Why Hiring is Slower Than Ever (And What You Can Do About It)

If you’re job hunting right now, you’ve probably noticed something frustrating. The hiring process is dragging out longer than ever.

You apply. Maybe you hear back. Maybe you don’t. When you do, interviews stretch over weeks. Verbal offers come with delays. Hiring managers go silent. And even when everything seems to be in place, the final offer takes forever to materialize.

It’s not your imagination. It’s happening everywhere. Across industries. Across roles. Across all levels of experience.

So, what’s going on? Why are companies taking their time? And more importantly, what can you do about it?

The First Employer’s Market in Over a Decade

For more than 10 years, job seekers had the upper hand. The market was tight, talent was in demand, and companies moved fast to secure top candidates. But the power dynamic has shifted.

The last time the job market was this tough? 2008-09.

Since 2022, we’ve seen wave after wave of layoffs. Tens of thousands of skilled professionals have been let go. And beyond that, there’s been an explosion of passive job seekers—people who are still employed but unhappy. They’ve got one foot out the door due to poor raises, uninspiring bonuses, layoffs that affected their teams, or strict return-to-office mandates.

With so many candidates on the market, employers can afford to take their time. They know there’s plenty of talent out there. The urgency to hire has disappeared.

Every Dollar Is Under a Microscope

It’s not just about finding the right person anymore. It’s about justifying the hire in the first place.

For years, hiring was easy. During the zero-interest-rate-policy (ZIRP) era, companies had loose budgets and approvals were fast. Not anymore.

Now, every new hire requires more approvals. Finance teams, procurement, HR, and even executives are stepping in to review offers that would have been rubber-stamped a few years ago.

I recently saw a hiring manager extend a verbal offer for an AI Engineer on a Monday. Before the official offer could be sent, the CIO wanted to meet the candidate. That happened. Then procurement got involved. Now it’s Saturday, and the offer still hasn’t been finalized.

That’s the new normal.

Companies are also diverting budgets toward AI and automation, rather than hiring traditional employees. The focus has shifted from “grow at all costs” to “run lean and efficient.” If they’re going to spend, they need to be absolutely sure it’s worth it.

Hiring Managers Have the Upper Hand

It used to be that if a company moved too slowly, they’d lose candidates to competing offers. That’s no longer the case.

Most candidates today don’t have multiple offers lined up. Even if an employer loses their first-choice candidate, they typically have one or two solid backups.

That means they can take their time. They’re in control. They can wait for the perfect fit without fear of missing out.

The Fear of a Bad Hire Is Real

Hiring managers don’t just want to make a good hire—they want to avoid making a bad one.

Because here’s the risk: If they pick the wrong person, they might not get a second chance.

Imagine a manager opens a role. It takes a couple of months to fill. Then there’s onboarding, followed by a 90-day ramp-up period. Maybe another few months go by, and it becomes clear the new hire isn’t working out.

The manager decides to let them go and requests a backfill. But the director or CIO pushes back: “You’ve been operating without this person for six months already. Let’s cut the role entirely.”

That’s a real concern. And it’s making managers extra cautious. They don’t want to risk hiring someone who isn’t the perfect fit, because if they do, they might lose the headcount altogether.

So, What Can You Do?

If you’re in the job hunt right now, you need to adjust your approach. Here’s how:

First, stay patient. The process is slower than it used to be, but it’s not personal. It’s just the reality of the current market.

Second, keep multiple opportunities open. Don’t put all your eggs in one basket. Even if a company seems interested, keep looking. Until you have a signed offer, nothing is guaranteed.

Third, follow up strategically. A well-timed check-in can help move things along, but don’t overdo it. If a company says they need time, give them space. Persistence is good. Pestering is not.

Finally, negotiate with awareness. Understand that employers feel like they have the leverage right now. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t advocate for yourself, but it does mean you need to be realistic about how much room you have to push.

The Bottom Line

This isn’t 2021 anymore. The hiring landscape has changed. Companies are taking longer, scrutinizing every decision, and moving at their own pace.

But that doesn’t mean you won’t land the right opportunity. It just means you need to adapt. Stay patient, stay proactive, and keep moving forward.

Your next job is out there. It just might take a little longer to get there.