TimetoFill

TimetoFill, commonly written as time-to-fill, is a human resources metric used to measure the duration required to fill a vacant position. It is typically defined as the number of days from the opening of a job requisition or posting to the date a candidate accepts an offer or starts employment. Definitions vary by organization, with some using the offer date, start date, or acceptance date, which can affect comparability.

Calculation and data for timetoFill are usually derived from applicant tracking systems, HR information systems, or payroll records. The metric is computed by taking the difference between the end date and the start date for each opening and then averaging across openings. It is often broken down by department, job family, level, or market to identify patterns and bottlenecks.

Uses and interpretation: TimetoFill helps organizations plan staffing, budgeting, and workforce capacity. Shorter times may indicate a more efficient recruiting process, while longer times can point to bottlenecks such as candidate scarcity, lengthy approvals, or compensation constraints. It is commonly reported alongside related metrics like time-to-hire, cost-per-hire, and quality of hire to provide a fuller view of recruitment effectiveness.

Limitations: The metric is influenced by factors such as job type, industry conditions, and market competitiveness, and prioritizing speed can risk compromising candidate quality. High-volume hires may have different norms than senior or hard-to-fill roles. To derive meaningful insights, timetoFill should be analyzed together with quality, retention, and candidate experience indicators.

See also: recruitment metrics, time-to-hire, quality of hire.