM/ROLE-SPECIFIC CONTRACTOR IMMEDIATE REJECTION

Purpose: We are responding to a direct applicant for a long-term or role-specific job because we are not moving them to a video screen

Hi candidateFirstName,

Thank you for your interest in the job position. We have reviewed your resume and regret to inform you that it has not been selected for further consideration at this time.

Good luck with your search, and thank you again for your interest in Planet Argon.

Sincerely, senderName senderTitle