The time it takes to hire can vary drastically. Whether there’s an ongoing talent shortage in a specific skill or you work in a regulated industry with more red tape to cut through, it can take as little as a week or as long as a few months.

In the US and throughout Europe, the average time to hire (TTH) across industries is currently about 5 weeks. If we narrow it down to specific sectors, we see some stark variations. For example, in the UK, the Energy and Defence spaces have the highest average TTH - about 67 days. According to a US-specific study by Workable, hiring for Healthcare roles takes the longest at an average of 49 days, whereas hiring for a Construction role typically only takes about 12.7 days.

Typically, hiring managers are going to want to balance speed with quality. Shorter TTH might mean you save money, but you might not have enough time to judge their skillset, or their culture fit accurately. This is particularly true for SMEs and startups, where an empty role will likely have a bigger impact on productivity and performance, but budget doesn’t allow for endless interview rounds (nor is this a very good idea, anyway!)

If you’re looking to cut down on unnecessary time when hiring while making sure you’re still bringing on top talent, read on!

1. Reevaluate your current hiring process

While you might be tempted to dive straight into making changes, you should begin by taking a step back to evaluate your current processes. You need to know where your weaknesses are to see how tangible improvements can be made.

• When reevaluating your hiring process, consider:

• Where are the key delays in our recruitment timeline?

• How well are we assessing candidates’ skills and culture fit?

• Are there any biases in our screening or interviews?

• Is there feedback from recent hires or applicants that highlights issues?

• Are we using tech effectively to streamline tasks?

Want to learn more about using data when evaluating your hiring process? Read our introduction to using recruitment analytics, here.

2. Make applying easier

There’s also no direct correlation between longer job applications and higher quality candidates – if anything, you could be scaring off your next best hire! 92% of job seekers have admitted to abandoning online applications because of their length or complexity, according to research by SHRM.

It’s not just lengthy applications that can be a turn-off, too many rounds of interviews is another big issue. Over half of all professionals in the UK have turned down a job offer because the hiring process was too long. Hiring managers are also recognising this problem, with about two-thirds of employers reporting that they’d lost a preferred candidate when their hiring process was overly lengthy.

Here are three ways you can make the process easier for candidates:

• Simplify the application form by removing unnecessary questions and steps.

• Limit the number of interview rounds to reduce candidate fatigue.

• Use technology like autofill (e.g., give candidates the option to fill out applications using their LinkedIn profile) and mobile-friendly platforms to streamline the process.

3. Write accurate, transparent job descriptions

Job descriptions play a huge role in both attracting and filtering out candidates. Over half of job seekers report that the quality of a job description significantly influences their decision to apply, and a well-written, clear, and honest job post can cut down on mismatched applications.

Candidates are more likely to apply when they feel they have a full understanding of what’s expected of them. Additionally, it’s important to remember that job descriptions should clearly distinguish between “necessary” and “desirable” traits. Research has shown that job seekers from marginalized backgrounds are far less likely to apply to a role if they don’t meet 100% of the specifications, and this means you could be missing out on potential superstars.

4. Build a talent pool

Building a great talent pool is important for ensuring a steady flow of qualified candidates when job openings arise. By proactively engaging with potential hires, you can significantly reduce both time-to-hire and cost-to-hire.

Here are a few ways to start building your talent pool:

• Use social media, like LinkedIn, to connect with potential candidates and share insights about your company culture. (Read our blog on creating an impressive employer brand here!)

• Hiring for more junior roles? Consider partnering with educational institutions to create internship programs that attract emerging talent.

• Implement an employee referral program to tap into your current workforce’s networks.

• Maintain a database of past applicants to streamline future recruitment efforts (to comply with privacy laws you’ll need to make sure you get their consent).

5. Take advantage of technology

Most recruiters already use some form of Applicant Tracking System (ATS). But an ATS isn’t the be-all and end-all of recruitment software – there are powerful tools out there to help you with everything from prescreening to writing job descriptions.

Once you’ve evaluated your current hiring process and found where improvements could be made, search online to see if there’s a tool out there that can assist. For example, if you get hundreds of applications for a single role, a tool that gives you an accurate skill match percentage based on applicants’ CVs or application answers could save you dozens of hours.

Find out how Osavus’ hiring tools can make your life easier, and sign up for our Early Access list.