There is a current sentiment circling around about the length of time a company is taking these days to make a hiring decision and why that is happening. To a candidate is seems like it is taking forever, or at least, longer than seems reasonably appropriate. So how do you channel frustration of not hearing back from company in the timely way you want? And why do some companies never get back to you at all? What factors might be in play in this new hiring landscape?

In trying to offer a balanced and thoughtful discourse on this heated topic I will say from my experience that first off the current hiring “paralysis”, as some have called it, happens during all recessionary times. Companies slow down hiring and tend to take longer for several understandable reasons.

Usually, companies begin to be fiscally conservative, so what appears to be indecision on their part is less about an inability to make a hire than an awareness of how limited budgets and headcounts have changed the emphasis from hiring “ a good enough skill set” to bringing someone on board who is knowledgeable and productive day one. As such they are willing to wait (and wait) now for the right person instead of making a potential bad hire.

This new hiring criterion is difficult for everyone, for a company can lose out on good candidates who have since taken another position, and because passive candidates with the exact skills sets needed are hunkering down and not changing jobs. But it doesn’t take away from the frustration of being on the other side of the desk and not receiving timely feedback. So are there constructive things you could be doing during this lull, particularly if emails to recruiters are not yielding any new news?

Lamentably, you may need to first accept the idea that perhaps you don’t have what a company needs right now and will have to move on. Second, target the best jobs for your skills and apply to those positions only; third, keep in touch via networking sites and send out the occasional hello! And lastly, update your skills, take a class, join a group, and find other creative outlets to channel your energy so as not to lose any self-esteem from the lack of communication (we still like you). Yet, I do question how much a company should explain itself.

So will this current hiring landscape change? Probably not anytime soon, but it does allow both candidate and company time to reevaluate what is meaningful for the next step in their growth by focusing on priorities, building their network, putting processes in place, and expanding their knowledge base. Then both will be ready for when the next ramp up occurs.

LifeSize recruiting staff takes pride in providing timely updates and feedback which I believe sets us apart and illustrates our great culture. But even we cannot control outside influences, just merely offer guidance as best we can. We hope to continue to do that for you.

What do you think motivates decisions?