How to fill an urgent vacancy in a week

On this page

  1. Be clear about what you need
  2. A day-by-day plan for one week
  3. Searching fast and well
  4. Habits that slow you down
  5. Cover the work while you hire
  6. Close the hire and keep a backup

Day zero

Be clear about what you need

Urgent hiring goes wrong when the job is still fuzzy. Before you search, spend ten minutes writing down four things.

  • The start date

    When do you need someone working?

  • The work location

    Where, and which areas are an easy commute?

  • Your pay range

    What you can honestly offer.

  • Two must-have skills

    What the person cannot do the job without.

Everything else is a nice-to-have. When you are in a hurry, you can teach a nice-to-have in the first week.

The plan

A day-by-day plan for one week

This is a guide, not a rule. Move the days around to suit your business. What matters is that something happens every day.

  1. 1

    Day 1: Define and search

    Write the four points above. Search for candidates near your workplace and make a list of people to call.

  2. 2

    Day 2: Call

    Call everyone on the list. Use a short list of questions and note a yes, maybe or no for each person. Book meetings for the yes group.

  3. 3

    Day 3: Meet

    Meet the first few in person or on a video call. Keep it to the real work: show them a task or talk through a normal day.

  4. 4

    Day 4: Meet and compare

    See the rest. Compare your notes the same evening, while you still remember each person.

  5. 5

    Day 5: Decide and offer

    Pick your first choice. Call them, say the offer clearly, and ask for an answer by a set time. Keep a second choice warm.

  6. 6

    Days 6 and 7: Confirm and prepare

    Confirm the joining date in writing. Get the first day ready: a place to sit, the tools, and someone to guide them.

Need questions for Day 2? See questions to ask on a first phone call. If someone has just quit, read replacing an employee who quit.

Day 1

Searching fast and well

Describe the hire the way you would say it to a colleague: the role, one or two skills, the experience and the area. If you already have a written job description, paste it into the search instead.

Name the locality of your workplace. A candidate who lives close is more likely to say yes and more likely to stay. See hiring by Mumbai locality, and how to search a resume database.

  • Read the resume before you shortlist, not just the headline.
  • Shortlist more names than you need. Some will not pick up.
  • Check that expected pay fits your range before you call.
  • Start calling the same day.

Speed

Habits that slow you down

Avoid

Do this instead

  • Avoid

    Waiting for the perfect candidate

    Good people accept other offers while you wait.

    Do this instead

    Decide within a day of meeting your shortlist.

  • Avoid

    Calling one person at a time

    Do this instead

    Call your whole shortlist on the same day.

  • Avoid

    A long list of must-haves

    Do this instead

    Keep two must-haves. Teach the rest.

  • Avoid

    Several rounds of meetings

    Do this instead

    One good meeting, with the person who decides.

  • Avoid

    A vague offer

    Do this instead

    Say the pay, the hours, the place and the start date, clearly.

Meanwhile

Cover the work while you hire

The vacancy does not pause the work. Decide who covers what for a week, so you are not hiring under panic.

  • List the tasks that cannot wait and give each one an owner for the week.
  • Tell your team the plan and the expected joining date.
  • Pause tasks that can wait a week, and tell customers if it affects them.
  • Write down how the job is done now. It helps the new person, too.

Write the handover notes while you hire. The new person will be productive sooner, and you will see what the job really needs.

Finish

Close the hire and keep a backup

  • Make the offer by phone first, then confirm it in writing the same day.
  • Ask for a yes or no by a set time, not “let me think”.
  • Keep your second and third choices warm until the first one actually joins.
  • Plan the first week so the new person is not left alone.
  • Thank everyone you do not hire. They may suit a later opening.

FAQ

Common questions

Is a week really enough to fill a vacancy?

It can be, if you decide quickly and keep the requirements realistic. The plan works best for common roles where you can search, call and meet people in the same few days. A rare or senior role may take longer.

Should I lower my standards when I am in a hurry?

Lower the nice-to-haves, not the must-haves. Be flexible on things you can teach quickly, and firm on the skills and reliability the job cannot work without.

How many people should I call?

Call more people than you think you need, then meet the best few. Some will not pick up and some will have already accepted another job, so start with a longer list.

What if my first choice says no?

That is why you keep notes from every call. Go back to your second and third choice the same day while they are still interested.

Related reading

  • Resume database for recruiters
  • Pricing
  • Hiring by Mumbai locality
  • Search from a job description
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  • Hire a full stack developer
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  • Shortlist without HR
  • First call questions
  • Check experience
  • Set a fair salary
  • Fresher or experienced
  • Replace someone who quit
  • Seasonal hiring
  • First-week onboarding
  • Offer letter basics
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