Question:

How long should my Interview Process Take?

- Signed,

Tired of Waiting

Interview processes vary widely, but let’s start by looking at the average length of time an interview process takes, from the company’s perspective. The average length of time for a company to start and fully complete the hiring process for any one position is usually between 6 to 8 weeks, in a normal market. That timer starts from the moment several key factors have been met, not from the date they place their first ad.

Before the timer can be considered to have ’started’, the manager must:

1. Have decided that there is a need to hire now.
2. Have the budget for the position or potential hire approved.
3. Be ready to make an offer and hire (and not be window shopping), if they find the right individual to add to the team.

Of course, this is not a normal market, and the process could take a number of weeks longer than normal.

There are budget and hiring ‘freezes’ at every turn, and many factors can pop up in the middle of a sincere attempt at hiring that cause unforeseen delays in the decision-process. You may find companies that are moving faster than expected, but very likely you will find most may be taking longer than usual due to the turmoil in the market.

Also, the sheer volume of individuals going after each position can weigh down a process, if the manager or company does not define and control it well. Think about it for a moment: if the manager is having difficulty deciding whom to add to the team, and more and more ‘resumes’ are arriving each day...When will they cut off the search and choose someone?

It’s your job in the process to make sure that you are not ‘getting lost’ in all of the white noise created by any hiring process.

* How will you make yourself, your ‘brand’, stand out against, and above all others?
* Did you re-work your resume and make the cuts necessary so that it is much more effective at telling your story of accomplishments?
* Did you prepare all of your self-marketing materials to present your best value to the company?
* Did you reach out directly to the boss (the hiring manager), or did you just ‘get in line’ with the numerous others lining up at the HR department?
* Did you solve potential problems ‘in advance’, after each interview, with a Thank You note geared toward removing any potential issues from their mind?
* Did you remember to make yourself memorable at every step, so that they might be thinking of you, when they make that final choice?

Be patient - if you have done all that you needed to do to get noticed - and while waiting, utilize the time to make your efforts worthwhile by going after several top opportunities with your well-developed ’secrets’ that get you noticed. That way, you may have more than one option and offer to consider.

Just Don’t Be...Waiting!

Copyright © 2009 by John Crant