The short answer
Time to fill is the number of days between when a job is opened, usually the date the requisition is approved or the job is posted, and when a candidate accepts the offer. The formula is: time to fill = offer acceptance date - job opening date, averaged across the roles filled in a period. It matters because it shows how long a seat stays empty, which affects workload, plans and budgets.
Time to fill explained
Time to fill measures the job's journey. It includes the days spent writing and approving the job post, waiting for applicants, sourcing, screening, interviewing and negotiating. Because it covers everything, it's the number leaders feel most, and the one recruiting controls least on its own.
Two choices change the result, so pick one and stick to it. The start can be requisition approval or the posting date. The end can be offer acceptance or the new hire's start date. Many teams end at acceptance and track the notice period separately, because a long notice period isn't a recruiting delay.
Example: a time to fill calculation
Average time to fill is (39 + 18 + 64 + 32) / 4 = 38.3 days. The senior engineer role stands out: 36 of its 64 days passed before the eventual hire even applied. The interview process took 28 days, close to the others. That role has a sourcing problem, not a process problem.
Time to fill vs time to hire
Benchmarks
SHRM's Human Capital Benchmarking Report, covering fiscal year 2015 and published in August 2016, found an average time to fill of 42 days, based on 1,192 respondents. That is an old, all-roles average across very different employers. Treat it as a rough reference point, and compare yourself mainly with your own history by role type.
To shorten time to fill, start where the days are. If they sit before the first applicant, work on the job post (our guide on how to write a job description helps) and on your talent pool. If they sit after, look at screening and scheduling.
Related terms
- Time to hire: days from the candidate entering the pipeline to an accepted offer.
- Cost per hire: what each hire costs, which often rises as time to fill grows.
- Talent pool: candidates you can contact before a job opens.
- Applicant tracking system: the system that records the dates both metrics need.
- High-volume hiring: filling many similar roles at once.
Questions
What is the difference between time to fill and time to hire?
Time to fill starts when the job opens. Time to hire starts when the person you hire enters your pipeline. Both usually end at offer acceptance, so time to fill is always as long as or longer than time to hire, and the gap shows how long you waited for the right applicant.
What is the average time to fill a position?
SHRM's Human Capital Benchmarking Report for fiscal 2015 found an average of 42 days, from 1,192 respondents. The figure is old and covers all kinds of roles, so your own trend by role type is a better guide.
Does time to fill end at offer acceptance or the start date?
Either is acceptable if you are consistent and say which you use. Many teams end at offer acceptance and track the notice period separately, so a long notice period isn't counted as a recruiting delay.
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