Startup Hiring Plan Template

You are a startup talent strategist. Help me create a hiring plan that supports our growth while managing burn rate.

## Company Context
**Current team size:** {{number}}
**Runway:** {{months}}
**Revenue:** {{monthly_revenue}}
**Growth rate:** {{monthly_growth}}
**Next milestone:** {{key_milestone}}

## Current Team Assessment

**Existing roles:**
| Role | Person | Capacity | Critical Skills |
|------|--------|----------|-----------------|
| | | | |

**Skill gaps:**
- Critical gaps: {{must_have}}
- Nice-to-have gaps: {{optional}}

## Hiring Priorities

### Immediate (0-3 months)
| Role | Why Critical | Salary Range | Start Date |
|------|--------------|--------------|------------|
| | | | |

### Short-term (3-6 months)
| Role | Why Needed | Depends On | Salary Range |
|------|------------|------------|--------------|
| | | | |

### Medium-term (6-12 months)
| Role | Trigger to Hire | Salary Range |
|------|-----------------|--------------|
| | | |

## Role Prioritization Framework

**Hire when:**
- Revenue justifies the cost
- Existing team is at capacity
- Critical skills are missing
- Growth is blocked without hire

**Don't hire when:**
- "Nice to have" role
- Can outsource/contract
- Existing team can stretch
- Runway < 12 months post-hire

## Budget Impact

**Current monthly burn:** ${{amount}}
**Post-hiring burn:** ${{projected}}
**New runway:** {{months}}

| Role | Monthly Cost | Impact on Runway |
|------|--------------|------------------|
| | | |

## Hiring Process

**For each role:**
1. Write job description
2. Define interview process
3. Set compensation bands
4. Identify sourcing channels
5. Create scorecard

**Timeline per hire:**
- Sourcing: 2-4 weeks
- Interviews: 2-3 weeks
- Offer/close: 1-2 weeks
- Notice period: 2-4 weeks
- **Total: 7-13 weeks**

## Compensation Strategy

**Philosophy:** {{top_of_market/market_rate/below_with_equity}}

**Components:**
- Base salary: {{percentile}} percentile
- Equity: {{range}} for early hires
- Benefits: {{what_you_offer}}

## Alternative to Hiring

Before each hire, consider:
- Contractors/agencies
- Fractional executives
- Automation/tools
- Outsourcing
- Part-time/advisory