Average hiring time is useful only when the start, end, and population being measured are clear. When hiring developers, comparing one number with a supposed market average is not enough: a specialized senior role and a recurring hiring process may involve different needs.
This guide proposes a measurement approach for employers. It is not a market survey or a validated national benchmark. The numerical example below is fictional and does not represent Nort customer results.
Time-to-hire versus time-to-fill
We use time-to-fill for the period from role approval to offer acceptance, and time-to-hire for the period from the successful candidate entering the process to acceptance. This distinction follows Workable's explanation.
Check your system's definition too. The Greenhouse report measures from the opening date to the date a candidate is marked as hired. Similarly named events can produce different figures.
In this guide, the interval between acceptance and the first working day is tracked separately. Do not add it to time-to-hire without changing the metric's name and definition.
Worked example: a fictional hire
Consider elapsed calendar days since a role was approved:
| Milestone | Day |
|---|---|
| Role approved | 0 |
| Eventually hired candidate enters the process | 12 |
| Offer accepted | 30 |
| First working day | 45 |
Here, time-to-fill = 30 − 0 = 30 days; time-to-hire = 30 − 12 = 18 days; and acceptance to start = 45 − 30 = 15 days. These describe the same hire but answer different questions. None is a recommended target or a Nort promise.
A measurement contract for your team
Before building a dashboard, record these decisions:
- Unit: one filled position. A requisition with multiple openings should not silently become one hire.
- Calendar: calendar or business days, applied consistently across reporting periods.
- Dates: exact start and end events, time zone, and source of each record.
- Pauses: retain total elapsed time and identify suspended periods; do not erase waiting time to improve the indicator.
- Cohort: for example, positions with accepted offers during the month. List open roles, cancellations, and incomplete records separately.
- Comparison: separate role, seniority, and working arrangement when samples permit; always report the number of hires included.
For a practical dashboard, track the mean, median, and age of roles still open. A lower average among completed hires does not demonstrate improvement if the hardest roles remain outside that calculation. With few cases, show individual durations without exposing personal information.
Where to investigate waiting time
For each stage, record entry, completion, decision, and owner. Base the investigation on these records instead of assuming which bottleneck is largest.
Before interviews: is the role scope approved? Are essential and optional requirements distinct? Who can decide on compensation and working arrangements?
During assessment: do interviews repeat the same questions? Does the technical exercise have a clear purpose? How much time involves assessment versus waiting for scheduling or feedback?
At decision time: have interviewers recorded evidence? Who resolves disagreements? Has the candidate received an expected response date?
Test one change at a time and record what stayed constant. An internal response deadline can organize work, but should not automatically advance or reject a candidate. Speed does not replace job-related criteria or responsible assessment.
How to evaluate a recruiting platform
When comparing channels, preserve the measurement contract and check whether role requirements, team, or assessment criteria changed. Do not attribute every difference in duration to the tool.
Nort is a reverse-recruiting platform: candidates build profiles with information and test results, and companies search for professionals. This does not guarantee a fixed hiring deadline, immediate availability of every profile, or the removal of interviews. Explore Nort for employers and the reverse-recruiting guide to assess the fit for your process.
Frequently asked questions
What is the average time to hire a developer?
This guide does not establish a national average. For planning, use comparable hires within your company and disclose the period, sample size, and calculation rules.
Why do two dashboards show different durations?
They may use different dates, calendars, or populations. Compare definitions before concluding that there is an error or a performance change.
Does time-to-hire include the first working day?
Not under this guide's convention, which ends at acceptance. Track the interval until the start date separately.
How do we choose the first process improvement?
Identify recurring waiting time in the records, assign an owner, and test one change. Compare equivalent periods while also watching withdrawals and assessment quality.
Does Nort guarantee hiring in a few days?
This guide makes no hiring-time guarantee. Outcomes depend on the role, available professionals, and decisions on both sides.
Editorial note
Revised September 9, 2026. Regional estimates and reduction percentages without identifiable supporting studies have been removed from the previous version. Linked sources support the definitions, not performance gains from Nort. Corrections: [email protected].