The Risks of a Long Hiring Process and How to Fix It

​It goes without question that hiring managers in nearly every industry are finding it more difficult to fill roles with top talent. Part of the reason stems from external factors that make it harder to locate the right candidates when there are so few of them available. However, the lion’s share of recruiting difficulty arises from internal factors related to the hiring timeline. The average hiring process has stretched to 23 days, an eternity in high-demand fields. There are many risks associated with a long hiring process, but luckily, many solutions exist.

A Long Hiring Process Is Counterintuitive
Lengthy hiring timelines are a common self-inflicted pain point that reduce efficiency and innovation in an organization. At the most basic level, the more time spent in the hiring process means the more time competitors have to swoop in with their own attractive offers. It’s one thing to lose exceptional current employees to a competitor, but a different animal altogether to lose talent before you can even hire them. Recruiting is truly an arena where the early bird gets the worm.

A long hiring process also sends the wrong message to candidates, as a survey found 57% of job seekers report that the most frustrating part of the process is the long wait after an interview. Further, 23% of job seekers lose interest in a role within just one week if they don’t hear back from hiring managers, and 46% lose interest after two weeks. Without an offer or any communication, candidates are likely to assume that the potential employer has lost interest.

Worse, 32% of candidates found a long hiring process made them question the organization’s ability to make other decisions, which in turn hurts employer branding. This timeframe is not just for vetting talent, but an ideal period to sell the position. It’s counterintuitive to maintain a long hiring process, as the longer it goes the more it hurts your ability to make a hire.

Consider the Type of Position
Rigid, one-size-fits-all hiring funnels that all candidates travel through are a glaring inefficiency for many companies. There’s no reason to reinvent the wheel with each candidate, but the hiring process must be adapted to the type of role. When hiring a contract employee, the hiring timeline must be faster than when hiring for a permanent position. Likewise, hiring an entry-level role should not take as long as hiring a manager or other high-profile position. Consider the type of position at the outset to avoid spending more time than absolutely necessary.

Fully Prepare for Interviews
In order to present the most streamlined experience to candidates, it’s necessary to take care of internal housekeeping activities completely before involving them. Successful companies don’t interview or even advertise for an open position until they:

• Obtain approval for a new hire. Too often interviewing begins prematurely, and halfway through it turns out the new position must be pushed to the following quarter.
• Clearly determine job responsibilities prior to interviews, and stick to them. All jobs are bound to change a bit in scope, but the interview process is not the time to shape roles. The best hiring managers know at least 80% of what they want in a candidate, hire them, and then build the role out further once they’re on board.
• Have a range of preapproved compensation offers ready. This eliminates time-consuming internal back and forth, and allows for the possibility of extending an offer immediately after an interview. In the event a candidate counteroffers, it also means the hiring manager can respond quickly and confidently.

Streamline the Interview Process
The actual interview process is where some of the biggest slowdowns occur. In an effort to be as nimble as possible and shorten the timeline for candidates, there several tactics to consider:

• Limit hiring decision makers to only the absolute essential parties. Whether it’s a direct supervisor and an HR rep, or perhaps only the owner in a small business, fewer parties means a hiring decision can be made more quickly.
• Hold Fewer interviews. Combine multiple interviews into one. If there must be multiple interviews, attempt to schedule them back to back so a candidate doesn’t have to return several times over a series of days or weeks.
• Be flexible with interview times and formats. Since many of the best candidates are currently employed, consider offering interview times in the evenings or weekends. It will show the candidate that they are valued, and may help stand out from competitors.

Fixing a Long Hiring Process
It’s already hard enough to find great talent, so there’s no reason to make it even more difficult by sticking with a long hiring process. Making an effort to strategically examine, shorten, and streamline each step will provide a boost to recruiting and encourage a stronger flow of talented new hires into your organization. And for those overwhelmed by the prospect of overhauling hiring procedures, Highmark is here to help.
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Darrell Smith

​Darrell Smith has been the CEO of Highmark since 2005 and has over 20 years of experience in the Finance & Accounting staffing industry.