A job vacancy should ideally be filled within four to eight weeks before you need to seriously reconsider your approach. For specialised or senior roles, that can stretch to twelve weeks, but beyond that, every additional week is a signal that something is structurally wrong. How long a vacancy remains open depends on the seniority of the role, the sector, and the quality of your recruitment process. In this article, we answer the most frequently asked questions about time-to-hire, common pitfalls, and concrete improvements.
What is a normal time-to-hire for a vacancy in Belgium?
In Belgium, the average recruitment process for a mid- to senior-level role takes between six and ten weeks, from the first publication to the signing of the contract. For operational or junior roles, that is closer to four to six weeks. Director or management-level positions can legitimately take twelve weeks or longer.
These timelines are not fixed rules, but they provide a useful reference point. The Belgian labour market has its own specific dynamics: relatively low mobility among permanent employees, strong regional differences between Brussels, Flanders, and Wallonia, and growing scarcity in technical, financial, and commercial profiles. Anyone searching for an experienced profile in Brussels or Flemish Brabant will quickly notice that the available talent pool is smaller than it appears. A time-to-hire that falls outside these ranges deserves attention. Professional support with recruitment and selection can make the difference in finding the right candidate more quickly.
What factors determine how long a vacancy stays open?
The time a vacancy remains open is determined by a combination of seniority, scarcity of the profile, the attractiveness of the offer, and the efficiency of your own process. None of these factors stands alone, and they reinforce each other in both directions.
The most important variables are:
- Seniority and specialisation: The more senior or niche the profile, the smaller the active candidate pool and the longer it takes to find the right person.
- Attractiveness of the offer: A market-competitive salary, flexible working conditions, and a clear growth path significantly shorten the search time.
- Quality of the job description: Vague or overly broad descriptions attract the wrong candidates and extend the process through unnecessary interviews.
- Speed of internal decision-making: Slow feedback rounds or too many decision-makers in the process are among the most underestimated causes of lengthy time-to-hire.
- Reach of your recruitment channels: Relying solely on job boards means missing a large part of the market — namely passive candidates who are not actively looking but are open to the right conversation.
A vacancy that stays open too long is almost always the result of several of these factors occurring simultaneously. It is worth evaluating each one individually before drawing conclusions about the labour market itself.
When does a long-running vacancy signal a deeper problem?
A vacancy becomes problematic when it has been open for more than twelve weeks without a clear reason, such as an exceptionally scarce profile or a deliberate pause in the process. At that point, the problem most likely lies not with the market, but with the approach itself.
Signs that point to a structural problem include:
- You receive many applications, but no candidate is truly a good fit for the role.
- Candidates drop out after the first interviews without giving a clear reason.
- You have already adjusted the offer several times, but without result.
- Internal stakeholders disagree on what the ideal profile looks like.
- The role has been filled before and the previous employee left quickly.
These are not coincidental obstacles. They point to a mismatch between what you are looking for, what you are offering, and how you are communicating that externally. An honest evaluation of the job profile, the selection criteria, and the candidate experience is the right first step. A specialised agency focused on recruitment and selection can provide an objective outside perspective.
How does a slow hiring process affect the organisation?
A vacancy that stays open for a long time costs more than just time. The impact on the organisation is tangible and felt at multiple levels: operational, financial, and in terms of team dynamics.
Existing employees absorb the tasks of the open role, leading to overload and an increased risk of turnover. Projects are delayed, clients notice the impact, and pressure on managers increases. At the same time, a long-running vacancy sends an unintended signal to the market: candidates who keep seeing the same position reappear start to wonder why no one wants or is able to fill it.
There are also direct costs associated with a vacancy that remains open for a long time: advertising costs, the hours spent by HR and line managers conducting interviews, and a productivity gap that grows larger every week. Organisations that hire quickly and purposefully avoid all of these indirect losses.
Which adjustments speed up the recruitment process the most?
The greatest time savings come not from advertising more, but from defining more clearly, deciding more quickly, and searching more purposefully. Small adjustments to the process can shorten the time-to-hire by weeks.
The most effective interventions are:
- Draw up a clear job profile that distinguishes between requirements and preferences. This allows you to filter faster and rely less on subjective impressions.
- Limit the number of interview rounds to what is truly necessary. Two well-prepared interviews deliver more than four superficial ones.
- Provide prompt feedback after each interview, preferably within 48 hours. Candidates who wait too long will drop out or accept another offer in the meantime.
- Engage passive candidates through networks and direct outreach. The best profiles rarely search actively, but they are open to a relevant conversation.
- Ensure internal alignment on the profile before you begin. Disagreements later cost more time than a thorough briefing upfront.
A permanent recruitment process that starts well-prepared rarely stalls at the end.
When does it pay to bring in an external recruitment partner?
An external recruitment partner is worth considering when you do not have the internal time, network, or market knowledge to find a specific profile quickly and purposefully. This is especially true for mid- to senior-level roles, scarce specialisations, or positions where discretion is important.
An external partner adds value in situations where:
- The vacancy has been open for more than eight weeks without result.
- You are looking for a profile that rarely applies actively.
- The role has a direct impact on strategy, client relationships, or team leadership.
- Your HR capacity is limited or fully occupied with other priorities.
- You need a confidential replacement without this becoming known internally or externally.
In these cases, a specialised partner is not an additional cost but an investment that saves time, energy, and mismatches. The right partner knows the market, has access to passive candidates, and guides the entire process from briefing to contract signing. Stay up to date with the latest recruitment insights by subscribing to the Skill&Will newsletter. Discover how a targeted approach to recruitment and selection can help your organisation move forward.
How Skill&Will helps with long-running vacancies
We understand that a vacancy that stays open too long is not only frustrating, but also has real consequences for your organisation. That is why we work differently from a traditional recruitment agency:
- We begin every assignment with a thorough briefing to understand the profile, the context, and the culture of your organisation
- We actively search our networks for passive candidates who cannot be found on job boards
- We deliver a targeted shortlist of candidates who genuinely match your needs — not a stack of CVs
- We guide the entire process from the first interview to contract signing
- We work with in-depth knowledge of the Belgian market, including salary benchmarks and talent availability in Brussels and Flemish Brabant
Has a vacancy been open at your organisation for too long, or do you want to get a new search off to the right start? Get in touch with our team and we will work together to find the right candidate quickly and purposefully.
