alt Hacker NewsHiring manager here - the last job I posted was open for 6 weeks. We waited 2 weeks for initial applications, and it took 4 weeks to schedule interviews with our shortlist and get to an offer, including a very unfortunate 2 week holiday from someone that allowed us down.
We got 350 applications for it. We listed in the JD that remote was ok but needed to be in specific countries for us to hire. I’d guess 90% of the applicants were outside those countries. Of the remained the problem is that most of them all have the skills we’re looking for. One thing is for sure, I read every single cover letter that came through, and I’d say that the vast majority of ones that made an actual effort we interviewed.
Replies
I once casted volunteer actors for short movies. It costed me literally nothing to write: "Deadline for application is $DATE, you will hear from us within X days. You will either get a rejection or an invitation to a casting on $CASTINGDATE1 or $CASTINGDATE2."
And on the casting I personally guaranteed for a date when they will get a result. Rejections included feedback that helped candidates understand our decision and improve their craft.
This is in my opinion how you do things when you have a shred of respect for the people on the other side. Actors greatly valued how we did things.
If you can't live with the insecurity of knowing whether you're able to keep those dates, just make a pessimistic guess and add a few days on top. It is really not that hard.
Hiring teams don’t actually have to interview every single applicant. I was a “hiring manager”(quotes because I effectively wasn’t due to my director involving himself in every decision) for a team that took 8 months to fill a role.
It wasn’t for lack of applicants but because the company as an org was acting like maybe there was an even better option amongst the remaining applicants despite finding people perfectly suited for the role.
I compared it to the family guy skit where Peter chose a mystery box over a boat saying “the mystery box could be anything, it could even be a boat!” to managers in my social circle in other companies and it resonated with them so it didn’t appear to be a rare situation.