Time to Fill
Time to fill is the number of calendar days between posting a vacancy and receiving signed acceptance from a candidate. For Swiss SMEs, typical ranges are 25–45 days depending on role seniority and canton labour market tightness. Tracking this metric helps you spot delays in screening, interview scheduling, or reference checks—common culprits that extend timelines unnecessarily.
Time to fill measures the speed of your hiring process. It starts when you publish the job ad and ends when the successful candidate signs their employment contract or Arbeitsvertrag. This metric matters because every day a role stays open costs money in lost productivity and recruiting effort.
Swiss employers use time to fill to benchmark themselves against industry norms and identify where their process slows down. A 60-day recruitment cycle for a mid-level finance role in Zurich is normal; the same timeline for a junior administrative role in a less competitive canton signals inefficiency.
When time to fill comes up
You track time to fill when managing multiple vacancies, especially if you hire regularly. It becomes critical when competing for talent in tight markets—Zurich tech, Basel pharma, or Geneva finance roles—where delays mean losing candidates to faster-moving employers.
Time to fill also matters for budgeting and forecasting. If you know a role typically takes 35 days to fill, you can plan onboarding and project handovers accordingly. It's also useful when justifying recruitment costs to stakeholders or deciding whether to use an external recruiter.
- Track it manually in a spreadsheet or use your applicant tracking system (ATS) to calculate automatically
- Compare your times across different roles, departments, and hiring periods
- Benchmark against your own baseline rather than generic 'best practice' figures
- Account for seasonal variation (summer hiring may take longer in Switzerland)
- Include time for background checks and canton-specific documentation
- Factor in delays from candidate availability (notice periods, references)
Your obligations and responsibilities
You have no legal obligation to measure time to fill under Swiss law (OR, ArG). However, if you publish commitment dates in job postings—'decision by 15 March'—you must honour them. Unreasonable delays can damage your reputation and expose you to complaints, especially if candidates have turned down other offers.
Under revDSG, you must manage candidate data responsibly. If your hiring process drags on, you're holding personal data (CVs, interview notes, test results) longer than necessary. Delete records from unsuccessful candidates within a reasonable timeframe—typically 12 months unless a dispute exists.
- Inform candidates of decision timelines at each stage
- Respect notice periods when communicating rejection (some candidates may be employed)
- Document your hiring decisions in case of discrimination claims
- Avoid creating unnecessary delays in reference checks or background verification
- Communicate proactively if timelines shift unexpectedly
- Ensure all recruiters (internal and external) follow the same process standards
The most common mistake
The biggest trap is weak scheduling between screening and interviews. Employers often let applications pile up for a week, then batch interviews over two weeks, then wait another week for references. What could be a 20-day process becomes 35 days from poor calendar management alone.
A secondary mistake is unclear decision-making. If you don't decide between two final candidates quickly, or if multiple stakeholders (owner, team lead, office manager) delay sign-off, the timeline blows out and the top candidate accepts elsewhere. Set approval deadlines in advance and assign one decision-maker.
- Schedule first interviews within 5 working days of application screening
- Use template reference requests to speed final checks
- Assign one person authority to make the final offer decision
- Don't wait for 'the perfect candidate'—decide between your best two within one week
- Pre-plan your interview panels so schedules align immediately
- Use calendar blocking to reserve time for hiring conversations, not ad-hoc meetings
Frequently asked questions
- What's a reasonable time to fill for a standard role in Switzerland?
- For an administrative or junior specialist role in a less competitive canton, expect 20–30 days. For mid-level roles in Zurich, Bern, or Geneva, 35–50 days is normal. Senior or technical roles may take 60+ days. Use your own history, not industry averages, as your benchmark.
- Should I count time from the moment I decide to hire, or from the moment the ad goes live?
- Count from when the ad is live. Time to fill measures recruitment speed. The planning phase before you post is separate and belongs to internal workforce planning, not recruiting velocity.
- Do I need to tell candidates how long my typical time to fill is?
- No legal requirement. But stating 'We aim to decide within X days' in your job ad is professional and sets expectations. It also pressures you to stay organised—which is the real benefit.
General information for Swiss employers, not legal advice. Have a lawyer confirm anything with legal consequences.