Time to hire measures how long it takes to fill a vacancy, counted from when the vacancy opens (or the requisition is approved) to when the chosen candidate accepts the offer. It is one of the standard efficiency metrics tracked by a recruiting function.
What it means
A long time to hire has a real cost - the role sits unfilled, work gets absorbed elsewhere or delayed, and strong candidates can be lost to faster-moving competitors during a slow process.
Where it fits in
Time to hire is usually pulled directly from the applicant tracking system, comparing the vacancy's open date to the offer-acceptance date, and is tracked alongside cost-per-hire as a pair of core recruiting efficiency measures.
Key rules
- Measured from vacancy opening (or requisition approval) to offer acceptance.
- A core recruiting efficiency metric.
- A long time to hire carries a real business cost from the unfilled role.
- Tracked alongside cost-per-hire as a standard efficiency pair.
