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Are you wondering why you are struggling to fill positions, even when qualified candidates are available? The problem might lie in a lack of understanding of two essential metrics: time to hire and time to fill.
Although these terms are often used interchangeably, they measure different aspects of the recruitment process, each offering valuable insights into efficiency and potential bottlenecks. By analyzing these metrics, you can identify delays, refine your hiring strategy, and enhance your ability to attract top talent.
In this article, we’ll define time to hire and time to fill, explain how to calculate them, and share actionable strategies to accelerate your recruitment process.
Time to hire refers to the number of days between a candidate’s application submission and the moment they accept the job offer. This metric provides valuable insight into how efficiently your hiring team moves candidates through the recruitment process.
A shorter time to hire indicates that your company quickly identifies and engages top talent that can reduce the risk of losing strong candidates to competitors. Conversely, a longer time to hire may signal inefficiencies in screening, interviewing, or decision-making processes.
It’s important to distinguish time to hire from time to fill. While time to hire focuses on the period between a candidate’s first interaction and their offer acceptance, time to fill represents the entire period a position stays open until it's filled.
Measuring time-to-hire is important because it helps companies improve their hiring process, attract the best candidates, and reduce costs. Here’s a closer look at why it matters:
Tracking time-to-hire allows companies to see how long each step of the hiring process takes. If certain stages, like reviewing applications or scheduling interviews, take too long, the company can work on speeding things up. This helps fill positions faster and ensures the hiring process runs smoother.
When hiring takes too long, candidates may lose interest, feel frustrated, or accept another job offer. A fast and efficient process makes candidates feel valued and keeps them engaged. It also helps build a positive reputation for the company to make it easier attracting top talent in the future.
Recruiters and hiring managers play a big role in bringing in new employees. By measuring time-to-hire, companies can see where their team is doing well and where they might need extra resources or better tools. This can lead to a smoother and more organized hiring process.
Leaving a job position open for too long can be expensive. It may lead to lost productivity, extra workload for current employees, or the need to hire temporary workers. A shorter time-to-hire helps businesses reduce these costs and ensures that work continues without disruption.
The best candidates are often in high demand, and companies that move too slowly risk losing them to competitors. A shorter hiring process increases the chances of securing top talent before someone else does. It also shows that the company is efficient and well-organized, which makes it look more attractive to job seekers.
See also: 15+ Essential Recruiting Metrics Every HR Leader Should Track
The average time to hire has been increasing across various industries. As of the first quarter of 2023, the average time to hire has risen to 44 days, up from 43 days in the previous year, the report said.
Certain industries experience longer hiring processes due to specialized roles and limited talent pools. Based on the same report, the energy and defense sector has the most extended time-to-hire rates, averaging over 67 days. The high specialization of roles and a small pool of qualified candidates contribute to these prolonged hiring periods.
Conversely, some industries have more expedited hiring processes:
Since time to hire measures how long it takes to bring a candidate from the start of the hiring process to accepting a job offer, the time to hire formula is as follows:
In this case, the Time to Hire is 18 days (from the 10th to the 28th of March 2025).
To determine the average time to hire across multiple positions, use this formula:
Now that we’ve defined time to hire, it's important to address a common point of confusion, how it differs from time to fill. Many people use these terms interchangeably, but they measure different aspects of the hiring process. Understanding the distinction between them can help companies pinpoint delays and refine their recruitment strategies.
Key Differences
To gain a deeper understanding of the difference between time to hire and time to fill, refer to the table below:
To better understand time to fill, below is the basic time to fill formula:
In this case, the time to fill is 27 days (from the 1st to the 28th of March 2025).
To determine the average time to fill across multiple positions, use this formula:
By measuring time to fill, companies can assess how long it takes to close a position from the moment the job is approved. This metric helps organizations identify potential bottlenecks in the hiring process, optimize job postings, and improve overall recruitment efficiency.
To improve hiring efficiency, organizations must focus on reducing time to hire while maintaining a high-quality selection process.
Here’s how you can effectively reduce time to hire:
A structured hiring process brings clarity, reduces delays, and ensures a consistent candidate experience. Defining each stage, from sourcing to final selection, will help hiring teams stay aligned and make faster decisions.
Standardized timelines, interview templates, and clear evaluation criteria will also prevent bottlenecks and subjectivity.
By streamlining workflows and eliminating unnecessary steps, organizations can significantly shorten the hiring cycle without compromising quality.
See also:
Clear and compelling job descriptions attract the right candidates and minimize time spent on unqualified applicants. It should clearly outline key responsibilities, required skills, and company expectations.
Highlighting workplace culture, career growth opportunities, and unique benefits will make the role more appealing and increase the likelihood of attracting high-quality talent from the start.
Using concise and engaging language will also ensure clarity to help candidates quickly assess whether they are a good fit before applying.
Employee referrals are one of the most efficient ways to find top talent. Since current employees understand the company’s culture and expectations, their recommendations are often a great fit.
Encouraging referrals through incentives and streamlining the submission process increases participation. Keeping employees informed about open roles and the ideal candidate profile ensures relevant referrals. It will eventually reduce the time spent sourcing candidates from scratch.
Assessing candidates early in the hiring process helps filter out mismatches and ensures only the most qualified individuals move forward.
Cognitive and skills-based tests provide objective insights into a candidate’s capabilities, while behavioral and personality assessments help determine cultural fit. On the other hand, situational judgment tests (SJTs) simulate real-world challenges that allow you to gauge problem-solving abilities.
By integrating the implementation of these assessments, companies can reduce the number of unnecessary interview rounds and make faster, data-driven hiring decisions.
Building a proactive talent pipeline reduces the time spent sourcing candidates from scratch when a new role opens. By maintaining relationships with past applicants, passive candidates, and industry professionals, organizations can tap into a ready-to-hire pool when needed.
Engaging with potential candidates through networking events, social media, and employer branding initiatives are also ways to keep them interested.
Additionally, nurturing connections with previous applicants who were strong contenders ensures a quicker hiring process when new positions arise.
A seamless and positive candidate experience accelerates hiring by reducing drop-off rates and keeping top talent engaged.
The examples of strategies you can use are ensuring clear communication, timely feedback, and an intuitive application process. It will encourage candidates to stay committed throughout the hiring journey.
Improving the careers page with user-friendly navigation, transparent job descriptions, and engaging employer branding content will also help attract the right candidates efficiently.
Additionally, simplifying the application process by minimizing unnecessary steps will prevent frustration and increase completion rates.
Using hiring analytics and key performance metrics helps organizations refine their recruitment strategy and pinpoint inefficiencies. Tracking data from each hiring stage allows companies to optimize their hiring approach.
Technology is a game-changer in modern hiring. It helps you manage large applicant pools efficiently.
For instance, Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) automate job postings, resume screening, and candidate tracking. It reduces manual work and improves response times.
AI-powered chatbots enhance candidate engagement by answering queries and scheduling interviews instantly while video interviewing tools eliminate geographical constraints and allow teams to assess candidates quickly without logistical delays.
By leveraging these technologies, you will enable a more agile and responsive hiring process.
Mastering time to hire and time to fill is essential for building an efficient and competitive hiring process. By understanding these metrics, you can identify bottlenecks, streamline workflows, and create a seamless candidate experience that attracts top talent before your competitors do.
Implementing structured hiring strategies, leveraging technology, and fostering a proactive talent pipeline will significantly reduce hiring delays while ensuring you make the right hires.
One technology that can help is AI-powered interview tools like KitaHQ. With automated AI interviews, smart scheduling, and AI-generated interview questions, KitaHQ enables recruiters to eliminate manual tasks, streamline evaluations, and make faster, data-driven hiring decisions. By leveraging KitaHQ, companies can reduce time to hire by 10x, ensuring they secure top candidates before they move on.
The best candidates won’t wait, so why should you? Book a demo today!
