Time to hire: how long it takes to fill a vacancy
Time-to-Hire (TTH) is the number of days from the moment a candidate enters the pipeline (application/first contact) to offer acceptance. The metric reflects recruiting speed, interview process discipline, and the competitiveness of the offer. Distinguish it from Time-to-Fill (from requisition approval to the employee's start date).
What the metric measures
How quickly a role is filled, with a focus on stage efficiency: sourcing/screening, technical interviews, bar raiser/culture fit, offer and approval. In addition — process stability (P50/P90), compliance with the feedback SLA, and candidate experience (candidate NPS).
Calculation
- TTH, days = Offer acceptance date − Date the candidate entered the pipeline
- Stage Time, days = Stage end time − Stage start time (Screen → Tech → Final → Offer)
- Hiring Velocity, % = Roles filled within the target TTH / All filled roles × 100
- Offer Cycle, days = Offer presentation − Offer acceptance
- Time-to-Fill, days = Start/closing date − Requisition approval date
Define the rules: calendar or business days, pauses/on-hold, declined/withdrawn offers, duplicate applications, backfills vs. new headcount.
Calculation example
A sales manager vacancy opened on 1 March, the candidate accepted the offer on 28 March and started on 11 April. Time to hire = 27 days, and 41 days to the start date. If interviews with the manager were scheduled 9 days after screening on average, that is where most time can be saved.
Data sources
ATS (Greenhouse/Lever/Workable), HRIS (start statuses), calendars/interview integrations, background check systems, testing platforms, candidate NPS surveys.
Interpretation
- TTH↑ — bottlenecks in interview/feedback scheduling, a lengthy offer stage, weak sourcing, or vague requirements
- TTH↓ with declining quality-of-hire — risk of "hiring in a hurry"; review the bar/assessment
- Look at P50/P90 and stages: what causes delays — screening, tech rounds, or offer approval
- Compare with Offer Acceptance Rate, Pass-through, Cost-per-Hire
Useful breakdowns
- Function/role (engineering, sales, operations), level (junior/middle/senior/lead)
- Location/type (office/hybrid/remote)
- Recruiter/hiring manager; interview panel
- Sourcing channel (referral/job board/sourcing)
- Backfill vs. new headcount; compensation/relocation approval
Dashboard visualizations
- Trend of P50/P90 TTH and Hiring Velocity
- Funnel of stages: Applied/Source → Screen → Tech → Final → Offer → Accept
- Heatmap of time by recruiter/manager/stage
- Breakdown of Stage Time and feedback SLA (24–72 h)
- Correlations with Offer Acceptance Rate and Candidate NPS
How to set targets
Sample benchmarks: junior — 14–21 days, middle — 30–45 days, senior/niche — 45–60+ days. SLA: post-interview feedback — 24–48 h, scheduling the next stage — ≤ 3–5 days, offer — ≤ 3–7 days after the final round. Introduce templates, an interviewer pool, asynchronous assessments, and pre-approved compensation ranges.
Common mistakes
- Confusing Time-to-Hire with Time-to-Fill or Time-to-Start
- Mixing calendar and business days; not accounting for pauses/on-hold
- Ignoring P90 and stages — focusing only on the average
- Not separating backfills/new headcount; an incorrect "pipeline entry" date
- No SLA for feedback/scheduling; lengthy offer approvals
Questions for discussion
- Which stage accounts for 80% of delays, and how can it be shortened by 30%?
- Is the 24–48 h feedback SLA being met, and who violates it most often?
- What impact do pre-approved grades/compensation have on TTH?
- Which sourcing channels deliver the best TTH-to-quality ratio?