“The early bird gets the worm.” “You snooze… you lose.” These are just a couple of axioms people use
in regard to the importance of timing. Hiring managers need to be aware of the hiring process timeline.
From my experience as a recruiter, I can tell you the simple equation for failure: The longer the
process, the more probable it is that the candidate will decline the offer. The more time taken to deliver
the offer, the more likely the candidate will be contacted by other companies, reevaluate her current
position, get promoted, or just plain lose interest. There’s an inverse correlation between the average
length of time it takes to extend the offers and the number of offers accepted. Consider the fast-paced
world we live in. It’s easy to see how this is the case.

When you decide to hire someone, the first step is to recognize that you and your team must make a
commitment to devoting the proper time and energy to the process, regardless of your busy schedules.
If you don’t make this a high priority, both the candidate and the recruiter will recognize your lack of
commitment and will lose interest.

Begin by setting in place a formal process and time frame for the coordination and scheduling of
interviews and sharing of feedback. Specifically, define the role and responsibility of the position and
ensure that everyone interviewing the candidates understands the exact skills they should be evaluating.
Make sure that someone is designated as the final decision-maker. That person must have the authority
and ability to work with Human Resources to ensure that all administrative minutiae are taken care of.

Keep in mind that your candidate is evaluating the company throughout the entire interview process,
including the delivery of the offer. The smoother the process, the more likely the candidate will
develop a sense of confidence in joining the team.

In summary, the longer the period of time from the first interview to the extension of an offer, the less
likely you are to gain an acceptance from the candidate. The uncontrollable variables will increase, as
will the probability of complications.