Hiring resources

Fractional HR vs. HR Consultant vs. Full-Time HR Hire: What Does Your Business Actually Need?

Greta Cline

Partner, CFO/COO

September 28, 2026

Most companies default to posting a full-time HR Manager role the moment HR feels overwhelming. That’s often the most expensive fix, and also, not always the right one.

Fractional HR, project-based consulting, and a full-time hire solve different problems. The right pick comes down to how much of your HR work is ongoing versus one-and-done.

Nobody Budgets For Their First HR Hire

Most businesses hire HR reactively, after a problem, not proactively.

It usually looks a little something like this… Your handbook gets outdated. A termination goes sideways. Somebody in leadership finally asks why nobody’s tracking whether job descriptions match what people actually do all day.

By the time the need is obvious, it’s urgent. And urgency is exactly when companies make the priciest call on the menu: post a full-time HR Manager role at $70K-$90K a year, plus benefits before anyone’s actually figured out what needs solving.

But a lot of employers are missing the fact that they have other options. And taking time to weigh them out can save you from an expensive mistake that you’re forced to sit in for a year (or more).

Option 1: A Full-Time HR Hire

A full-time HR hire is the right call when the HR work is constant, not occasional. If you already have 50+ employees, steady recruiting, regular employee relations issues, benefits administration that needs a dedicated owner every single week.

You need someone in the building daily. Someone who learns your culture, your people, your weird office quirks, and builds on that for years.

You also get the full cost. Salary. Payroll tax. Benefits. A desk. Months of ramp-up before they’re fully utilized.

But there’s a mistake we see constantly with full-time HR hires… Companies often hire full-time for a role that’s actually only 15 hours a week of work, then wonder why HR “doesn’t have enough to do” by month six.

Option 2: Fractional HR

Having a fractional HR partner is when you bring in an experienced HR pro for a set number of hours or days a month, ongoing. They give you senior-level expertise, without a senior-level salary attached to it.

This fits companies in the 15-75 employee range best. That’s because at this size, you usually have enough going on to need real HR oversight but not enough volume to justify a full-time salary.

The catch is that your fractional HR partner is splitting time across a few clients. You still get their expertise, but they’re not down the hall on speed dial for you.

Option 3: Project-Based HR Consulting

A project-based HR consultant is the narrowest scope hire, and often the cheapest. You bring in an HR pro for a defined project, like rewriting a handbook, a compensation audit, a compliance check before an acquisition, cleaning up job descriptions that haven’t been touched since 2019.

You pay for a specific outcome, not a seat in the office. Once the project’s done, the engagement’s done too, and there’s no ongoing overhead.

The limitations are obvious here. A consultant isn’t there for the employee relations issue that pops up three months after they’ve wrapped and moved on.

Forget “What’s Cheapest?” Ask This Instead.

How much of your HR need is actually recurring, and how much is one-time?

We like to tell business owners to separate the strategic HR work from the administrative HR work before they decide anything. A lot of companies think they need a full-time hire when what they actually need is three specific problems fixed, plus a monthly check-in.

Here’s a simple gut check list to help you decide what kind of HR support makes sense for your business:

If your HR needs fit on one hand and don’t repeat monthly? Start with a consultant.
If questions come up weekly but don’t fill 40 hours? Fractional is the way to go.
If HR is a daily function already, then a full-time hire is the smartest option.

Or you can use the chart below for a full comparison of all the pros and cons.

Category	Full-Time Hire	Fractional HR	Project Consulting
Best for	50+ employees, daily HR needs	15-75 employees, steady but part-time needs	One-time project or audit
Cost structure	Salary + benefits + overhead	Monthly or hourly retainer	Flat project fee
Availability	In the building, every day	Set hours/days per month	Defined engagement window
Ramp-up time	Weeks to months	Minimal, brought in already experienced	Minimal, scoped to the project
Ongoing employee relations coverage	Yes	Yes, within scheduled hours	No, ends with the project
Compliance monitoring	Continuous	Continuous, within engagement	One-time check
Commitment	Long-term, hardest to unwind	Ongoing, easier to scale up/down	None after delivery

This Isn’t a One-Time Decision

It’s a fact of business: Companies change. Project-based consulting can often turn into fractional HR relationships as a company grows. Fractional sometimes graduates into a full-time hire once headcount crosses a certain line.

The companies that get burned on HR hires are the ones that pick a lane and never look back.

Either they’re overpaying for a full-time role that’s 40% busywork, or they’ve under-resourced HR for so long that a preventable issue turned into a legal one. And if the answer really is a full-time hire, that’s a role we can help you fill too.

Where TGHR Fits In

We’ve spent over 25 years matching Indianapolis employers with people. Along the way, clients kept asking the same thing: “Can you help with HR itself, not just staffing it?” We heard it enough that we built a service around answering it.

That’s not your typical staffing-firm pitch, because we’re not your typical staffing firm.

In 2026, we were named a Best of Staffing Winner for the ninth year running. In 2023, ClearlyRated’s client survey put our Net Promoter Score at 83.7%, nearly triple the industry average that year. Numbers like that don’t come from us saying we’re different. They come from clients grading us after we’ve actually shown up differently.

Evolving to offer HR Consulting has grown straight out of that same standard because sometimes you genuinely don’t need a full-time hire yet.

We’d rather tell you the truth than sell you more than you need.

FAQs About Fractional HR & HR Consulting

How much does fractional HR typically cost compared to a full-time hire?

Fractional arrangements are usually billed monthly or hourly, and cost depends on scope. Most businesses land well below the fully-loaded cost of a full-time salary plus benefits, especially when the real weekly HR workload doesn’t fill 40 hours.

Can fractional HR handle compliance and legal risk the same way a full-time hire can?

In most cases, yes. An experienced fractional HR pro brings the same compliance knowledge as a full-time hire. The gap is availability, not expertise. For companies with daily employee relations issues, availability matters more.

Is HR consulting only useful for companies with no HR staff at all?

Nope. Not even close. Companies with an existing HR team often bring in a consultant for one specific project, an audit, a handbook overhaul, a comp study, where an outside, objective set of eyes catches what an internal team can’t.

How do you know when it’s time to move from fractional to full-time HR?

Watch the hours, not just the headcount. When your fractional partner is consistently logging near-full-time hours, or projects keep stalling because nobody’s available daily, that’s your answer.

Not Sure What Makes Sense for Your Business?

That’s exactly the conversation we have with Indianapolis employers every week. If you have a handful of projects or a growing list of ongoing needs, either way, let’s figure out what actually makes sense before you commit to the pricier option by default.

Hiring resources

5 Signs Your “Talent Pool Problem” Is Actually Something Else

Greta Cline

Partner, CFO/COO

July 28, 2026

If your hiring process has stalled, it’s easy to point to the same explanation:

“There just aren’t any good candidates anymore.”

While the Indianapolis hiring market is not without its challenges, the quality of the talent pool isn’t always the problem.

In many cases, organizations unintentionally create barriers that make it harder to attract and secure the right talent.

Before you rewrite the job description, repost the position, or assume the market is working against you, it’s worth taking a closer look at your own hiring process.

Here are five questions every employer should ask:

TLDR: Before blaming the candidate pool for your hiring struggles, take a closer look at your own process. Asking whether your pay is competitive, your timeline is realistic, your role is clearly defined, your interviews are efficient, and your job is genuinely attractive can help uncover the real source of many common hiring challenges.

Jump to What You Need

Hiring Challenges Often Start Inside the Organization
Questions #1-5
Your Hiring Process is Worth Revisiting
FAQ’s: Talent Pool Edition
How That’s Good HR Helps Employers Hire Smarter

Hiring Challenges Often Start Inside the Organization

One of the biggest misconceptions about hiring is that success depends solely on finding the perfect candidate.

But the truth is, hiring is a two-way street.

While employers assess applicants, candidates are also evaluating compensation, communication, expectations, company culture, and the overall experience. Small inefficiencies within your hiring process can have a significant impact on whether qualified candidates choose to move forward.

If you take the time to examine these internal factors, it can often reveal opportunities for improvement that are far more impactful than simply expanding your search.

Question #1: Is Our Pay Competitive?

Compensation continues to be one of the biggest factors influencing hiring decisions.

Even if you are an outstanding employer, you may still struggle to attract qualified candidates if your compensation doesn’t align with the market.

And it’s not just about salary – benefits, flexibility, professional development, and work-life balance all contribute to the overall value of an offer.

If you’re consistently hearing “no” after extending offers, it may be time to evaluate whether your compensation package reflects today’s market.

Download That’s Good HR’s Indianapolis Salary Guide to benchmark your salaries against the local market before your next hire.

Question #2: Is Our Timeline Realistic?

One of the most overlooked hiring challenges isn’t finding qualified candidates. It’s moving quickly enough once you do.

Top candidates rarely stay on the market for long. While your team is scheduling another interview or waiting for approvals, they’re often continuing conversations with other employers.

By the time you’re ready to make an offer, they may have already accepted one elsewhere.

That doesn’t mean every hiring decision should be rushed, but your process should be intentional.

Take a close look at where delays tend to happen.

Are multiple rounds of interviews adding value, or creating unnecessary bottlenecks?
Are decision-makers aligned before candidates begin interviewing?
Are candidates receiving timely updates, or are they left wondering where they stand?

A realistic hiring timeline balances thoughtful decision-making with the understanding that talented candidates have options. The smoother and more responsive your process is, the more likely you are to keep great people engaged from the first interview through the offer stage.

Question #3: Is the Role Clearly Defined?

Even the strongest talent pool can’t solve a job description that’s missing direction.

Before you begin recruiting, everyone involved in the hiring process should have a shared understanding of what success in the role actually looks like.

If leadership, HR, and the hiring manager each describe the position differently, candidates are likely to receive mixed messages throughout the interview process.

It’s also worth taking a critical look at the job posting itself.

Does it distinguish between the skills that are truly essential and the ones that would simply be nice to have?
Are the responsibilities realistic for one person, or has the position gradually become a wish list of every task the team hopes to offload?

When expectations are clearly defined from the beginning, recruiters can identify stronger matches, candidates know what they’re applying for, and hiring decisions become much more straightforward.

Clarity doesn’t just improve your hiring process. It helps attract candidates who are genuinely excited about the opportunity.

Question #4: Are We Interviewing Efficiently?

Interviews should help both parties make informed decisions – not create unnecessary hurdles.

Candidates appreciate thoughtful questions, clear communication, and interviewers who respect their time.

On the other hand, repetitive interviews, inconsistent questions, or long periods of silence can leave candidates questioning whether your organization is the right fit.

It’s also worth considering whether every step in your interview process serves a clear purpose.

If multiple interviews cover the same topics, involve stakeholders who aren’t part of the hiring decision, or span several weeks, candidates may lose interest.

The strongest candidates are often balancing multiple opportunities, and a disorganized process can signal that your organization struggles to make decisions.

An efficient interview process means creating a structured experience where every conversation adds value, expectations are communicated clearly, and candidates feel informed throughout the process.

Question #5: Would I Apply for This Job?

This may be the most revealing question of all.

Take a step back and read your job posting as though you’ve never seen it before.

Would the compensation catch your attention?

Are the responsibilities realistic?
Does the posting communicate why someone would want to work for your organization?
Is the application process straightforward?

If the answer is “probably not,” you’ve identified an opportunity to improve your posting.

The best job postings don’t simply describe the work. They give candidates a compelling reason to apply.

Your Hiring Process is Worth Revisiting

Many organizations only revisit their hiring process when something isn’t working.

But the most successful employers treat hiring like any other business process:

They evaluate what’s working, identify areas for improvement, and make adjustments over time.

Whether it’s clarifying a job description, streamlining interviews, or reassessing compensation, small refinements today can lead to stronger hiring outcomes tomorrow.

(Thankfully, our team at That’s Good HR can help with that through HR consulting.)

FAQ’s: Talent Pool Edition

How often should employers review their compensation strategy?

Compensation should be evaluated at least annually and whenever hiring becomes noticeably more difficult. Regular benchmarking helps ensure your salaries remain competitive in a changing market.

What’s the biggest reason candidates drop out of the hiring process?

While every candidate is different, delayed communication and lengthy hiring timelines are two of the most common reasons qualified candidates withdraw before an offer is extended.

Should every open position have the same interview process?

Not necessarily. A leadership role may require more evaluation than an entry-level position. The interview process should be intentional and proportionate to the complexity of the role.

How can employers tell if their job posting is attracting the wrong candidates?

Look beyond the number of applications. If most applicants consistently miss key qualifications or misunderstand the role, it may indicate that your job description needs to be more specific or better aligned with the position you’re trying to fill.

How That’s Good HR Helps Employers Hire Smarter

At That’s Good HR, we know that successful hiring isn’t just about filling open positions. It’s about building a process that consistently attracts the right people.

From compensation and recruiting strategy to interview guidance and candidate communication, we partner with Indianapolis employers to identify what’s working, uncover what’s getting in the way, and create hiring experiences that lead to better long-term outcomes.

👉 Have you been facing ongoing hiring challenges? Our team at That’s Good HR would love to help you find solutions that go beyond simply posting another job.

Hiring resources

How To Spot a Great Candidate in the First 5 Minutes

Greta Cline

Partner, CFO/COO

May 22, 2026

Hiring managers love to say things like, “I’ll just know when someone’s a fit.”

And sometimes that’s true.

Not because a candidate has the perfect resume or gives a flawless answer to every interview question, but because certain qualities show up immediately. Strong communication. Preparation. Professionalism. Curiosity.

The reality is, effective candidate screening often starts long before the interview is over. In fact, many employers begin forming opinions within the first few minutes of meeting someone, and in fast-moving hiring markets like Indianapolis, learning how to identify a great candidate quickly can make all the difference.

That doesn’t mean rushing the process or making snap judgments, but it does mean learning how to recognize the signs that someone is likely to succeed on your team.

TLDR: Strong candidate screening starts within the first few minutes of an interview. Great candidates often reveal themselves early through preparation, communication, and alignment with the role. Employers who know what to look for can make faster, smarter hiring decisions and improve long-term employee retention in the process.

Jump to What You Need

The First 5 Minutes of Candidate Screening Tell You a Lot
Candidate Screening Isn’t About Finding “Perfect”
How Compensation Impacts the Process
FAQ: Identifying Top Talent – Fast
How That’s Good HR Helps Employers Identify Great Candidates

Why Candidate Screening Matters More Than Ever

Hiring has changed significantly over the last few years, especially for Indianapolis employers competing for administrative, HR, and customer service talent.

Candidates move faster. Expectations are higher. And employers don’t always have the luxury of long, drawn-out interview processes anymore.

That’s why strong candidate screening matters.

Your First 5 Minutes with a Candidate Tell You a Lot

Here’s the truth: the companies consistently landing top talent aren’t necessarily interviewing more candidates. They know what to look for beyond technical qualifications, and they understand that a resume only tells part of the story.

Thankfully, our team at That’s Good HR is here to help you understand what to look for beyond the resume must-haves, so you can identify alignment early (yes, even earlier than your competitors 🤭)

Great Candidates Come Prepared

One of the clearest signs of a strong candidate is preparation.

You can often tell within the first few minutes whether someone took the interview seriously.

Great candidates tend to have a baseline understanding of your company, the role, and the industry. They’ve read the job description carefully. They’ve likely reviewed your website or LinkedIn presence. And they usually come into the conversation ready to engage.

This doesn’t mean they arrive sounding rehearsed. We usually find that over-scripted answers feel less authentic. The strongest candidates typically strike a balance between preparation and natural conversation.

And honestly, preparation says a lot about how someone will approach their work.

Candidates who show up organized, informed, and engaged during the candidate screening process are often the same people who communicate proactively, solve problems thoughtfully, and take ownership once they’re hired.

Great Candidates Connect Their Experience to the Role

One of the biggest differences between an average candidate and a great candidate is intentionality.

Strong candidates don’t just explain where they’ve worked. They explain why their experience connects to the role in front of them. They understand what the company is hiring for and can clearly articulate how their background aligns with those needs.

That alignment matters.

During the candidate screening process, employers aren’t just evaluating whether someone can do the job. They’re evaluating whether the candidate actually wants this job specifically.

And candidates who feel genuinely aligned with the role, leadership style, and company direction are usually much more likely to stay longer, accept offers faster, and contribute more effectively over time.

Small Details Often Predict Bigger Patterns

The small moments during an interview process usually matter more than employers think.

Did the candidate arrive on time?
Did they follow instructions?
Did they communicate professionally throughout scheduling?
Did their resume align with how they discussed their experience in person?

None of these things independently determine whether someone is a great hire, but together, they create a pattern.

Strong candidates tend to demonstrate consistency early. And consistency during the candidate screening process often translates into reliability after hiring.

That’s why paying attention to these smaller details can help employers make stronger hiring decisions before the process drags on unnecessarily.

Communication Illuminates Everything

Strong communication tends to reveal itself quickly.

How someone answers questions, listens during conversation, responds to scheduling emails, or even handles small talk before the interview officially starts can tell you a lot about how they’ll operate internally.

This is especially important for employers hiring for administrative, customer-facing, or operational roles where communication is central to the job itself.

One of the biggest mistakes employers make during candidate screening is focusing so heavily on hard skills that they overlook communication quality altogether. But technical skills can often be taught. Communication issues are much harder to fix later.

A great candidate doesn’t necessarily need to be outgoing or charismatic. They simply need to communicate clearly, professionally, and thoughtfully throughout the process.

Candidate Screening Isn’t About Finding “Perfect”

Job searching today can feel like a full-time job layered on top of everyday life, financial stress, and the pressure to somehow remain positive through all of it.

So if you’re feeling mentally drained, emotionally checked out, or completely over the process, you’re not lazy, and you’re definitely not alone.

Here are some tips for combatting job search burnout before it becomes unbearable:

This is where many hiring teams unintentionally get stuck.

They’re looking for the perfect candidate instead of the right one.

No candidate will check every box perfectly. And in competitive hiring markets like Indianapolis, waiting endlessly for a flawless applicant often means losing strong candidates to faster-moving companies.

Effective candidate screening is about identifying the right combination of:

communication
adaptability
professionalism
role alignment
and long-term potential

A great candidate is rarely perfect on paper. But they consistently show signs that they’ll contribute positively to the team and grow within the role.

And that matters far more in the long run.

How Compensation Impacts the Process

Even the strongest interview process can fall apart if compensation expectations aren’t aligned.

Candidates today are significantly more informed about salary expectations than they were even a few years ago. They’re comparing offers faster, researching salary ranges more thoroughly, and walking away from opportunities that don’t feel competitive.

If you’re unsure whether your compensation aligns with the Indianapolis market, our Indianapolis Salary Guide is a great place to start.

This guide offers valuable insight into local salary benchmarks and hiring trends so employers can stay competitive throughout the hiring process. Because even a great candidate may decline an offer if compensation expectations aren’t aligned from the beginning.

FAQ: Identifying Top Talent – Fast

What should employers focus on during candidate screening?

During candidate screening, employers should evaluate communication skills, professionalism, preparation, adaptability, and role alignment, not just technical qualifications. Great candidates often demonstrate these qualities very early in the interview process.

How can you identify a great candidate quickly?

A great candidate usually stands out through strong communication, thoughtful questions, professionalism, and genuine interest in the role. Employers can often identify early signs of long-term fit within the first few minutes of conversation.

Why is candidate screening important in hiring?

Effective candidate screening helps employers identify candidates who are not only qualified but also aligned with company culture, expectations, and long-term goals. Strong screening processes improve retention and overall hiring success.

How can employers improve their candidate screening process?

Employers can improve their candidate screening process by creating clearer job descriptions, asking more intentional interview questions, and focusing on communication and long-term fit. A streamlined, organized hiring process also helps employers identify great candidates faster and create a stronger overall candidate experience.

How That’s Good HR Helps Employers Identify Great Candidates

At That’s Good HR, we help Indianapolis employers improve their candidate screening process by focusing on more than resumes alone.

We identify candidates who communicate well, align with the role, and demonstrate the qualities that actually contribute to long-term success, not just strong interview performance.

Because a great candidate isn’t always the flashiest person in the room. More often, it’s the person who consistently shows preparation, professionalism, adaptability, and reliability from the very beginning.

If you’re ready to improve your hiring process and identify stronger-fit candidates faster, reach out to That’s Good HR today. We’d love to help!

Hiring resources

What To Do When Your Job Offers Keep Getting Rejected

Julie Johnson

Talent Acquisition Partner

April 27, 2026

You’ve built a strong candidate pool. Your hiring pipeline is active. Interviews are happening. Finalists are engaged.

And then…the offer goes out, and it gets declined.

We hear this from our clients every day. Many Indianapolis employers are experiencing the same disconnect right now: strong pipelines that aren’t translating into accepted job offers.

The issue usually isn’t a lack of candidates. It’s what’s happening between first contact and final offer.

That’s Good HR is here to help you break down where things go sideways, and what to fix.

TLDR: A full hiring pipeline doesn’t mean your process is working. If candidates are declining job offers, the issue is likely compensation, speed, clarity, or communication. Fix the experience, not just the volume, and your hiring pipeline will start converting.

Jump to What You Need

It’s Not a Pipeline Problem. It’s a Conversion Problem.
Compensation Might Be the Quiet Dealbreaker
It’s Not Just You. It’s the Indianapolis Market.
FAQ: Hiring Pipeline
How That’s Good HR Can Help You Close the Gap

It’s Not a Pipeline Problem. It’s a Conversion Problem.

A full hiring pipeline can feel like progress. And to an extent, it is.

But if candidates consistently drop off or decline offers at the final stage, the issue isn’t volume. It’s conversion.

Somewhere along the way, candidates are deciding:

This role isn’t the right fit
This company isn’t aligned
Or this offer isn’t competitive enough

And by the time you’re extending a job offer, that decision is often already made.

That’s why it’s critical to evaluate the entire candidate experience, and not just the top of the funnel.

Compensation Might Be the Quiet Dealbreaker

Let’s start with the one that’s easiest to overlook and hardest to recover from.

Compensation.

Even when candidates don’t explicitly say it, compensation is often the deciding factor behind a declined job offer. And in today’s market, especially in Indianapolis, candidates have a much clearer understanding of what they should be earning.

However, candidates are not just evaluating the base salary. They are looking at the full picture: benefits, flexibility, growth opportunities, and overall value. If your offer doesn’t align with what they’re seeing elsewhere, hesitation creeps in quickly.

And once that hesitation is there, it’s difficult to reverse.

If you’re unsure where your compensation stacks up, download That’s Good HR’s Indianapolis Salary Guide to see how your roles compare to current market rates and make sure your offers are competitive from the start.

A strong candidate pool doesn’t mean much if your offer doesn’t meet expectations at the finish line.

A Slow Hiring Process Is Costing You Candidates

Speed has become one of the most overlooked factors in hiring.

A drawn-out hiring pipeline doesn’t just test patience. It creates risk. Strong candidates aren’t sitting still while decisions are being made. They’re interviewing elsewhere. They’re receiving offers. They’re moving forward.

And if your process takes too long, even the most interested candidate will eventually disengage.

What’s tricky is that this doesn’t always look dramatic. Candidates don’t always drop out mid-process.

Sometimes they stay engaged, complete every interview, and still decline the final job offer because another company moved faster and gave them clarity sooner.

By the time you’re ready, you’re already behind.

Lack of Clarity Creates Quiet Doubt

Internally, the role might feel clear.

But if expectations shift from interview to interview, or if no one can clearly articulate what success looks like in the role, candidates start to fill in the gaps themselves. And those assumptions aren’t always favorable.

Uncertainty doesn’t always lead to questions. More often, it leads to hesitation.

And hesitation is one of the biggest reasons candidates walk away at the end of a job interview process.

A strong hiring pipeline depends on clarity just as much as it depends on interest. Without it, even great candidates will second-guess their decision to move forward.

You Might Not Be Selling the Role Enough

Here’s something that’s easy to forget: Your hiring process should be just as focused on evaluating a candidate as it is about convincing them the role is right for them

If your interviews are focused entirely on assessing qualifications, you’re missing half the equation.

Top candidates expect to be recruited. They want to understand why this opportunity is worth choosing over another one. They’re paying attention to leadership, team dynamics, growth potential, and overall company direction.

If that story isn’t being told clearly, or at all, it creates a gap.

And in a competitive market, that gap is often enough for a candidate to say no to a job offer, even if everything else checks out.

Communication Shapes the Entire Experience

Candidates notice everything.

They notice how quickly you respond. They notice whether timelines are honored. They notice if messaging is consistent across interviews.

And those small moments add up. Clunky communication during the hiring process can create just enough friction to make candidates question what it would be like to work there. Even if the role is appealing, that uncertainty can linger.

By the time an offer is extended, candidates aren’t just evaluating the job. They’re evaluating the experience they just had.

And if that experience felt confusing or inconsistent, it can (and will) absolutely influence their decision.

It’s Not Just You. It’s the Indianapolis Market.

If you’re hiring in Indianapolis, you’ve likely felt or experienced this…shift.

Candidates are more informed, more selective, and more willing to walk away from opportunities that don’t meet their expectations.

That means employers can not rely on volume alone.

A strong hiring pipeline today requires alignment, speed, clarity, and a candidate experience that actually holds up from start to finish.

Without those pieces, even the strongest pipelines struggle to convert.

FAQ: Hiring Pipeline, Candidate Pool & Job Offers

My candidate pool is strong. Why do my offers keep getting declined?

Even with a strong candidate pool, candidates may decline a job offer if compensation isn’t competitive, the hiring process is too slow, or the role lacks clarity. Offer acceptance is influenced by the entire experience, not just the final stage.

How can I improve my hiring pipeline conversion rate?

Improving your hiring pipeline means focusing on speed, communication, and alignment. When candidates clearly understand the role, feel engaged throughout the process, and receive a competitive job offer, they are far more likely to accept.

What is the biggest mistake employers make in the hiring process?

One of the biggest mistakes in a hiring process is focusing too much on candidate volume and not enough on candidate experience or quality. A large pipeline doesn’t guarantee results if candidates don’t feel confident saying yes at the end.

How long should a job interview process take?

A typical job interview process should move within 1-3 weeks. Longer timelines without clear communication can lead to candidate drop-off or declined job offers, especially in competitive markets like Indianapolis.

How That’s Good HR Helps You Close the Gap

At That’s Good HR, we look beyond the surface of your hiring pipeline.

We don’t just help you build a stronger candidate pool. We help you understand why candidates say yes… or why they don’t.

From refining role clarity to improving communication and aligning expectations early, we focus on the parts of the hiring process that actually impact offer acceptance.

Because at the end of the day, success isn’t measured by how many candidates you interview, but by who accepts the offer.

👉 If your hiring pipeline looks strong but your offers aren’t landing, it might be time to take a closer look.

Reach out to That’s Good HR if you’re ready to turn your pipeline into real hires.

Hiring resources

How Unrealistic Job Requirements Are Hurting Your Hiring Process (and What To Do Instead)

Mary Springer

Partner

February 12, 2026

If your job posting has been open for 60 days and your team is not-so-quietly drowning, it might not be a talent shortage.

It might be your expectations.

Many Indianapolis businesses do not struggle because great candidates do not exist. They struggle because their job descriptions are asking for a mythical combination of skills, experience, certifications, personality traits, and salary flexibility that simply does not align with the real market.

Let’s talk about how unrealistic job requirements slow you down, shrink your candidate pool, and quietly damage your reputation, and more importantly, how to improve your hiring process without lowering your standards.

TLDR: Unrealistic job requirements reduce applicant quality, extend time-to-hire, and increase burnout internally. The solution is not lowering talent expectations, but clarifying priorities, refining hiring criteria, and aligning compensation with the Indianapolis market. When you improve your hiring process with realistic benchmarks, you attract better candidates faster.

Jump to What You Need

How Unrealistic Job Requirements Hurt Your Hiring Process
Why Indianapolis Businesses Fall Into the Unrealistic Hiring Trap
How to Improve Your Hiring Process With Smarter Hiring Criteria
How Temp Staffing Can Help
FAQ: Unrealistic Job Requirements and Hiring Strategy

How Unrealistic Job Requirements Hurt Your Hiring Process

Unrealistic job requirements quietly slow your momentum, shrink your talent pool, and frustrate both candidates and internal teams. If your role has been sitting open longer than expected, your hiring criteria might be doing more harm than good.

Here’s how:

You Shrink Your Candidate Pool Immediately

When your hiring criteria include 12 must-haves and a personality checklist that reads like a personality quiz, strong candidates self-select out. LinkedIn’s Gender Insights Report revealed that candidates, particularly women, are less likely to apply unless they meet nearly all listed requirements. That means your overly specific list is filtering out capable professionals before you ever see them.

If you want to improve your hiring process, start by making sure your requirements reflect what is essential, not what is ideal.

You Increase Time-to-Hire

The more specific and restrictive your criteria, the longer your role stays open. Meanwhile, your current employees absorb the extra workload. Productivity drops. Morale dips. Burnout creeps in.

In Indianapolis, where many companies operate with lean teams, an extended vacancy has real operational impact. Unrealistic job requirements often create a bottleneck that hurts the business more than a slightly less-than-perfect candidate ever would.

You Send the Wrong Signal to Candidates

Overly rigid job postings can unintentionally communicate unrealistic expectations. Candidates may assume the workload will be unsustainable or the environment inflexible.

Your job description is not just a list of tasks. It is marketing. If it reads like a stress test, candidates will treat it like one.

Why Indianapolis Businesses Fall Into the Unrealistic Hiring Trap

Here’s the thing: Unrealistic hiring criteria rarely come from a bad place.

They often stem from:

Trying to fix multiple business problems with one hire
Replacing a high performer and expecting a clone
Internal pressure to “get it right” this time
Budget constraints that limit multiple hires

In a competitive local market, it can feel safer to hold out for perfection. But perfection rarely applies.

At That’s Good HR, we often walk into hiring conversations where the original job description evolves significantly once priorities are clarified. When employers align expectations with market realities, hiring accelerates.

How to Improve Your Hiring Process With Smarter Hiring Criteria

If you want to improve your hiring process without compromising quality, then the goal is not to lower your standards. It’s to clarify them.

When hiring criteria are realistic, prioritized, and aligned with the actual demands of the role, you attract stronger candidates and move faster with confidence. Small shifts in how you define and communicate expectations can dramatically improve both the quality and speed of your hires.

Here’s a good place to start:

#1 Define the Top Three Non-Negotiables

Not every requirement belongs in the must-have column. Identify the three skills or experiences that are absolutely critical on day one.

Everything else? Decide whether it can be trained.

This simple shift dramatically expands your candidate pool while keeping standards intact.

#2 Separate Skills From Traits

Software platforms can be learned. Communication style, adaptability, and reliability are much harder to teach.

When refining hiring criteria, ask yourself what truly drives performance in the role. In many administrative, HR, and customer service positions in Indianapolis, soft skills consistently outperform niche technical skills in the long term.

#3 Align Compensation With the Market

Sometimes, unrealistic job requirements are tied to unrealistic salary ranges.

Before assuming candidates are “too expensive,” review current local data. Our Indy Salary Guide provides up-to-date benchmarks so you can see how your offer compares to the Indianapolis market.

If you expect senior-level experience at entry-level pay, that mismatch will slow you down every time.

#4 Reevaluate Experience Thresholds

Does the role truly require eight years of experience? Or would someone with four strong years and the right attitude perform just as well?

Rigid experience thresholds often eliminate high-potential candidates. And in a city like Indianapolis, where talent pools are strong but competitive, flexibility can mean faster, better hires.

#5 Improve Speed and Communication

You can improve your hiring process simply by moving faster.

Top candidates rarely wait weeks for decisions. Tighten interview rounds, communicate clearly, and avoid unnecessary approval bottlenecks.

Responsiveness alone can differentiate you from competitors.

How Temp Staffing Can Help

Temp staffing allows businesses to bring in talent for short-term or contract roles. It is not a compromise. It is a strategy.

When unrealistic job requirements are tied to fear of making the wrong hire, temp-to-hire solutions reduce risk.

You gain:

Immediate support
Real-time performance evaluation
Flexibility before committing long-term
Reduced burnout for your current team

Many Indianapolis businesses use temp-to-hire models as a way to test alignment before extending permanent offers. It allows you to refine hiring criteria based on real-world performance instead of assumptions.

FAQ: Unrealistic Job Requirements and Hiring Strategy

Are unrealistic job requirements actually common?

Yes. Many businesses unintentionally overbuild job descriptions when trying to solve multiple challenges at once.

How do I know if my hiring criteria are too strict?

If your role has been open for more than 45 to 60 days with limited qualified applicants, your requirements may need review.

Will lowering requirements mean lowering quality?

Not necessarily. Refining priorities often improves quality by attracting better-aligned candidates rather than deterring them.

Can staffing agencies help refine job descriptions?

Absolutely. A strong staffing partner can provide market feedback, realistic compensation data, and insights into what candidates are actually responding to.

Partner With That’s Good HR to Improve Your Hiring Process

At That’s Good HR, we help Indianapolis businesses hire smarter. We do not just send resumes. We consult on hiring criteria, compensation alignment, market realities, and long-term strategy.

With more than 20 years of experience in the Indianapolis market, we understand what realistic expectations look like and how to position your roles competitively.

If you are ready to improve your hiring process and attract stronger candidates faster, let’s start the conversation.👉 Submit a job with That’s Good HR or connect with our team. We can’t wait to serve you!

Hiring resources

Hiring for the Long Haul? Here’s How to Identify High-Potential Employees

Greta Cline

Partner, CFO/COO

January 16, 2026

Hiring the right person for the job is one thing. Hiring someone who can grow with your company? That’s a whole different task, and let’s be honest, not always easy to spot on a resume.

In today’s hiring market, employers don’t just need warm bodies in seats. They need adaptable, invested, high-potential employees who can level up, stick around, and make a long-term impact.

But how do you tell the difference between someone who’s just looking for a job and someone who’s looking to build a career?

We’re here to break it down.

Why Spotting High-Potential Employees Matters

Turnover is expensive. Wasted time is frustrating. And rehiring for the same role 6 months later? No one has time for that.

If you want to build a sustainable, successful team, it’s worth learning how to identify high-potential employees from the start.

These are the folks who take initiative, ask great questions, grow quickly in their roles, and help move the business forward, even when no one’s watching.

They’re not just doing the job. They’re owning it.

Signs You’ve Got a High-Potential Employee in Front of You

Spotting high-potential employees during the hiring process isn’t always easy, especially when resumes all start to blend together.

But there are a few consistent behaviors and mindset cues that tend to show up when you’re talking to someone who’s ready to learn, grow, and stick around for the long haul.

Here’s how to identify high-potential employees in your next interview round:

They’re Curious (In a Good Way)

High-potential employees ask thoughtful questions, not just about the role, but about the company, the team structure, and the big-picture goals.

They’re not just focused on what they’ll be doing next week. They’re already thinking ahead.

You’ll often notice them steering the conversation toward impact: how the role contributes to the organization, how success is measured, or what opportunities exist to collaborate across teams.

Curiosity like this shows they’re trying to connect the dots and envision how they can grow with the company, not just in it.

Here’s a question you can ask to gauge employee curiosity: “What’s something about our company you’re eager to learn more about?”

This open-ended question gives the candidate space to ask thoughtful, specific questions—and shows whether they’ve done their homework or are just winging it.

They’ve Grown in Past Roles

Look for signs of progression, even in short stints.

Did they take on more responsibility? Get promoted quickly? Lead a new initiative? Past growth is a strong indicator of future potential.

You don’t need a perfect promotion ladder to spot this. Sometimes it looks like a candidate who stepped into a leadership void, mentored a teammate, or volunteered for cross-functional projects. These are the folks who raise their hand before they’re asked, and that initiative is a strong signal of a high-potential mindset.

Here’s an example question to help you spot growth in past roles: “Tell me about a time you saw an opportunity to go above and beyond your role. What did you do, and what was the outcome?”

You’ll learn whether the candidate naturally looks for ways to take initiative and how proactive they are when growth opportunities arise.

They’re Open to Feedback (And Actually Use It)

It’s one thing to say, “I’m open to feedback.” It’s another thing to actually put said feedback to good use.

Candidates who respond well to coaching and show a willingness to improve are golden. Growth requires humility and adaptability, two traits high-potential employees tend to have.

In interviews, listen for specific stories about a time they received constructive feedback and used it to level up.

The best candidates aren’t just open to change – they actively seek it out because they want to get better, not just get by.

Here’s a good interview question for gauging how a candidate handles feedback: “Can you share a piece of constructive feedback you’ve received in the past and how you responded to it?”

This gives insight into the candidate’s emotional intelligence, growth mindset, and ability to reflect and improve (not just defend or deflect).

They Ask About Growth Within the Role

If a candidate is genuinely interested in where they could go in your organization (and not just what they’ll be doing on day one) that’s a great sign.

It means they’re already envisioning a future with your company, which is often half the battle.

They may ask about development programs, team structure, or what career paths have looked like for others in the role. These questions aren’t just about ambition. They show intention, commitment, and a desire to invest in the long game.

Here’s a question you can ask to identify a high-potential employee: “What would growth look like for you in this role over the next year or two?”

This helps you see if they’ve thought seriously about how they want to evolve professionally, and whether they’re considering your company as a place to do it.

Red Flags: When “Eager” Doesn’t Equal “High Potential”

Just because someone says they’re a “go-getter” on their résumé doesn’t mean they’re built for long-term growth.

Here’s what to watch out for:

Lots of lateral moves with no upward trend
No questions about team dynamics or company goals
Vague answers about past performance or career goals
Job-hopping with no clear reason why

It doesn’t mean they’re not a great candidate – it just means they may not be the best long-term bet.

If a candidate struggles to articulate how they’ve evolved in past roles or why they’re looking to make a move now, it may be a sign they’re still figuring things out (and that’s okay!).

But if your goal is to build a team that sticks, scales, and contributes beyond the job description, you’ll want someone who can clearly connect the dots between where they’ve been and where they’re going.

What You Can Do to Attract (and Keep) High-Potential Employees

Indianapolis candidates, especially those we serve in HR, admin, customer service, and accounting, have options. And high-potential employees are getting snatched up quickly.

To stand out in today’s market, your job postings and interview process need to do more than list tasks. They need to show real opportunity.

Here’s how to position your open roles to appeal to high-potential employees from the start:

Room for Growth

If your admin role has the potential to evolve, say that clearly.

High-potential employees are drawn to opportunities where they can grow their skill set, take on new responsibilities, and contribute to something bigger. If you have internal examples of someone who started as an admin and is now in a senior role, share that story. It shows there’s room to grow and a roadmap to follow.

Training or Mentorship Opportunities

Professional development doesn’t have to mean fancy leadership seminars.

Whether it’s shadowing a manager, regular check-ins with a mentor, or even access to online learning tools, high-potential candidates want to know you’re invested in their growth.

Competitive Pay (We Can Help With That)

We can’t say it enough: compensation still matters. Offering a “growth opportunity” won’t land if the pay is significantly below market.

Not sure what’s competitive in Indy right now? Our 2026 Indianapolis Salary Guide has the latest benchmarks for admin roles, so you’re not left guessing.

Don’t Forget the Benefits

Today’s candidates care just as much about the job benefits as they do the paycheck. Flexible scheduling, generous PTO, mental health support, and learning stipends all go a long way in making your offer stand out.

If you’re curious about what other local employers are offering, our Hiring + Benefits Guide can help with that.

Partner with a Staffing Agency That Spots High-Potential Talent Daily

At That’s Good HR, we’ve been matching Indianapolis employers with top-tier talent for over two decades.

We know how to read between the lines, dig deeper in interviews, and spot high-potential employees who can grow with your company, not just fill a role temporarily.

If you’re hiring in HR, admin, customer service, or accounting, we’ve got the local know-how, candidate relationships, and market insight to help you find the right person—not just the first one available.

Visit our website and get in touch with us today! We’ll help you build a team that grows with you.

Hiring resources

Stop Chasing Unicorn Candidates (Here’s Who You Actually Need to Hire)

Greta Cline

Partner, CFO/COO

December 15, 2025

Every hiring manager has a dream candidate: the magical professional who has five years of experience in an industry that has only existed for three, someone who can juggle three job descriptions at once, who never needs training, communicates flawlessly, thrives under pressure, and politely asks for a salary below market rate.

In staffing terms, we call this hiring unicorns (or rockstars). You’ve seen those job descriptions (maybe you’ve even written one).

The truth is, those “unicorn” candidates are not just rare. They’re often impossible to find. More importantly, chasing them slows down your hiring, frustrates your team, and costs your business real money.

At That’s Good HR, we work with Indianapolis employers every day who think they need the perfect candidate, when in reality, they need someone who is skilled, coachable, aligned with their culture, and ready to grow.

Why Chasing Unicorn Candidates Doesn’t Work

Most unrealistic job descriptions often happen because a company is trying to solve several problems with one hire.

Need someone to fix a broken process, support understaffed departments, master three platforms, and charm customers? It is tempting to wrap all of that into one job posting.

But here is what often happens next:

The job sits open for months
Strong candidates self-select out
Teams burn out covering the workload
Productivity drops
Hiring managers get frustrated

By the time someone finally gets hired, the team is exhausted. And more often than not, the person you end up bringing on doesn’t even match the original impossible criteria.

Unicorn hunting wastes time, drains morale, and delays the help you actually need.

Hiring Unicorns vs Hiring the Right People

The truth is that high-performing teams are rarely built by one singular, perfect person. They are built by several strong, well-supported people with the right mix of skills and personalities.

In other words, hiring the right people matters more than chasing the one ideal employee.

So instead of asking, “Who can do everything?” try asking, “Who can do the most important things well?”

That shift alone can transform your entire hiring process.

What Overstuffed Job Descriptions Usually Look Like

If you are unsure whether your job post is unintentionally calling for a “unicorn” and scaring off strong candidates, here are a few key indicators:

Role Creep Before Day One

If your job posting reads like you combined three positions into one, candidates can spot it instantly.

When responsibilities balloon beyond what’s realistic, the strongest applicants tend to bow out rather than bet on potential burnout. People want clarity, not a guessing game about what their actual day-to-day will look like.

Keeping the role focused helps you attract people who can actually excel.

A Laundry List of Requirements

Long lists of requirements may feel like you are being thorough, but they often come across as impractical

When a job post demands in-depth knowledge of eight software platforms, ten personality traits, four certifications, and a love of “fast-paced environments,” candidates assume it is a mismatch.

The longer the list, the more likely qualified applicants will talk themselves out of applying. Hiring works best when you separate what is essential from what is simply wishful thinking.

Asking for Immediate Impact Without Training

Everyone wants a quick learner, but expecting someone to walk in and perform perfectly without any support is not always realistic.

Training is not optional if you want long-term success.

When companies skip this step, new hires feel set up to fail before they even get started.

In fact, Glassdoor reports that organizations with strong onboarding processes improve new-hire retention by up to 82 percent.

Clear onboarding and time to learn your systems will help the right person succeed and stay longer (and That’s Good HR can help with that🙋🏼‍♀️).

Saying “We’re Like a Family” Instead of Describing Your Culture

Most candidates do not want a workplace that feels like a family. They want one that feels professional, supportive, and stable.

Without a clear description of your team culture, candidates may assume the work environment comes with surprises they didn’t sign up for.

Sharing real values, team norms, or communication styles is a much better way to attract people who will thrive with you.

How to Stop Hiring Unicorns and Start Hiring the Right People

Here is how employers can shift from unrealistic expectations to strategic, efficient hiring.

Rank the Role’s Top Priorities

A job cannot be everything at once. Start by identifying the top three priorities this role must accomplish.

For example:

Support executive leadership with scheduling and communication
Improve customer response times
Manage reporting for internal teams

Once you define the core responsibilities, you can stop stuffing the job description with “nice to have” but unnecessary extras.

Hiring becomes clearer. Candidates self-assess more accurately. And your team knows exactly what success looks like.

Separate Must-Have Skills From Teachable Skills

This is where most unicorn hunting begins. Many employers list skills they want, but not skills that truly matter.

Ask yourself:

What must the candidate already know on day one?
What could be learned in the first 30, 60, or 90 days?

In the Indianapolis market, some skills are easier to train than others. Software platforms? Teach them. Communication, organization, and reliability? Much harder to train.

When you focus on the skills that genuinely matter, your talent pool expands instantly.

Improve the Candidate Experience

Slow hiring processes kill good candidates.

Hire smarter by:

Cutting unnecessary interview rounds
Providing clear communication
Making decisions quickly
Sharing realistic expectations

Indianapolis job seekers consistently tell us that responsiveness makes all the difference. Want to remain competitive without raising salaries? Simply moving faster and keeping your candidates in the loop can be the difference between securing top talent or losing them to a competitor.

In fact, Addison Group reports that 70% of job seekers say they lose interest in a role if they haven’t heard back within a week of the interview.

That’s Good HR Will Help You Hire Real People – Fast

At That’s Good HR, we focus on hiring the right people.

We know the Indianapolis job market inside and out and have helped employers build strong teams for more than two decades. We understand what makes candidates thrive, what makes teams click, and how to match people to the environments where they perform best.

Whether you need temporary help, temp-to-hire candidates, or direct hire placements, we will help you hire smarter, faster, and more realistically.

Ready to stop looking for a needle in a haystack? Visit our website to get help hiring the people who can move your business forward.

Hiring resources

Hiring on a Budget in Indianapolis? 4 Smart Ways to Compete Without Raising Salaries

October 25, 2025

If you’re trying to hire employees on a budget in Indianapolis, you’re not alone.

Finding top talent remains competitive, yet most employers don’t have the budget to outbid their competition.

The good news is that money isn’t the only motivator. With the right mix of creativity, flexibility, and speed, you can attract the right candidates without blowing up your payroll.

At That’s Good HR, we’ve been helping Indianapolis employers find talent through every kind of market shift for the past 20+ years.

From recession-era budgets to post-pandemic hiring crunches, we know how to make your roles stand out when your salary range can’t stretch any further.

Before you decide how far your budget can stretch, check out our Indy Salary Guide for real-time data on what local candidates are earning across industries.

Knowing where you stand helps you stay competitive, even when you can’t raise pay.

Creative Ways to Attract Talent When Hiring Employees on a Budget

You may not be able to increase salaries… but you can absolutely increase appeal. In the current hiring landscape, soft perks carry major weight.

Today’s top candidates care about how it feels to work for you almost as much as what they earn.

We’ve seen countless candidates accept offers from clients who lead with trust and flexibility, even when the pay wasn’t the highest on the table.

Here’s how to stand out without spending more:

Flexibility That Actually Means Something

You don’t need to reinvent the wheel, just make it easier for folks to show up wherever they work best. A little autonomy can go a long way in attracting people who want balance and flexibility.

Whether it’s hybrid scheduling, remote options, or flexible start times, these perks signal trust and respect for employees as people.

According to Gallup, 6 out of 10 employees with remote-capable jobs desire a hybrid work arrangement.

We’ve seen many Indianapolis employers win over top talent simply by letting employees design a work schedule that fits their life.

It’s one of the simplest ways to stay competitive when hiring employees on a budget.

A Culture That Feels Real (Not Scripted)

A solid company culture is no longer a nice-to-have. It’s a make-or-break factor in hiring and retention.

Candidates are quick to spot when your values are simply copied on a careers page. They want to see those values in action: in how leaders communicate, how teams collaborate, and how people are treated on tough days.

A workplace that feels authentic, inclusive, and human can absolutely beat one that pays more.

When candidates sense they’ll be supported, the paycheck becomes part of the decision, not the whole story.

Work-Life Balance That’s More Than a Buzzword

You can’t slap “work-life balance” in a job post and call it a perk.

Candidates want real proof. That could mean avoiding after-hours emails, keeping workloads realistic, or setting clear boundaries during busy seasons.

When employees feel their time is respected, retention and productivity skyrocket.

Companies that genuinely walk the talk earn loyalty and often outperform competitors with bigger budgets.

The best part? Honoring work-life balance doesn’t cost a thing. It simply requires intention and consistency from leadership, and it’s one of the fastest ways to build a reputation as a place where people actually want to work.

Authentic Employee Recognition

Not every reward has to come with a paycheck. Simple, meaningful employee recognition, like celebrating wins, saying thank you, or involving employees in decision-making, builds engagement and pride.

Be abundant with your recognition and acknowledgment of employee efforts, and you’ll attract people who thrive on trust and ownership.

Plus, when employees feel seen in the workplace, they’re less likely to spend their lunch breaks browsing job boards.

Consistent recognition builds a culture where people want to stay because their efforts matter, not just because it’s convenient. Trust us, empowered employees will be your organization’s biggest champions, telling others exactly why your workplace is worth joining.

How to Attract Candidates Who Care About More Than Just the Paycheck

Hiring employees on a budget means getting strategic about what you’re really looking for.

Instead of chasing candidates who are purely money-motivated, you’ll need to focus on those who value long-term opportunity and cultural alignment.

That’s why, at That’s Good HR, we screen candidates for more than just skills. We look for people who ask thoughtful questions, show curiosity, and see the bigger picture of growth within your organization.

Here’s how to attract candidates who see your role as a career move, not just a pit stop:

Create a Candidate Experience That Wins

Here’s a secret from the staffing world:

Speed beats salary more often than you think.

Candidates who feel valued and respected throughout the hiring process are far more likely to choose your offer, even if it isn’t the highest one.

Cut unnecessary interview rounds, tighten decision timelines, and keep communication consistent.

A hiring process that moves efficiently signals confidence and organization. That alone can set you apart from competitors who are still “circling back” two weeks later.

Typically, That’s Good HR clients who prioritize responsiveness often secure top talent before competitors even send their second email.

Let’s face it: in hiring, slow and steady does not win the race.

Write Job Descriptions That Sell

Hiring employees on a budget starts long before the first interview. It starts with the job description.

The best candidates won’t apply if your job posting reads like a laundry list of lofty demands.

Focus on what makes your workplace a great place to grow. Lead with your values, team environment, or leadership style, and be honest about what success looks like in the role.

Skip corporate jargon and get specific about impact.

During interviews, keep your tone consistent. The clearer and more authentic you are, the more likely you’ll attract people who are genuinely aligned, and alignment is priceless when you’re hiring on a budget.

Be Transparent About Growth Opportunities

When you’re hiring employees on a budget, honesty about what’s next can be your biggest advantage.

Candidates who care about more than the paycheck want to know they’re stepping into a role that leads somewhere, whether that’s skill development, mentorship, or future promotions.

Be upfront about the career path, even if it’s not fully mapped out yet. Talk about how your company invests in learning or cross-training.

When candidates can see a future with you, they’re less focused on the starting number and more focused on the long-term payoff.

Compete Creatively, Hire Smarter

Raising salaries isn’t the only way to win the hiring game. When you combine strategic staffing partnerships, thoughtful perks, and a standout candidate experience, you can still compete with companies twice your size (and budget).

The key is to focus on what truly makes people want to stay: authentic leadership, balance, growth, and a sense of belonging.

Employers who invest in those areas build teams that perform better and turnover less, no signing bonus required.

In a market that rewards creativity and consistency, the smartest hiring strategy isn’t about spending more. It’s about hiring with intention.

Want to see how your pay ranges stack up? Download our Indy Salary Guide to stay competitive in the Indianapolis market.

Inside, you’ll find up-to-date salary data and insights across industries, giving you the knowledge you need to attract and retain top talent, without overextending your budget.

How That’s Good HR Helps Indianapolis Employers Hire Smarter

At That’s Good HR, hiring employees on a budget means getting strategic, not settling for less.

Our team connects Indianapolis employers with top candidates who value culture, growth, and opportunity just as much as compensation.

Whether you need temp, temp-to-hire, or direct placements, we’ll help you find the right fit quickly and cost-effectively.

With over two decades of local experience, we understand what makes the Indianapolis talent tick.

Great hires don’t always come with the biggest price tags. Build your team smarter with the help of That’s Good HR.

Submit a job here to get started.

Hiring resources

Admin Pay Rates in Indianapolis: What You Should Be Offering in 2025

Greta Cline

Partner, CFO/COO

September 27, 2025

Hiring administrative talent in 2025? You might want to take a fresh look at what you’re offering (You can count on it being more than you paid in 2017).

Admin professionals are the backbone of your business (ours, too!), and those outdated pay ranges don’t cut it anymore.

In a city like Indianapolis, where competition is heating up, underpaying your admins isn’t just a bad look. It’s a fast track to losing talent before you even hit “schedule interview.”

So, how much should you actually be paying your admins this year?

We’re here to break it down.

What’s the Going Rate for Admin Roles in Indianapolis?

At That’s Good HR, we place hundreds of administrative professionals every year, so when it comes to understanding what’s normal, what’s generous, and what’s going to make candidates ghost your offer, we’ve got the inside scoop.

Here’s what we’re seeing in 2025:

Entry-Level Administrative Assistants: $17–$22/hour

These are your front-line multitaskers, answering phones, managing calendars, prepping reports, and generally keeping things from falling apart.

While they may not have years of experience yet, they do bring strong communication skills, tech fluency, and the flexibility to jump into just about anything.

In 2025, $15/hour simply isn’t going to cut it for these folks, not when Costco is paying more with benefits.If you’re offering under $17 an hour, expect candidates to (politely) pass.

Mid-Level Admins & Office Managers: $45K–$55K

Mid-level admins and office managers often wear multiple hats, handling everything from onboarding and facilities to event planning and vendor relationships.

They’re not just organizing – they help run the show.

Their roles typically require a few years of experience, deep knowledge of internal systems, and the kind of calm-under-pressure presence that makes an office actually work.

If you want someone who can manage the chaos without breaking a sweat, this pay range is where you need to be.

Executive Assistants & HR Admins: $55K–$70K+

These professionals aren’t just supporting your leadership. They’re protecting their time, reputation, and calendar with military precision.

Experienced Executive Assistants often act as your strategic partner, juggling high-level communications, managing sensitive information, and keeping execs on track.

Meanwhile, HR Admins are the operational backbone of your people functions: tracking benefits, maintaining compliance, and ensuring a smooth onboarding process.

HR is more essential than ever, and paying at the higher end of this range is becoming the new norm for top-tier talent.

Let’s just say, if you’re asking someone to handle your CEO’s inbox, build onboarding flows, and manage internal comms, don’t be surprised if they ask for more than $60K.

Between inflation, cost-of-living shifts, and a tight labor market, these numbers are only trending upward. Admin professionals know their worth, and they’re not afraid to ask for it.

How Indy Employers Are Stepping Up

Gone are the days when a strong admin candidate would jump at a lowball offer just for the stability. In 2025, they’re comparing benefits, flexibility, growth potential, and, of course, compensation.

According to LinkedIn’s 2024 Future of Recruiting report, the average time-to-hire has increased 18% since early 2023.

That means fewer people actively job hunting, which makes the admin candidates who are open to new opportunities even more valuable (and more selective).

So, if you’re trying to attract top-tier administrative talent this year, your offer needs to stand out.

Let’s explore what today’s admin professionals are really looking for, and how Indy employers are rising to the occasion with smarter, more competitive offers.

Better Benefits = Better Hires

It’s not just about pay anymore.

To stand out in a competitive market, many companies are revamping their benefits packages, offering more PTO, improved healthcare options, mental health support, and even student loan assistance.

These extra offerings show candidates that you’re investing in their well-being, not just their output. And when someone has three different job offers with similar admin salaries? Benefits are often what tip the scale.

If you’re rethinking your benefits package or wondering what other Indy employers are offering, our Hiring & Benefits Guide is a great place to start.

It’s packed with local insights to help you stay competitive, without the guessing.

Flexibility Is the New Non-Negotiable

Forget ping pong tables and pizza Fridays. Today’s admin professionals are looking for flexibility first.

Hybrid work arrangements are quickly becoming the norm, not the perk. And if you’re still requiring 5 days a week in the office for a $40K role? That admin candidate just ghosted your calendar invite.

We’re seeing more Indianapolis employers adapt by offering 2–3 remote days per week or flexible start/end times when possible, and it’s making a huge difference in attracting talent.

You’re Not Just Competing Locally Anymore

Thanks to remote work, Indy admin candidates aren’t just comparing your offer to one across town. They’re comparing it to one from Chicago, Atlanta, or a fully remote role at a company in California with a way bigger budget.

That means your admin salary needs to be competitive not just for Indianapolis, but for a broader market.

If your offer isn’t keeping up, your ideal candidate may never even apply.

What Most Employers Get Wrong About Admin Pay

Let us be clear: administrative roles are not one-size-fits-all, or entry-level by default.

And yet, too many job postings still treat them that way.

Employers will offer $15/hour and expect a unicorn who can manage the front desk, coordinate travel, plan events, onboard new hires, and maybe even fix the printer…all before noon.

Sound familiar?

The truth is, today’s admin professionals bring a powerful mix of skills to the table: tech-savvy, multitasking under pressure, emotional intelligence, and strong communication. Many are the glue that holds an office together, and that level of value deserves to be compensated accordingly.

Underpaying these roles doesn’t just slow down your hiring process. It actively repels the kind of talent you’re hoping to attract, and it sends a message (loud and clear) that you may not understand the scope or importance of the work.Not sure if your salary range is hitting the mark?

Grab our Indy Salary Guide for a clear breakdown of current admin salaries in Indianapolis. We’re here to help make sure your next offer is competitive and not “cringe,” as the young admins say 😉

Want Admin Talent That Sticks Around? Start Here.

When you partner with a local staffing agency like That’s Good HR (hi, that’s us 👋), you’re not guessing what the market wants.

You’re getting real-time data and direct feedback from candidates, and that means less time wasted, better interviews, and stronger long-term hires.Visit our website to start the conversation.

We’ll help you find the right person, offer the right pay, and avoid a hiring headache altogether.

Hiring resources

5 Assumptions Hiring Managers Make That Are Actually Resume Bias in Disguise

Tiffany Moore

July 14, 2025

It’s 8:47 AM. You’ve got a coffee in one hand, your inbox in the other, and 46 new resumes to review before your 10 o’clock meeting.

You start skimming. Scanning. Sorting.

“This person’s been in the same role too long.”
“Too junior.”
“This one’s way too much data entry – hard pass.”

And just like that, they’re gone.

But what if that last one, the “hard pass,” was your team’s next perfect hire?

The Resume Said “No” but The Interview Said “Absolutely”

This isn’t a hypothetical. It happens all the time with our clients at That’s Good HR.

A candidate came through with a resume that, at first glance, leaned heavily toward data entry.

On paper, it didn’t scream “perfect match.” In fact, the hiring manager initially passed without a second thought.

But we spoke with them, like we do with every candidate. We asked the right questions, dug into their experience, and heard something completely different:

A growth mindset.

Transferable skills in spades.

Energy, curiosity, and the ability to learn fast.

We brought that context back to the hiring manager. Thankfully, they trusted our insight and agreed to revisit the résumé.

The result was one incredible hire. The team was blown away, and they’re still raving about the decision.

So, let’s talk about the most common resume biases we see (and why they don’t hold up).

Common assumptions that could be holding back your hiring:

Resumes are meant to be quick filters, but when they become the only filter, they start to reinforce hiring habits that leave no room for nuance or context.

According to HR Dive, recruiters spend an average of just 6–8 seconds scanning a resume before deciding whether to move forward.

That doesn’t leave much time to understand the full potential of a talented candidate.

So, read this before tossing that potentially great candidate’s resume aside:

“They’ll get bored.”

Translation: This person looks too experienced for this role.

But what if they’re intentionally looking for stability, or a role that’s a better lifestyle fit?

Maybe they’re pivoting from burnout or want to sharpen a specific skill.

Assuming boredom based on years of experience is one of the fastest ways to overlook a candidate who might bring focus, reliability, and less ego to the table.

“This job looks like a step back for them.”

It might be. Or it might be a strategic move.

People make career changes for all sorts of reasons, personal priorities, industry changes, family needs, or just wanting a new challenge.

We ask candidates about this directly. And you know what we hear often?

“I want to get back to doing work I actually enjoy.”

“I’m looking for a team I can grow with.”

“I’ve been managing people for years, and I’m ready to be an expert again.”

A title change doesn’t always mean they’re settling. Sometimes it means they’ve finally figured out what they really want.

“The commute’s going to be a dealbreaker.”

Maybe it will be. Or maybe they saw the location, considered it, and applied anyway.

Either way, that’s their call to make.

We’ve seen candidates with long commutes stick around for years because the role, the team, or the growth opportunities made it worth it.

Don’t assume your personal dealbreakers are theirs.

When in doubt, ask. Or have our team ask…(we’ll shoot you straight) 😉

“They don’t have [YXZ] experience.”

Here’s our rule of thumb: if the job requires a very specific software background and you need someone to hit the ground running, that may be your sign to move on.

But more often, assuming experience, or lack thereof, closes the door too early. Especially when the candidate has complementary skills or a track record of picking up new systems quickly.

According to TestGorilla, nearly 60% of hiring managers say soft skills and adaptability matter more than hard skills when evaluating long-term potential.

So, why do we so often let a missing tool or system become a dealbreaker?Don’t miss out on someone just because they didn’t use your keywords in their resume header.

“They remind me of someone who didn’t work out.”

This one’s sneaky. It sounds harmless, but it is actually bias in a trench coat.

Just because a candidate shares a background, communication style, or resume structure with someone who flopped in the past doesn’t mean they’re doomed to repeat it.

Every person is different. Every situation is different. And past pain isn’t a reason to close the door on future potential.

What Resumes Can’t Show You (But That’s Good HR Can)

Sure, resumes are great for listing tasks and timelines, but they can’t show you the stuff that deeply matters day to day.

Here’s what you miss when judging a book by its (uhmm…) resume?

Attitude and willingness to learn
Communication and collaboration style
Culture fit and values alignment
Career goals or reasons for making a shift
Coachability and growth mindset

And that’s where That’s Good HR comes in.

When you outsource your hiring to us, we don’t just skim resumes and forward CVs.

We have real conversations with candidates. We dig into what makes them tick and what they’re really looking for.

We vet for soft skills and the skills that don’t always make it onto the bulleted list of a one-page resume.

This is how we help clients uncover talent that doesn’t just check boxes, but fits your culture, boosts team morale, and makes you wonder how you ever managed without them.

Looking Beyond the Resume

The next time you’re tempted to toss a résumé because it doesn’t check every single box, pause for a moment. Ask yourself:

Am I making an assumption here?
Could this person have transferable skills I’m overlooking?
Is this a true red flag, or just something that needs more context?

It only takes a few seconds to dismiss someone based on a job title, a gap, or a lack of a specific system.

But those quick filters can create blind spots, ones that cause you to overlook motivated, qualified, ready-to-grow candidates.

Make Smarter Hiring Decisions with That’s Good HR by Your Side

At That’s Good HR, we specialize in helping you see what resumes don’t show: attitude, adaptability, and the potential to thrive in your work environment.

We fill in the blanks, provide the context, and advocate for the kinds of candidates who often shine brightest, beyond the resume.

Because checking every box on paper? That’s not the goal. Building a stronger, more capable team is.

Visit our website to learn more or submit a job directly for hiring support from That’s Good HR.