Timeline

  • What happens:

    • You reach out through our intake form on the website or by emailing us directly

    • An initial consultation phone call or meeting to discuss your needs is scheduled

    • We review the position details, school culture, student population, and ideal candidate profile

    • You provide a detailed job description and information about compensation, benefits, timeline, and any constraints

    • We discuss our process, fees, and agreement terms

    Your role:

    • Be prepared to discuss what's worked and what hasn't in past hires

    • Share honest insights about challenges of the role

    • Provide access to relevant stakeholders

    • Clarify decision-making process (who interviews, who has final say)

    • Sign engagement agreement and provide any required documentation

    Duration: 3 - 7 days from first contact to signed agreement

  • What happens:

    • We develop a sourcing strategy tailored to your specific needs

    • We reach out to our existing network of qualified candidates

    • We post to specialized channels and communities

    • We conduct outreach to passive candidates 

    • We begin initial screening conversations with interested candidates

    Your role:

    • Respond to any clarifying questions we have

    • Review and approve job posting language if needed

    • Remain available for consultation as we learn more about the market

    Duration: Active sourcing begins immediately and continues throughout the search

  • What happens:

    • We provide candidate profiles including resumes

    • We schedule a briefing call to discuss the candidates and answer questions

    • You coordinate scheduling for interviews

    Your role:

    • Review materials thoroughly

    • Provide feedback on which candidates you'd like to interview

    • Coordinate internal calendars for interview availability

    • Let us know if none of the candidates are right so we can continue searching

    Duration: Within 2-4 weeks of search launch for initial slate

  • What happens:

    • Candidates interview with your team (format varies: phone, video, or in-person)

    • We can provide suggested interview questions

    • We check in with candidates afterward for their impressions

    • We debrief with you about who should advance

    Your role:

    • Conduct interviews in a timely manner (ideally within 1-2 weeks of candidate presentation)

    • Evaluate candidates against your criteria

    • Provide clear, timely feedback to us after the interview process

    • Communicate any concerns or new insights about what you're looking for

    Duration: 1-2 weeks depending on your schedule and number of candidates

  • What happens:

    • You extend a verbal offer (either directly or through us)

    • We facilitate negotiation if needed around salary, benefits, start date, professional development, or other terms

    • We help manage communication if candidate has competing offers or needs time to decide

    • Formal written offer is extended and signed

    • We communicate with other candidates in your pipeline professionally

    Your role:

    • Prepare a competitive, clear offer

    • Be prepared for some negotiation (salary, moving timeline, professional development commitments)

    • Decide how much flexibility you have on various terms

    • Move quickly: delay between "we want to hire you" and formal offer can lose candidates

    • Send formal written offer promptly after verbal acceptance

    Duration: 2-5 days from decision to signed offer (longer if complex negotiations)

  • What speeds things up:

    • Clear, specific position requirements

    • Competitive compensation

    • Efficient internal decision-making processes

    • Availability of strong candidates in our network

    • Hiring during peak recruitment season (January-May for following fall)

    • School's ability to interview promptly

    What slows things down:

    • Overly narrow or unrealistic candidate requirements

    • Below-market compensation

    • Hiring committees with scheduling challenges

    • Hiring during the summer or mid-year

    • Highly specialized roles (e.g., "must have Orton-Gillingham certification AND experience with twice-exceptional high schoolers AND fluency in Mandarin")

    • Geographic areas with small talent pools

    • Multiple internal stakeholders who need to weigh in

    • Delays in feedback or decision-making


  • Mid-year or emergency hires: If you have an immediate need (teacher left suddenly, unexpected enrollment increase, maternity leave coverage), we can prioritize your search, but expectations must be adjusted:

    • Smaller candidate pool which limits quality

    • May need to consider less-experienced candidates or those making career transitions

    • Compensation may need to be higher to incentivize mid-year moves

    • We might propose interim solutions (long-term substitute while we search for permanent hire)

    Our recommendation: Even urgent needs benefit from at least 3-4 weeks of thoughtful searching rather than panic hiring.