Few metrics are as directly tied to HR’s impact on business outcomes as time to fill. That’s why it’s helpful to start by distinguishing this data point from other hiring measures:
-Time to fill measures the entire duration from when a job requisition is opened to when an offer is accepted.
-Average days to fill a position refers to the typical length of time required to fill roles across a given period, often broken down by role type or department.
-Time to hire tracks how quickly candidates move through the recruitment pipeline after they enter it.
Each of these metrics offers valuable insights, but time to fill provides the broadest view of recruiting efficiency and helps inform strategic workforce planning.
Table of Contents
- Why Time to Fill Matters
- How to Calculate Time to Fill
- Key Factors That Affect Time to Fill
- Time to Fill Benchmarks and Trends
- How to Improve Time to Fill Without Sacrificing Quality
- Tools and Technology That Can Help
Why Time to Fill Matters
Time to fill is more than a recruiting KPI. It affects core business performance. Every day a role remains open can lead to lost productivity, missed revenue opportunities, and increased workloads for existing team members. It also drives up hiring costs, from extended job postings to the time spent by hiring managers and recruiters. By tracking this metric closely, organizations can spot inefficiencies, forecast hiring needs more accurately, and align recruitment with broader business goals.
On the other side, a well-managed time to fill improves candidate experience and helps secure top talent faster. When organizations move quickly, they reduce the risk of losing high-quality candidates to competitors. It signals a well-run, decisive culture, which is something top candidates notice. Streamlining the process also minimizes friction in the hiring journey, leading to higher offer acceptance rates..
How to Calculate Time to Fill
At its simplest, calculating time to fill is about measuring the number of calendar days between two points in the hiring process: when a job requisition is approved (or posted) and when a candidate accepts the offer. The formula looks like this:
Time to Fill = Date Candidate Accepts Offer − Date Job Requisition was Opened
Some organizations use the job posting date as the start point, while others use the date of requisition approval. The key is to be consistent in how you apply the calculation across your organization.
To track this metric over time, many companies calculate average days to fill a position by summing the time to fill for all closed requisitions over a given period (such as a quarter or a year), then dividing by the number of roles filled:
Average Days to Fill = Total Time to Fill for All Roles ÷ Number of Roles Filled
This gives a useful baseline for benchmarking and identifying trends. For example, you might find that average days to fill vary by department or role type, which can help focus improvement efforts where they are needed most.
Key Factors That Affect Time to Fill
Many variables can influence how long it takes to fill an open role. Understanding these factors helps HR teams and business leaders interpret time to fill metrics and identify where improvements can have the most impact. Some of the most common factors include:
Role complexity and market demand
Senior-level roles, highly specialized positions, or jobs in competitive talent markets typically take longer to fill. The availability of qualified candidates directly affects average days to fill a position.
Internal process efficiency
Slow approval cycles, unclear job requirements, or delays in interview scheduling can all add days to the hiring timeline. Streamlining these internal processes is often one of the fastest ways to reduce time to fill.
Employer brand and candidate experience
Strong employer branding helps attract more qualified candidates, while a positive candidate experience keeps them engaged throughout the process. Both can contribute to shorter hiring timelines.
Technology and tools
The right technology can significantly improve time to fill. Modern applicant tracking systems (ATS), automated scheduling tools, and AI-powered candidate sourcing all help move candidates through the pipeline more efficiently.
Time to Fill Benchmarks and Trends
Knowing how your organization’s time to fill compares to industry standards can help set realistic goals and highlight opportunities for improvement. While benchmarks vary widely by industry, region, and role type, a few patterns tend to hold:
- Overall averages: Across industries, the average days to fill a position typically ranges from 30 to 45 days. However, some roles can move much faster or slower depending on demand and internal processes.
- Industry differences: Tech companies, for example, often face longer time to fill cycles for specialized engineering or data roles, while industries such as retail or hospitality may have much shorter hiring timelines for high-volume positions.
- Role-specific trends: Leadership positions and niche skill roles usually take the longest to fill. For these, it’s important to track benchmarks by role type rather than relying on a single company-wide average.
It’s also important to track internal trends over time. If your average days to fill a position are increasing, that may signal new bottlenecks or changing market conditions. Conversely, a steady decline can point to process improvements or stronger employer branding.
How to Improve Time to Fill Without Sacrificing Quality
While reducing time to fill is a valuable goal, speed alone isn’t enough. The aim is to improve efficiency without compromising the quality of hires. Here are several proven ways to achieve that balance:
Streamline hiring workflows
Look for unnecessary steps, handoffs, or approval delays in your process. Clear ownership, well-defined roles, and faster decision-making can all help shorten time to fill.
Use data to drive decisions
Analyzing time to fill metrics at each stage of the hiring funnel can highlight where delays occur. For example, if interview scheduling adds significant time, investing in automated scheduling tools may provide a quick win.
Strengthen collaboration with hiring managers
Engaged hiring managers who are clear on role requirements and committed to the process help move candidates through the pipeline faster. Regular communication and shared expectations are key.
Attract better candidates faster
A strong employer brand and a positive candidate experience naturally reduce time to fill. When candidates are eager to work for your organization, they are more likely to move quickly through the process and accept offers.
The goal is not simply to hire faster, but to create a well-managed process that consistently brings the right candidates to the right roles — and does so in a timely and efficient way.
Tools and Technology That Can Help
The right technology can make a measurable difference in improving time to fill. Many modern HR tools are designed to streamline key parts of the hiring process, reduce manual effort, and speed up decision-making. Here are a few categories to consider:
Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS)
An ATS provides a central platform to manage candidates, automate communications, and track time to fill metrics across roles and departments. It helps ensure consistency and visibility throughout the process.
Recruitment marketing platforms
Attracting the right candidates faster starts with effective sourcing and employer branding. Recruitment marketing tools help promote open roles, target ideal candidates, and manage talent pipelines.
AI and automation
AI-powered sourcing tools can identify qualified candidates more quickly, while automation can speed up tasks like screening, scheduling interviews, and sending updates to candidates. These tools can help reduce bottlenecks and shorten average days to fill a position.
Analytics and reporting
Beyond tracking time to fill, robust analytics can reveal deeper trends in your hiring data. Understanding which roles, departments, or stages consistently cause delays gives you the insights needed to drive focused improvements.
This is where One Model stands out. As a leading People Analytics platform, One Model helps HR teams to go beyond surface-level metrics. It doesn't just show you how long it takes to fill a role; it helps you understand why. With advanced analytics, predictive modeling, and customizable dashboards, One Model enables organizations to pinpoint process bottlenecks, forecast hiring demand, and even identify which candidates are most likely to succeed long-term.
By integrating data from your ATS and other HR systems, One Model delivers a holistic view of your talent pipeline and helps transform hiring from a reactive process into a strategic advantage.
Key Takeaways on Time to Fill
Time to fill offers valuable insight into the efficiency of your hiring process, but it’s only one part of the broader talent picture. Tracking this data point consistently, benchmarking it thoughtfully, and using it to inform improvements can help organizations hire more effectively and maintain business agility.
At the same time, the goal isn’t simply to move faster. The most effective hiring strategies balance speed with quality, ensuring the right candidates are brought into the organization through a thoughtful, well-managed process. With the right data, tools, and collaboration between HR and business leaders, companies can make meaningful progress in improving both hiring outcomes and the experience for everyone involved.
Looking to improve your hiring speed and optimize your recruiting process? Explore more expert insights in our Resource hub.
Or see firsthand how One Model helps leading organizations reduce time to fill.
