How Long Should A Hiring Process Take? - Prevue HR (2024)

How Long Should A Hiring Process Take? - Prevue HR (1)

In an ideal world, employers and employees are a perfect match and the interview simply reveals to both parties that the job position is a good fit. Unfortunately, the decision is never as easy as that and finding a perfect candidate can seem like it takes too much time. How do you strike that balance between allowing enough applicants to pour through while not taking too long in selecting the best candidates before they consider another opportunity? In short, how long should a hiring process take to be most effective?

Let’s break down the timing for each of the main parts of hiring:

  1. Creating the job posting
  2. Posting to different job boards
  3. Receiving & filtering through applicants
  4. Phone Interview
  5. In-person meeting
  6. Onboarding

Creating the job posting

Writing a job posting from scratch can be tough and can often take much longer than actually needed.To get started, you can look at an archive of past job postings by your company. If nothing seems to quite fit what you’re looking for, or, if you don’t have access to pastjob postings, direct your attention to job boards and search for similar positions. After you get an idea of what other companies are looking for in that position, you canpair that with what your company needs for that role. Make sure that when you are writing the posting, to have the post reflect your company brand &voice and notjust a direct copy-paste with minor tweaks.

Ideal Timeframe: 1 day

Protip: When writing a job posting, make your company look attractive to potential applicants by listing out what they can expect on the job, opportunitiesfor growth & learning, and any other benefits thatkeep your current team happy.

Posting to different job boards

The more job boards you post to, the more applicants you will receive. The catch, however, is that posting to many different job boards takes time and also gives you many sites to constantly monitor. There are some applicant tracking systems, that simplify this process and allow for a one-button push to job boards once all the accounts are setup. This can significantly cut back on the time it takes to repost over and over on different sites and allows for all the applications to go to a central hub. An added perk is that once this is setup the first time, the next time a different position needs to be posted, it will be completely painless.

Ideal Timeframe:Completed at the same time as the previous step

Receiving & Filtering Through Applicants (1 week to 1 month)

If you’re receiving applicants through your work email address, you’ll easily be swamped with applications. This can typically range from 30 applicants for an office position to 100+ applicants for a starting retail position. You would then have to open each email to download the resume and cover letter to a folder on your computer. Only then will you be able to read through if a candidate is even qualified before second round read-throughs of potential candidates. Not only will this take up a lot of your own time, it also takes away from the most critical time of reaching out to the best candidates first.

Luckily there are tools that help avoid this messy situation. In addition to posting to multiple job boards easily, applicant tracking systems work as a centralized hub where all hiring information will be directed. This means no more cluttered inboxes, with applicant information in an organized list format. Should your hiring process involve more team members, you would also be able to share information and notes through the system.

Now comes the difficult task of figuring out which candidates to advance to the next step. While you could use basic questions asking whether a candidate has met minimum requirements for the position during the application, this doesn’t provide quite enough information and would still require you to go through each resume to see whether their past work experiences might reveal how the candidate functioned in a previous team. Alternatively, to save further time and to have repeatable success, you could implement science-based screening tools such as the Prevue Screen-Fit or theJob-Fitto find out whether a candidate’s personality matches up with the requirements of the job position. You can have these 5 to 10-minute assessments sent at application, helping reduce unqualified candidates and saving you valuable time.

Ideal Timeframe: 1 week to 1 month

Protip: Do not keep the job posting up for over a month! If you must keep the posting available for longer, delete the post and resubmit again to the job boards. This will make sure your job is on the top of the list rather than in the unseen depths of the 13th page of the job board.

Phone Interview

During this time, you have a few candidates in mind that you’ve screened and feel have a pretty good chance at succeeding in the position. Use the phone interview as a time to get an idea of whether this person is a good fit for the company culture and the work involved in the role. A structure you could use to model your phone interview can be:

  1. Provide basic information about the role and the company (this is your second chance to sell the job and make them want it)
  2. Have them talk about what they think their strengths are, as well as what they like/don’t like to do
  3. Ask required skill questions relating to the job posting (not in-depth detail at this point)
  4. Provide next step information

Ideal Timeframe: Active throughout the 1 week to 1 month in the previous step

Protip: You may feel inclined to wait for a batch of candidates you’ve screened before you goand give them a call. After all, good things come to those who wait, right? In this case: no! Make sure you contact high potential candidates right away. Many times, applicants are applying to more than one company and you want to be able to reach them before your competitors sign them on.

In-personInterview

After you have helped the candidate get more comfortableduring the in-person interview, you want to make sure the candidate is a great fit for both the role and the company. This part of hiring is all about getting into the nitty gritty. While it is inevitable that you will need to ask in-depth skills questions for job-related functions, make sure to also ask questions which gauge whether this candidate will be a good fit culturally for your company. Maybe the candidate has the necessary skills, but only thrives under a certain type of work environment. For both you and your candidate’s benefit, a large part of this interview is listening to what the candidate has to say and finding out if it may be a well-rounded match.

Ideal Timeframe: 1 week after the phone interview

Protip: Try to limit these meetings to one if possible. Many applicants may already have another work commitment and additional in-person meetings would require taking further time away from their current job.

Onboarding

Your hiring process should include seamless transition into onboarding. By making sure the new employee is properly trained and given clear direction on what their role includes, it sets them up for success. Taking advice from many people-first companies, always try to develop a culture where it is okay to ask questions and learn. In turn, this success means a decrease in turnover which is both a plus for you and the new team member.

How Long Should A Hiring Process Take? - Prevue HR (2024)

FAQs

How Long Should A Hiring Process Take? - Prevue HR? ›

This will make sure your job is on the top of the list rather than in the unseen depths of the 13th page of the job board.

How long does the Prevue assessment take? ›

We recommend candidates to put aside approximately 35 minutes to complete our full assessment, which consists of one timed and two untimed sections. Candidates will be tested on their abilities and interests in working with words, numbers, and shapes, as well as their personality.

How long does it take for HR to approve a job offer? ›

If you're wondering how long does it take for HR to approve a job offer, the answer may vary. After your interview, it's common for companies to give a rough timeline of when they expect to make their decision, with this usually being around two to four weeks.

How long does HR take to hire someone? ›

On average, the hiring process lasts three to six weeks. Factors determining the hiring process length include the position level, the number of applicants, and the hiring manager's experience level. Recruiters and hiring managers consider the candidate's experiences and how those relate to the position when decidin.

Why does the HR hiring process take so long? ›

Having to sort through a large number of job applications is a common reason why the hiring process takes so long. Fortunately, there are many tools to narrow the list to a shortlist of great candidates before the interviewing process happens and speed up the recruitment process.

How do I pass the Prevue assessment? ›

Prevue Assessment Tips
  1. Read the instructions carefully before you start. ...
  2. You don't have to work through the questions in order, so answer the easiest ones first. ...
  3. Work quickly, but be careful. ...
  4. Don't be put off by questions that seem difficult, or agonize over one you can't answer. ...
  5. Guess with intelligence.

What is the point of a prevue assessment? ›

The Prevue Personality Assessment examines personality traits that identify someone's preferred way of acting and thinking. An individual's personality profile, like their ability profile, is a key influence on how they'll perform at work.

Should I follow up with HR for offer letter? ›

If the hiring manager doesn't reach out in an email or send you an employment contract to sign, you may want to send a follow-up email. This can help you confirm your employment and learn additional information about the position. Consider sending a follow-up email one or two business days after your interview.

Does the hiring manager or HR make the offer? ›

The hiring manager will be your direct supervisor if you are hired. They are the final decision maker on job offers. Your earliest interviews (after the recruiter screening) will likely be with the hiring manager.

What does HR do before making an offer? ›

In addition to employment verification and a background check, HR might even do a salary verification to ensure that the candidate's salary history is consistent with information he provided during the interview process or to help your company determine any difference between the candidate's previous earnings and the ...

Does HR have a say in who gets hired? ›

Recruiters and other HR professionals do not make hiring decisions. They can hinder or block you from getting hired, but they do not make the decision to hire a candidate on behalf of the company.

Does HR decide who gets hired? ›

They don't fully control the hiring process

In many organizations, HR is the frontline in the hiring process, advancing only the most vetted candidates to the interview stage. However, the final say in who gets the job ultimately resides with the hiring manager, who is typically outside of the HR department.

Does HR determine if you get hired? ›

To narrow down the applicants, HR screens applications. They look carefully at resumes, skills, and level of experience to be sure the individual really meets the criteria for the job. They also do background checks on applicants who appear promising, checking on possible criminal records or other serious issues.

What is the longest hiring process? ›

U.S. industry with longest hiring process: Government

Aerospace and defense (32.6 days), energy and utilities (28.8 days), biotech and pharmaceuticals (28.1 days) and the nonprofit sector (25.2 days) follow government as the industries with the longest hiring period.

How can I speed up my HR process? ›

How to speed up the hiring process for a great candidate experience
  1. Get the job description right. ...
  2. Hire for the future. ...
  3. Make applications easier. ...
  4. Work with experienced recruiters. ...
  5. Get referrals from your network. ...
  6. Streamline the interview Process. ...
  7. Communicate with your candidates. ...
  8. Make an attractive offer.

How long is too long for a recruitment process? ›

How long is too long? An infographic by Robert Half shows that 39% of the more than 1,000 U.S. workers polled said 7-14 days is too long; 23% will wait for just one week to hear back from a company, while 57% lose interest in a long hiring process.

Can you see how well you did on an Indeed assessment? ›

Where do I see my scores? You can find your scores in the Skills tests section of your Profile. means that employers won't see your scores.

What do job assessment tests look for? ›

Assessment tests for jobs, also known as pre-employment tests, help hiring managers determine whether a candidate has the skills, work style, knowledge or personality to succeed in a job. Companies use assessment tests to make good hiring decisions, often during the early parts of the interview process.

What is the assessment test after the interview? ›

An assessment after an interview is a strategy that you can use to choose from multiple qualified candidates. Post-interview assessments can filter candidates based on a set of criteria that meets your organization's needs.

What is the purpose of pre and post assessments? ›

Pretests and posttests measure student growth.

Pretests establish what students need to learn; posttests show what they have learned. By establishing a baseline with a pretest, educators can better track and measure student growth in each of the knowledge standards.

Why do we need a pre assessment and post assessment? ›

Pre and posts tests not only assist in measuring how your students have improved, but they can also be a valuable diagnostic tool for more effective teaching as well!

What is the purpose of a comprehensive assessment? ›

Comprehensive assessment entails the whole system of assessing student understanding as a mechanism to improve teaching and learning. Teachers use multiple strategies to gather and share information about what students understand and to identify where they may be struggling.

Why is my offer letter taking so long? ›

An actual letter of acceptance can take awhile to reach an employee. There are many reasons for this, including bureaucratic obstruction, people losing paperwork, or just bosses being slow. A week is not anything to worry about.

Can HR reject your offer letter? ›

To all of us here who would be searching for jobs at one point or the other, please understand that a candidate can be rejected on the basis of an HR interview. It is not just an exercise done for the sake of doing it.

Can I negotiate with HR after accepting offer letter? ›

Negotiating if you've started work

Negotiating is all in the timing. If you've commenced working at the company, it's highly advisable to avoid negotiating your salary during your probation period. Instead of negotiating, you could wait for the annual salary reviews (if the company you work for has them).

Who has the final say in hiring? ›

So, hiring managers are the decision-makers; they have the final say as to who gets hired and who gets rejected. They own the outcome of the recruiting process. And when there's a bad hire, the hiring manager is the one who should investigate what went wrong.

Does HR do hiring and firing? ›

In nearly all instances, this process is carried out with the help of – or entirely by – the HR department. Human resources workers are specifically trained in the laws surrounding hiring and firing, as well as best practices for nondiscrimination.

Does HR fire you or your manager? ›

The decision to terminate an employee nearly always comes from their manager or supervisor. HR's role is to coordinate the process, explain your rights and benefits when leaving an organization, and make sure your employer follows the law and its own policies.

Does HR expect you to negotiate? ›

They're expecting it: Recruiters are prepared to talk about money and usually don't feel offended by potential hires who try to negotiate. One study found that over 80% of employers expect job applicants to negotiate during interviews.

What does HR do during hiring process? ›

Human resources is in charge of arranging interviews, coordinating hiring efforts, and onboarding new employees. They're also in charge of making sure all paperwork involved with hiring someone is filled out and making sure that everything from the first day to each subsequent day is navigated successfully.

Does HR have final say on salary? ›

So, it is usually not the HR team that is actually creating the salaries unless the employer has specifically allowed that to happen. In most cases, employers want to be able to control the salary themselves so that they can provide the lowest salary options.

What time of day do job offers come in? ›

Job offers are usually made between midday and the end of the working day, so somewhere around 12 pm to 5 pm. Some hiring managers may call you at a different time, especially if you previously mentioned that you have another job, and they may try to call you either during your lunch break or after the working day.

Does HR send the job offer? ›

When you're hired by a business with a dedicated HR manager, you'll most likely be notified by that person or the HR department. You will get a formal offer, usually accompanied by a contract and other onboarding documents to sign.

At what point should a company hire HR? ›

There's no “rule” stating that a small business must have an HR team or manager in charge of human resources activities. But, most experts recommend bringing on a full-time human resource staff member when there are at least 10 employees within the company.

Does filling out an i9 mean I got the job? ›

I-9 forms are given to new hires in the United States. It is given to both US citizens and non-citizens who have a temporary or permanent work visa. You can expect the following timeline when filling out an I-9 form: An employee receives a job offer and accepts.

How long should you wait to be hired? ›

One week after submitting your application is generally an appropriate amount of time to wait before contacting the hiring manager or recruiter.

Is it OK to ask when a hiring decision will be made? ›

Yes, it is perfectly okay to ask when a hiring decision will be made. In fact, it is a good idea to ask this question during the interview process, as it will give you an idea of the timeline for the hiring process and when you can expect to hear back about the outcome.

How do you ask for an update on the hiring process? ›

Restate your interest in the position and say you're keen to hear about next steps. Ask for a progress update, explaining that any information they can provide would be greatly appreciated.

What to do if HR doesn't do anything? ›

When HR is not on your side, you should still file a complaint with them and follow any company protocols. HR is not your enemy, but that does not mean that they will always side with you if there is a workplace conflict. At the end of the day, they are there to look out for the best interests of the company.

What are the slowest months for recruiters? ›

The summer (more July and August than June) is generally one of the worst times to find a job. Managers and human resources personnel are more likely to take time off for the summer and this slows down the recruitment process. Businesses tend to avoid making key decisions and focus on the basics over this period.

How long should you wait if recruiter is late? ›

If an interviewer does not call exactly at your scheduled time, don't panic. Of course it's not ideal, but there could be many reasons an interviewer did not call when they were supposed to. Give your interview a little bit of leeway and wait at least 15-20 minutes before trying to reach out or reschedule your call.

How long does it take for a hiring manager to make a decision? ›

You can usually expect to hear back from the hiring company or HR department within one or two weeks after the interview, but the waiting time varies for different industries.

How long does it take to complete the predictive index assessment? ›

The assessment is un-timed, generally takes approximately five to ten minutes to complete, and is available in paper-and-pencil, desktop and Web-based formats. The PI measures four primary and fundamental personality constructs: 1.

How long is the predictive index assessment? ›

The assessment takes 12 minutes to complete. It's a timed assessment. Each candidate experiences a unique set of questions.

What happens after you take the USPS assessment? ›

Based on the score you get, you will be contacted accordingly. Since the ones with highest scores get top priority, you might have to wait a few weeks or even months before you are contacted. When they do get in touch with you, they will require a background check and also schedule you for a drug test via urinalysis.

What is a good score on the predictive index? ›

An average raw score is about 20 right answers (17-23). The scaled score ranges from 100-450, with the average score being 250. Each employer determines its own target PI Cognitive Assessment™ score for a given job target.

Can you retake predictive index? ›

How often should someone retake the PI Behavioral Assessment? The Predictive Index (PI) recommends assessing a person no more than once per year.

How many questions should you answer on predictive index? ›

The average scaled score is 250, which equates to answering around 20 questions correctly. To be a good cognitive fit for an organization or job role, Predictive Index suggests candidates should aim to score at least two points higher than the employer's target score.

What does PI mean in HR? ›

A Predictive Index (PI) test allows recruiters and hiring managers to evaluate the cognitive abilities, personality traits and behavioral tendencies of a potential employee.

Why do employers use predictive index? ›

Predictive index assessments are designed to help employers identify the potential of job candidates and current employees. The assessments are first used in the hiring process, but then also leveraged throughout the tenure of an employee through coaching, performance reviews, and more.

How accurate is the predictive index? ›

86% of respondents provided a rating of 4 or 5, both of which are considered to indicate high report accuracy. The results were clear: The vast majority of those surveyed felt the BA report accurately described their behavioral drives.

How do I know if I passed my USPS assessment? ›

After taking the exam, an email from the testing vendor will notify you that your result is available. Log into your exam testing vendor account to see your results on the Notice of Result. You can also log into eCareer to see your results.

Will USPS let you know if you didn't get the job? ›

Yes. You will receive official written notice, but it may take a while to hear back.

How many people fail the USPS assessment? ›

The passing score is 70%, and according to the USPS, 80% to 90% of candidates fail the postal exam.

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