Dear Job Doctor,

What’s the typical length of a recruitment process? I submitted an application and have not heard anything for three weeks.

The length of time for a company to complete their recruitment process varies and is dependent on a number of factors related to their selection methodology, including the number of interviews and the tools they use.

Some companies will provide a closing date for applications, and one should expect to receive an answer within two to three weeks after this deadline. If you do not receive an answer, call them and politely ask them for feedback.

Unfortunately many firms only make contact with applicants they wish to select for interview. This practice inevitably leads to a low brand perception. I remember sending 260 applications for an internship in 1992 (during a UK recession) and 20 years later I remember those who did not respond and I still have a negative perception of them!

If you are applying through a recruitment firm, I recommend that you call them if you have not had feedback within 72 hours. Always remain polite and courteous. If you do not get any response having tried, make contact with the managing director or country manager. If you still do not receive a response, consider using another recruitment firm.

Depending on seniority, the usual interview process starts with a first interview with human resources; this can take the form of a structured and behavioural interview. A second interview is likely to be with the direct hiring manager (your potential new boss); this is likely to be a technical and personality based interview. There may also be further interview stages with senior managers and/or team members. In Luxembourg it’s common to have further interviews with international stakeholders (face-to-face or by telephone). Psychometric assessments are also compulsory in some recruitment processes.

There are some organisations that are very responsive and will complete the recruitment process in one to three weeks; others may take up to 12 weeks. Many in-demand candidates are lost during the longer processes to those with a faster hiring practice.

From sending your application to a final hiring decision, you should expect an average length of duration of between four to eight weeks.

When looking for a new opportunity or considering a change, your thought-process should start one to three months earlier. You will need to investigate the marketplace and collate objective advice in order to make an informed decision as to which opportunities are the right ones to apply for.

Darren Robinson is managing director of Badenoch & Clark Luxembourg, the largest staffing and recruitment firm in the Grand Duchy.

Have a question for the Job Doctor? Send an email to [email protected] with “Job Doctor” in the subject line. Your inquiry will be confidential: the Job Doctor will not be given your name, nor will it be published anywhere by Delano.