Time to Hire vs Time to Fill - What are the Differences?

Time to hire and time to fill are critical metrics in the recruitment process, reflecting the efficiency and effectiveness of hiring practices. Despite their similar purposes of gauging time within the hiring cycle, they are often mistakenly used interchangeably.

However, there are significant distinctions between the two. To get an idea of the average time required for both processes, According to the SHRM report, the time to hire in the USA is typically between 30 to 45 days, while the time to fill ranges from 40 to 60 days, though it can vary significantly by industry and role.

Also, time to hire tracks the duration from when a candidate submits their application to the moment they accept a job offer from the company. Conversely, time to fill tracks the complete recruitment process, beginning with the job posting going public and ending when a candidate accepts the offer.

This article will delve into the methods for calculating time to hire and time to fill, establish good benchmarks for both and discuss strategies to enhance your organization's performance in these crucial areas.

What is “Time to Hire”?

Time to hire is a critical recruitment metric measuring the days between when a job vacancy is posted and when the candidate accepts an offer. This metric provides valuable insights into the efficiency of the hiring process, impacting the organization's ability to attract top talent swiftly and maintain a competitive edge.

How to Calculate Time to Hire

Calculating time to hire involves a straightforward formula:

Time to Hire = Date of Offer Acceptance − Date the Job was Posted  

For example: if a job was posted on June 1st and the offer was accepted on June 20th, the time to hire would be 19 days.

What’s a Good Benchmark for Time to Hire?

A good benchmark for time to hire can vary significantly depending on the industry, role complexity, and the geographical location of the job.

However, general benchmarks can provide a useful starting point:

• Technology and Engineering: Typically around 30-45 days due to the high demand for skilled professionals.
• Healthcare: Around 40-60 days, considering the stringent qualification requirements.
• Retail and Hospitality: Often faster, around 20-30 days, due to the higher volume of roles and faster recruitment processes.
• Administrative Roles: Around 20-30 days, reflecting a balance between qualification verification and volume of applications.

How to Reduce Time to Hire?

Reducing time to hire can significantly enhance an organization's ability to attract top talent and reduce recruitment costs. Here are several strategies to achieve this :

Streamline the Recruitment Process:

1. Standardize Job Descriptions: Ensure that job descriptions are clear, concise, and standardized across the organization to avoid delays in the approval process.
2. Automate Initial Screening: Use WeCP to automate your screening process and shortlist candidates. If you want to create assessments aligned with your business needs, WeCP AI can help you create personalized assessments in minutes, increasing the quality of hire and reducing time to hire.
3. ‍Pre-schedule Interviews: Arrange interview schedules in advance, reducing the time taken to coordinate between candidates and interviewers. With WeCP interviewing platform, you can schedule interviews, record feedback, interview session and take data-driven decisions.

👉 Check out this video to explore how WeCP can help you reduce time to hire:

Enhance Employer Branding:

1. Showcase Company Culture: Use social media and websites to highlight the organizational culture, making the company more attractive to potential candidates.
2. Employee Testimonials: Share positive testimonials from current employees to build trust and attract talent.

Leverage Recruitment Technology:

1. Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS): Implement ATS to manage the recruitment pipeline efficiently, tracking candidates' progress through the hiring process.
2. Screening & Video Interviewing Tools: Utilize screening & video interviewing platforms like WeCP to conduct initial interviews quickly and efficiently.

Build a Talent Pipeline:

1. Create Talent Pools: Maintain a database of potential candidates who have previously applied or shown interest in the company. Reach out to them when suitable vacancies arise.
2. Engage Passive Candidates: Regularly engage with passive candidates through newsletters, networking events, and social media to keep them interested in potential opportunities.

Improve Collaboration Between HR and Hiring Managers:

1. Clear Communication: Ensure there is clear communication and understanding of job requirements between HR and hiring managers.
2. Regular Updates: Hold regular meetings to review the progress of ongoing recruitment efforts and address any bottlenecks promptly.

What is Time to Fill?

Time to fill is a pivotal recruitment metric that measures the total number of days it takes to fill a job vacancy from the moment a job requisition is approved until the candidate accepts the offer. This metric offers a comprehensive view of the efficiency of the entire recruitment process, reflecting the organization's ability to attract, screen, and secure the right talent promptly.

How to Calculate Time to Fill

Calculating the time to fill is relatively straightforward. Here’s the formula :

Time to Fill = Date of Offer Acceptance − Date Job Requisition is Approved

For instance, if the job requisition was approved on June 1st and the offer was accepted on July 1st, the time to fill would be 30 days.

What’s a Good Benchmark for Time to Fill?

The benchmark for time to fill can vary widely depending on the industry, job complexity, and geographic location. However, here are some general benchmarks:

• Technology and Engineering: Typically around 40-60 days due to the specialized skills required and competitive market.
• Healthcare: Approximately 50-70 days, given the rigorous qualifications and experience needed.
• Retail and Hospitality: Often around 25-35 days due to higher turnover rates and faster hiring processes.
• Administrative Roles: Typically around 30-40 days, reflecting the balance between volume and necessary skill assessment.

How to Reduce Time to Fill?

Reducing time to fill is crucial for maintaining a competitive edge and ensuring that prolonged vacancies do not hinder business operations. Here are several strategies to achieve this:

Enhance Job Requisition Process:

1. Pre-define Job Requirements: Clearly outline job requirements and qualifications in advance to avoid delays in the requisition approval process.
2. Utilize Job Templates: Use standardized job templates to speed up the creation and approval of new job requisitions.

Accelerate Sourcing and Screening:

1. Leverage Recruitment Software: Utilize advanced recruitment software to streamline the sourcing and initial screening of candidates.
2. Employ AI Tools: Use AI tools like WeCP to quickly identify and rank the most qualified candidates based on their resumes and application data.

Optimize Interview Scheduling:

1. Pre-schedule Interviews: Arrange potential interview slots in advance to reduce scheduling conflicts.
2. Use Automated Scheduling Tools: Implement automated scheduling tools that sync with interviewers' calendars to facilitate faster coordination.

Improve Collaboration and Communication:

4. Regular Meetings: Hold regular meetings between HR and hiring managers to ensure alignment on job requirements and candidate profiles.
5. Real-time Updates: Use collaboration tools that provide real-time updates on the recruitment process to all stakeholders.

Build and Maintain a Talent Pool:

4. Engage Passive Candidates: Continuously engage with passive candidates through networking, social media, and industry events.
5. Maintain Talent Databases: Keep a well-maintained database of previous applicants and potential candidates for quick outreach when new positions open.

Streamline the Offer Process:

4. Pre-define Compensation Packages: Have predefined compensation packages to reduce the time spent on offer negotiations.
5. Use Digital Offer Letters: Implement digital offer letters that can be quickly reviewed and signed by candidates.

Enhance Employer Branding:

4. Showcase Company Culture: Use social media, websites, and employee testimonials to highlight a positive and attractive company culture.
5. Promote Employee Success Stories: Share success stories and career growth opportunities within the company to attract top talent.

Time to Hire vs. Time to Fill: How to Use These Metrics to Improve Hiring Practices

Time to Hire and Time to Fill are crucial metrics in recruitment that offer insights into the efficiency and effectiveness of a company's hiring process. While they are often used interchangeably, they measure different aspects of the recruitment cycle. 

Here's a tabular comparison between "Time to Hire" and "Time to Fill":

Why These Metrics Matter

Both metrics are critical for understanding and optimizing the recruitment process. They help in identifying bottlenecks, improving candidate experience, and ensuring that vacancies are filled promptly, which is essential for maintaining productivity and achieving business goals.

How to Use Time to Hire and Time to Fill Metrics

Identify Bottlenecks

Analyzing these metrics helps pinpoint stages in the hiring process that are taking longer than expected. For example, if the screening phase is prolonged, it might indicate the need for better candidate filtering tools or more efficient scheduling practices.

Improve Candidate Experience

A lengthy Time to Hire can negatively impact candidate experience, potentially leading to the loss of top talent. By monitoring and optimizing this metric, companies can streamline their processes, reduce delays, and keep candidates engaged and informed throughout the hiring journey.

Benchmarking and Setting Goals

These metrics provide a benchmark for evaluating the performance of the recruitment team. By setting realistic targets for Time to Fill and Time to Hire, organizations can drive continuous improvement and ensure that the recruitment process aligns with overall business objectives.

Enhance Employer Brand

Efficient hiring practices reflect well on an employer's brand. A swift and smooth recruitment process can enhance the company’s reputation in the job market, attracting more qualified candidates in the future.

Strategies to Improve Time to Hire and Time to Fill

Improve Job Descriptions

Crafting clear and concise job descriptions is crucial for attracting the right candidates quickly and reducing screening time. Job descriptions should accurately reflect the role, its responsibilities, and the qualifications required.

This precision helps potential applicants self-assess their fit for the position, leading to a more qualified applicant pool. Including specific details about the skills, experience, and attributes necessary for success in the role ensures that candidates who apply are more likely to meet the organization’s needs, thereby streamlining the initial screening process and accelerating the overall time to hire.

Additionally, well-written job descriptions can enhance the organization’s employer brand by presenting a professional and clear image to potential applicants.

👉 Read more: How To Write a Great Job Description?

Implement Pre-Employment Skills Assessment

Utilizing pre-screening questionnaires tailored to the specific requirements of the job can quickly filter out unqualified candidates and ensures that candidates possess the fundamental skills and qualifications needed before they proceed further in the selection process.

These questionnaires can cover a range of topics, including technical skills, industry knowledge, and behavioral traits, providing a comprehensive initial evaluation.

Furthermore, implementing assessments that measure specific competencies relevant to the role is crucial. For instance, skills assessments can test candidates on their proficiency in particular areas, such as coding for technical positions or problem-solving abilities for analytical roles.

WeCP AI can be particularly effective in creating personalized tests that align with business needs, offering a quick and accurate measure of a candidate's capabilities.

By integrating these pre-screening methods, organizations can significantly reduce the volume of applications that require detailed review by human recruiters.

This not only saves time but also ensures that only those candidates who meet the essential criteria advance to the interview stage. Additionally, automated assessments can provide instant results, further accelerating the hiring process.

Implement ATS

Implementing Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) can revolutionize the recruitment process by automating numerous tasks, from job postings to candidate communication.

An ATS can manage the entire hiring workflow, ensuring that job vacancies are advertised on multiple platforms simultaneously, applications are efficiently organized, and candidate data is easily accessible. This automation not only reduces administrative burdens but also significantly cuts down both the Time to Hire and Time to Fill.

Furthermore, ATS can integrate with other recruitment tools, enabling seamless scheduling of interviews, automated follow-ups, and tracking of candidate progress, which enhances overall efficiency and speeds up the hiring process.

Streamline Communication

Clear and prompt communication among recruiters, hiring managers, and candidates is essential to eliminating unnecessary delays in the hiring process. Utilizing collaborative tools such as project management software and communication platforms ensures that all parties are well-informed and aligned at every stage.

Regular check-ins and updates can prevent misunderstandings and ensure that the recruitment team can quickly address any issues or bottlenecks that arise. Additionally, establishing a communication protocol, such as response time expectations and standardized templates for candidate outreach, can further enhance the efficiency and speed of the hiring process.

Optimize Sourcing Channels

Analyzing which sourcing channels yield the best candidates quickly is crucial for an efficient hiring process. By understanding the effectiveness of each channel—whether it's job boards, social media platforms, or employee referrals—you can focus your efforts on the ones that produce the highest quality candidates.

Regularly review and evaluate the performance of each sourcing channel based on metrics such as the number of qualified applicants, time to hire, and cost per hire. This data-driven approach allows you to allocate resources effectively, prioritize the most productive channels, and adjust your strategies to improve recruitment outcomes.

Additionally, leveraging niche job boards or industry-specific platforms can help you target highly specialized talent, further optimizing your sourcing efforts.

Build a Talent Pipeline

Maintaining a database of potential candidates who have previously expressed interest in working for your company can drastically reduce the Time to Fill.

This proactive approach involves engaging with candidates who may not be a perfect fit for current openings but possess skills and experience that align with future needs. By keeping in touch with these individuals through newsletters, networking events, and social media, you can cultivate relationships and keep them interested in your organization.

When a new position opens, you already have a pool of pre-qualified candidates to consider, significantly speeding up the hiring process. This talent pipeline ensures that you have immediate access to a diverse and skilled candidate pool, reducing the time spent on sourcing and initial screening.

Conclusion

By effectively utilizing these two metrics, companies can gain valuable insights into their recruitment processes, identify areas for improvement, and implement strategies to enhance efficiency. This not only improves the overall candidate experience but also ensures that the organization can quickly and effectively fill vacancies with the best possible talent.

To choose among various helpful tools, one should check out WeCP because it is a powerful tool designed to streamline and enhance the hiring process, significantly reducing the time to hire and fill open positions. 

By leveraging advanced competency assessment technology, WeCP ensures that organizations can quickly and accurately evaluate candidates, leading to more informed and efficient hiring decisions. This not only speeds up the recruitment process but also improves the quality of hires, ultimately contributing to better team performance and organizational success.