The hiring process is taking significantly longer today than it did two years ago. According to a recent survey from Express Employment Professionals and The Harris Poll, more than two in five U.S. hiring managers state that filling open roles has become a drawn-out process. In fact, 26% of respondents report that securing a new hire takes a minimum of four weeks when accounting for resume reviews, interviews and final decisions. Consequently, an average of 21% of open positions are permanently closed without being filled.
These figures outline a frustrating situation for employers. The data shows that 44% of surveyed hiring managers currently have jobs they simply cannot fill. This marks a notable increase from the 36% who reported the exact same struggle in the fall of 2025 and represents the highest level seen since the fall of 2023. Additionally, more than one in four managers reveal that 27% of their available jobs remain completely unfilled. As these roles sit vacant, existing staff often manage the excess workload.
Despite hiring timelines stretching out, companies are actively trying to streamline specific parts of the evaluation process. Organizations appear to be conducting fewer interviews before making a final job offer. Candidates now go through an average of four interviews to land a position, which is down from five interviews in the spring of 2023. Employers are searching for a delicate balance between speed, quality and finding the right cultural fit for their teams. However, resume review stages still cause delays.
This difficulty in securing talent coincides with a period of relatively low job cuts across the country. Recent data analysis indicates that month-to-month job cuts in the United States dropped by 27% between June and July. Year-over-year, layoffs fell by a substantial 46%. July also saw the lowest monthly total of recorded layoffs in two years, although job losses continued in specific areas like the technology sector. A stable job market often means fewer active candidates, forcing hiring managers to work harder to attract talent.
While overall layoffs are down, underlying worker dissatisfaction is creating notable tension. Employee retention data highlights that workers are growing increasingly frustrated with their current salaries while remaining optimistic about finding better opportunities elsewhere. This frustration suggests that employees might be less likely to stay at their current jobs over the coming six months. Analysts predict the labor market will soon experience increased workforce mobility. If more workers leave in search of higher pay, managers will face an even greater volume of open roles.
On the other side, job seekers are voicing their own distinct frustrations with modern recruitment methods. Almost a third of job seekers indicate that navigating automated hiring systems is highly challenging. They prefer to interact with real people rather than solely with software programs. Furthermore, 31% of candidates suspect that companies are falsely claiming to hire while merely collecting resumes to build a database. This perception severely damages candidate trust and impedes the overall job search experience.
Technology also plays a controversial role in applicant concerns. More than one in five job seekers believe that open positions are being assigned to artificial intelligence, impacting their ability to secure employment. While technology can streamline hiring logistics and filter applications efficiently, experts emphasize that automated tools deliver the absolute best results when paired with genuine human interaction.
Clear and timely communication is more crucial than ever before. A candidate’s experience during the hiring phase can be just as critical as the job itself. When the recruitment process is completely transparent, employers keep business moving forward, and candidates can easily determine whether an opportunity aligns with their career goals. By minimizing complicated automated systems, companies can attract the right candidates faster.
