From the beginning of my time in the plastics recruitment industry, the term “time kills deals” was ingrained in my mind. This principle is not unique to the recruiting industry; it applies across various sectors, including the plastics industry. It means that the longer it takes to close a deal, the more likely you are to lose it.
This principle is especially relevant in the hiring process within the plastics industry. The longer the hiring process takes, the less likely you are to secure the candidate you want. I recently experienced this firsthand while filling a challenging position that required a rare skill set and strict educational qualifications. In my 16 years in this business, this was the most extensive and time-consuming search I’ve undertaken. I reached out to over 100 individuals and emailed the job details to around 1,000 professionals within the plastics industry. Despite these efforts, I found only three potential candidates.
The hiring process for this role included two initial phone interviews followed by multiple in-person interviews at my client’s headquarters. Coordinating schedules for these interviews was difficult, leading to significant delays. The time between the second phone interview and the first face-to-face interview was about four weeks, and another four weeks passed before the second face-to-face interview.
After the final interviews, it took nearly two more weeks for my client to decide on a candidate, but they still hadn’t made an offer. By the time they were ready, 14 weeks had passed. Unfortunately, the candidate they wanted had already received and accepted an offer from a local company, avoiding the need for relocation. This other company moved quickly, recognizing the candidate’s value and the urgency of the situation.
This experience highlights the critical importance of speed in the recruitment process, particularly in the plastics industry. The labor market is very tight, with the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reporting a 6.3 percent unemployment rate in May, and just 3.2 percent for those with a bachelor’s degree or higher. When looking for highly qualified candidates in the plastics industry, you are often targeting individuals who are already employed and content in their current positions. These candidates are not desperate for a new job, so a prolonged hiring process can easily result in losing them to faster-moving competitors.
At AJ Augur Group LLC, an executive search firm based in Mentor, Ohio, we understand that in the plastics industry, time truly kills deals. To secure top talent, it’s crucial to expedite the hiring process and make swift, decisive actions. The pool of qualified candidates is slim, and delays can mean losing out on the best fit for your company. 440-357-7600 – dregovich@ajaugur.com
In conclusion, the lesson is clear: in the plastics industry, a swift hiring process is not just beneficial; it’s essential. The longer it takes to hire, the higher the risk of losing top talent to competitors who understand that time kills deals.
