Why Delaying Between Interview Stages Could Cost You Top Talent

In today’s competitive job market, attracting top talent is a priority for every employer. However, one common mistake companies make is allowing too much time between interview stages.

While we emphasize this point to new clients at the start of every recruitment process, it’s often only through a painful experience that the lesson truly hits home.

Unfortunately, this exact scenario happened to a client of mine just two weeks ago while they were recruiting for a highly specialized position. I met with the company, discussed their needs, and explained how we could find the best candidate for the role. Sure enough, within 24 hours of receiving the job brief, I identified the perfect candidate—the unicorn every client dreams of.

As soon as I sent the candidate’s details over, the client immediately responded with an interview request and shared their availability. The candidate interviewed and later called me to share how positive their feedback was. The client agreed and expressed interest in seeing them for a final stage interview.

“Can we schedule them for Monday to wrap up the process?” (This was on Friday morning.)

“I’ll get back to you on Monday with dates and times for that week,” they replied.

What followed was two weeks of silence. When the client finally reached out to schedule the final interview for the following week, three weeks had passed. Unsurprisingly, the candidate was no longer available. Highly skilled and in demand, they had already accepted another offer. The company lost out on their ideal hire, and the entire recruitment process had to start over.

Why Delaying the Process Hurts Your Chances 

1. Top talent moves quickly – High-caliber candidates are in high demand. If they’re actively job hunting, they’re likely considering other offers. A delay between interview stages gives competitors the opportunity to make a move.

2. Delays create a negative impression – Candidates assess your company as much as you assess them. A prolonged gap between interviews can signal poor organization or indecisiveness, leaving candidates with a less favorable opinion of your business.

3. It reduces engagement – Momentum is crucial. Keeping candidates engaged and excited about your opportunity is key. Delays can cause them to lose interest or pursue other roles where the process moves faster.

4. It increases the risk of misalignment – As time passes, candidates’ priorities, interests, or circumstances may change, leading to a mismatch by the time you’re ready to re-engage.

5. It raises hiring costs – A drawn-out process often necessitates additional interviews to “refresh” earlier conversations. This not only extends the timeline but also increases the overall cost of hiring in terms of time and resources.

Acting quickly between interview stages shows that you value the candidate’s time, keeps the hiring process efficient, and significantly reduces the risk of losing top talent to competitors. Great candidates need to feel appreciated and know that a prospective employer genuinely wants them on board. Prompt communication demonstrates this and reflects positively on your company as a fast-moving, efficient organization to work for.

Employers, take note!

If you'd like help organizing the best recruitment process to secure the best Logistics & Supply Chain professionals get in touch!

Call us on 470 845 2800 today for expert recruitment solutions.