Recruitment deadlines – how long is normal to search for the right candidate?

Recruitment deadlines are one of the most pressing questions that employers ask a recruitment company. However, while the answer to this question may be simple, there are many calculations and variables behind the answer. It is important for both the employer and the recruitment company to understand what determines the timeframe, how precisely it can be set and what is considered an appropriate timeframe.

1. How long will it take to recruit for position X?

Every time an employer asks this question before starting a search. It is usually asked in order to clearly plan the availability of the hiring manager. With a clear recruitment deadlines, it is even possible to plan for a potential date of recruitment, but do not overdo it, as this date is bound to change. Another important aspect that is often overlooked by employers is the deadline for making an offer to the first candidates.

After all, it is crucial to know when the first candidates can be assessed, the quality of the recruitment company’s work measured and the first interviews started. Usually, if the first candidates perform well, then the recruitment process moves as planned and it is easy to meet the pre-set deadline. By the way, the deadline for the first candidates to come forward in a recruitment project can vary from 5 to 10 working days in a specialist search to 15 to 20 working days in an executive search project.

2. What determines recruitment deadlines?

There are 4 key factors that determine the timeframe for recruitment:

• The rarity of the position sought in the labour market – if the total number of suitable candidates in the search area is low (e.g. less than 30), then the recruitment project takes longer.
• Employer’s image – a positive employer’s image leads to a faster attraction of candidates, while a negative one leads to a longer recruitment process.
• The activity of the recruitment agency or how long it takes the recruitment agency to check the entire long list of candidates it has created
• The number of stages of the recruitment process approved by the employer – a large number of long stages of the recruitment process leads to a significant increase in the recruitment time. Even if a candidate is found in the first week of recruitment, too much time can be wasted in a long and tedious selection process.

3. How long has it been too long to look for an employee?

A search that goes on too long is one that is already starting to damage the employer’s image. If, for example, an employer is looking for a commercial director for six months, the labour market is already starting to react negatively. The employer’s ability to attract the right candidates starts to be questioned, while questions start to arise as to whether all the candidates are the right ones, or whether the right candidates are leaving the employer quickly and the employer needs to start the search again. In short, a lengthy recruitment process is not only frustrating for the employer, but also has a negative impact on the employer’s public image.

4. Can the recruitment process be too short?

It may sound strange, but recruitment can certainly be too short. Every candidate hopes to compete with other candidates and prove his or her suitability for the position on offer. If a position is offered after only one or a few short job interviews, the employer’s interest in selecting the most suitable candidate may be questioned. It may also lead to doubts about the employer itself, i.e. the employer may already be desperate not to find a candidate, so it offers the position as soon as possible without even assessing the candidate properly. In any case, the very short recruitment process creates a lot of uncertainty for the candidates, which can then lead to their decision not to accept the employer’s offer.