Two thirds of candidates have turned down a dream job after businesses left them dangling

Long, complex recruitment processes are harming businesses’ chances of securing top talent, according to independent research commissioned by Robert Half UK. According to the survey of 9,000 jobseekers in 11 countries across four continents, more than two-thirds of candidates globally have taken a second-choice job offer because their preferred employer took too long to give them an answer.

With almost seven in 10 jobseekers globally saying they lose interest in the role if the hiring process takes too long, the research has found that hiring managers are taking their time to get back to jobseekers. More than half  of candidates have waited longer than a month to hear back about a role for which they have interviewed, while 31 per cent have waited longer than six weeks – and 22 per cent over two months. Just eight per cent got feedback on the same day.

This contrasts sharply with candidates’ expectations of the hiring process. The overall majority (88 per cent) believe it is reasonable to wait up to one month – from initial application to getting a final offer. Only 12 per cent  think it’s acceptable to wait for over a month.

“Employers are in a fiercely competitive battle to find the right skills and talent to take their businesses forward, and they cannot afford to alienate potential workers with long drawn-out hiring processes,” said Matt Weston, Managing Director at Robert Half UK.

“Candidates know that their skills are in demand, which makes it all the more worrying that so many are turning down their dream job because they’ve been left waiting for so long.”