To beat the skills shortage employers should act fast to secure the best candidate, says Hays.
The company added that some job seekers in skill short areas were receiving an offer within 48 hours of an interview.
“Traditionally a week would easily pass between an interview and an offer,” Hays Resources and Mining director Simon Winfield said.
“However, today if one company’s recruitment process is protracted, they risk losing the candidate to competitors with a faster, more efficient recruitment process.”
A recruitment process with a quick turnaround should last no longer than two interviews, one with the direct manager followed by a second with senior management, Hays said.
However, it added that employers should be cautious about creating a recruitment process which trades time for the appropriate depth of information required for both parties to make a decision.