If candidates had a countdown timer on them like an eBay auction, you would see that acting swiftly is key to making hiring decisions. The most qualified candidates have even less time before they go “off the market”. As more and more Baby Boomers transition out of their current roles, there is an increased talent shortage and urgency to fill vacancies.

Today’s economy is facing record low unemployment rates and there are more open jobs than ever – particularly in the construction industry. Despite this, it is taking more time to fill these jobs. Access to a pool of potential candidates through job boards has hiring managers worried about missing out on selecting the perfect fit for their open position.

Leaving positions open for longer means larger workloads for teams and managers. Employees of all levels are having to juggle their current responsibilities while picking up slack from any vacancies. For hiring managers, this means that reviewing resumes and conducting interviews can be delayed.

While the hiring manager is an important decision maker in the process, the team is equally important. To lessen the chances of losing out on great talent, empower a senior member of the team to review resumes, conduct interviews, and even make hiring decisions. From there, they can hand off logistics – such as negotiating an offer – to the hiring manager.

Slow decision-making can also occur when choosing between two highly qualified candidates. When candidates are in a dead heat for the position, do not delay the decision and risk losing both. Instead, quickly initiate the following procedures.

If a key team member was not available during the interview process, ask them to talk to each candidate to help gauge the candidate’s fit within the team. In a short phone or video interview, the team member may be able to gather important information that did not come up during the initial interview process.

Even after conducting these conversations, you may still be in the same position and no closer to deciding. In this case, ask yourself whether you have the option to bring on both candidates. Top talent is on the move, so instead of determining who has the most potential, hire both. You will not only shorten your decision time, but also have two new valuable team members that can potentially pay for themselves over time.

Regardless of the labor market, great active and passive candidates always have options. If you want to add someone with the skills and experience needed to round out your team, you have to act fact. Delays in the hiring process or final decision can dramatically increase your time to fill vacancies, adding additional stress to your current team.

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