Hiring brief & pay-range worksheet
Turn “we need someone good” into a role your team can recruit for. Separate the work you need done, the qualifications that matter and the offer you have approved.
How to use this tool
- Complete this with the person who manages the work and the person who approves the offer.
- Keep must-haves separate from skills you can teach. Describe what the person needs to accomplish, not just a list of traits.
- Use local wage data as one reference. Record the occupation, area and data year; decide your approved range separately.
- Review the brief together, then use it to prepare your hiring request. Completing this worksheet does not submit a request.
Blank tool. Enter your own details or explore the fictional example.
01 / The role at a glance
Use the business name candidates should see.
Use a clear title that describes the work.
For example: residential HVAC service; experienced technician. Distinguish apprentice, journey-level and lead responsibilities where relevant.
Record the approved arrangement, such as full-time employee. Confirm classification through your company’s process.
A planning date, subject to the hiring process and agreement with the selected person.
02 / Where & when the work happens
City and reporting location; make any required in-person work clear.
Name the cities, counties or territory the role covers.
Describe any exceptions or required in-person days in the location field.
Days and usual start/end times. Explain seasonal changes rather than implying a fixed schedule if it varies.
Describe frequency, notice, overnight travel and rotation where applicable. Do not leave candidates to guess.
03 / The approved offer
Use the approved base range; keep bonuses and commissions separate.
Use the same currency and pay unit as the low end.
For example: USD.
No hourly-to-annual conversion is calculated by this worksheet.
State the expected working pattern. This field does not calculate annual earnings or promise a number of paid hours.
Explain approved bonus or commission eligibility, conditions and what is not guaranteed. Leave blank if none.
List confirmed benefits, eligibility and relevant details such as tools, vehicle, training or scheduling. Verify anything that will appear in the job ad.
04 / What good work looks like
What should this person be able to deliver? Include an observable result and the support available.
Focus on the work, quality or customer outcome rather than personality.
Keep the expectation realistic for the role and ramp-up period.
List only job-related essentials. Note which credentials or requirements need verification and who will verify them.
What can a capable new hire learn with your support? Name the training or coach available.
05 / Pay research — keep the context
Optional research section. BLS figures are statistical estimates, not live job offers or an automatic recommendation for what to pay. Match the duties and local area, and record the table’s data year.
Paste the specific source/table used. Start with BLS OEWS if useful.
Match the actual duties; a familiar job title alone may not identify the right occupation.
Record the metro, nonmetro or state area used.
Record the year of the estimate, not the year you opened the page.
Optional. Include the percentile, currency and pay unit; do not mix units.
Optional. Include currency and pay unit.
Optional. Include the percentile, currency and pay unit.
The date you reviewed this source.
Record the person and approval date. A market benchmark does not approve the employer’s budget.
06 / Who moves the decision forward
Name the person responsible for the final hiring decision.
List the stages, who participates, what each stage checks and who returns the decision to your recruiting team. Agree timing internally.
Review before you use it
Sources & approach
Original Yellowstone Local worksheets informed by the sources below. Adapt each tool to the role and your company’s processes; the sources do not endorse Yellowstone Local.
- CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor: Know Your Hiring Needs
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics tables
Sources reviewed 2026-10-29. This planning tool is adapted for your company’s use; it does not submit a hiring request.