Time to hire is the number of days it takes to go from the moment a candidate applies to the moment they accept the job offer. It tracks how quickly your team moves once someone’s in the pipeline. It’s not about when the job was posted. It’s about how fast you spot the right person, interview them, and lock it in.
How is time to hire calculated?
It’s simple. Just subtract the date the candidate applied from the date they accepted your offer.
For example:
Applied: June 1
Accepted: June 15
Time to hire: 14 days
You can do this for each hire, then average it out to see how you’re doing overall.
Why is time to hire important for employers?
Because speed matters. If your process drags, top candidates will move on. People don’t wait around forever, especially when they have options. A faster time to hire keeps you competitive and shows candidates you’re serious.
It also saves money. Every extra day a role stays open means more strain on your current team and more delays in getting work done. Moving faster gets people in the door and on the job quicker.
What’s the difference between time to hire and time to fill?
They sound similar, but they’re not the same.
Time to hire is the time between when someone applies and when they accept.
Time to fill is the time from when you open the job to when someone accepts the offer.
So time to fill includes the whole process, even before you get any applicants. Time to hire focuses on what happens after someone enters your pipeline.
What is a good average time to hire?
It depends on the role and industry. But in the U.S., a solid average is around 20 to 30 days. Tech jobs might take longer. Retail or hourly roles might move faster.
The real goal? Keep it efficient without rushing. You want time to vet candidates properly, but not so long that you lose them. Track your numbers, compare them to your past results, and tweak your process if it feels too slow.
