Is Your Hiring Process Costing You Great Candidates?

We talk to hundreds of candidates and hiring managers across the Built Environment every month—and one thing comes up again and again:

The best people don’t wait around.

In a market where top talent is hard to find and competition is fierce, the speed of your hiring process could make all the difference. Wait too long, and that dream candidate might already be signing with someone else.

What’s the Real Hiring Timeline?

We ran a poll on LinkedIn to get a better picture of how long hiring really takes. Here’s what people told us:

• 14% said 1–2 weeks
• 27% said 2–4 weeks
• 40% said over 4 weeks
• 16% said they’re still chasing approvals
• 3% picked “Other”

These results reflect what we’re seeing across the industry. According to a recent study, the average time to hire in the UK is just under 5 weeks. In construction, it’s around 4.7 weeks.

That might sound okay—but when candidates are getting snapped up in just a few days, it’s simply not fast enough.

The True Cost of Moving Too Slowly

Delays in the hiring process can cause more problems than you might think:

• You lose good candidates – About 1 in 4 candidates accept another offer simply because things are moving too slowly.
• Your team feels the pressure – Vacant roles mean extra workload for everyone else, which can lead to burnout.
• You might damage your reputation – Candidates talk. A poor experience can hurt your employer brand and future hiring chances.

So, How Can You Speed Things Up?

Here are a few tips that can make a big difference:

1. Get aligned from the start – Make sure everyone involved in hiring knows their role and agrees on what you’re looking for.
2. Keep interviews short and focused – Try to stick to two or three rounds max. You can combine interviews to save time.
3. Give quick feedback – Aim to respond to candidates within 24–48 hours after interviews.
   Use the right tools – Applicant tracking systems (ATS) and other tech can help move things along faster.
4. Keep candidates in the loop – Regular updates keep people engaged and show you’re serious.

In today’s job market, speed matters. If your hiring process takes more than a couple of weeks, you could be missing out on the best people. By making small changes, you can move faster, impress candidates, and hire with confidence.

Want help reviewing or improving your hiring process? Get in touch with us at Energi People—we’d love to help.

Further Reading:

• Top 5 Hiring Myths Companies Believe
• Recruit Smarter in 2025