Human resource planning cannot be done in a vacuum. The HR department needs to understand the company's strategic plan and be able to hire or shed jobs as necessary. As you read the following case, think about how Kiara Jones, HR manager at Edu$-$Films, needs to take a balanced approach to hiring the right amount of staff for the company's next big project.

Read the case and answer the questions that follow.

Edu$-$Films is a small graphics design company that writes and produces videos for the elementary and high school educational market. The company is in the final stages of negotiating a new contract with a U$.$S$.$ publisher to create $40$ videos for a new K$6$th grade math series, and the videos need to be ready for next year$$s fall classes. Business has been slow over the past three years, and the company has kept staff levels to a minimum. Mindful of the company$$s flat fiscal results but understanding that new hires must be ready to go once the contract is signed, HR manager Kiara Jones must put together a cohesive hiring plan.

What should be Kiara's first step?