The 5 industries with the longest recruitment cycles from application to onboarding in 2025

Why is finding the right candidate for certain roles more difficult than scoring playoff tickets?

In some industries, the time it takes to get a candidate through the door is downright frustrating. From the moment a company posts a job to when someone actually sits down at their new desk, there's a whole gauntlet to run: multiple interview rounds, internal approvals, offer negotiations, background checks, notice periods with their current employer... Sometimes the whole thing drags on for three months.

Our team looked at recruitment data for 186 mid-to-senior level positions from January through July 2025 (pulled from our own systems plus client feedback) to figure out which five industries have the longest hiring cycles this year. We wanted to get to the bottom of one simple question: what's making recruitment so slow?

No. 1: Financial Services (Average recruitment cycle: 66 days) 

Typical roles: Risk Management Director, Investment Manager, Asset Management Compliance, Investor Relations Lead

Financial sector jobs still top the "slow burn" charts. These positions typically demand sky-high standards for experience, educational background, and regulatory expertise. This is especially true at securities firms, private equity, and family offices, where senior roles don't just need someone who's "good at the job" – they need someone who's the "right fit" culturally.

On top of that, regulatory compliance background checks drag out the whole process. Some candidates have to go through two separate background screenings and even provide reference letters from their previous employers.

One candidate told us: "Between HR and the business teams, I had 6 different interviews, plus a sit-down with the chairman. By the time I got the offer, I'd practically forgotten what they asked me in round one."

No. 2: Healthcare/Biomedical (Average recruitment cycle: 61 days) 

Typical roles: Clinical Trial Manager, Regulatory Affairs Manager, CMC Project Lead

In healthcare, especially in innovative drugs and biotech, senior positions are not just rare – the people who could fill them rarely want to move.

Many candidates are smack in the middle of critical clinical trials and simply can't walk away. We've found that even when companies quickly identify the right person through initial screening, the whole "negotiation + resignation + handover" dance still takes two to three months.

Beyond that, the medical industry's evaluation process is notoriously sluggish, with endless decision-making chains. We've seen deals stall for a week just because "the boss is traveling."

No. 3: Smart Manufacturing & High-End Manufacturing (Average recruitment cycle: 57 days) 

Typical roles: Production General Manager, Digital Factory Architect, Supply Chain Director

Manufacturing talent is more about "poaching from competitors" than "finding on the open market." These positions demand incredibly deep hands-on experience – you need to understand MES systems, ERP implementation, plus operational logic and shop floor management. True generalists who can do it all are few and far between.

On top of that, many manufacturing headquarters are clustered in specific regions, with job requirements that often come with location restrictions and on-site factory presence requirements. This makes candidates think twice.

Companies also lean toward "choose carefully, not quickly," which drags out the decision-making process even longer.

No. 4: Hard Tech/Semiconductors (Average recruitment cycle: 54 days)

Typical roles: Chip Architect, FAE, Package Testing Project Manager, Technical Sales Director

Chip industry talent is literally being "fought over." Especially after the market turbulence of 2023, candidates became much less willing to jump ship, making recruitment that much harder.

These roles typically require "mastering specific platforms + controlling upstream and downstream resources" – they're basically irreplaceable. Most of our clients aren't even posting job descriptions anymore; they're asking us to "find specific people by name." And here's a headache we deal with constantly: candidates will go radio silent for three days, then we find out they're overseas at a trade show.

Between the constant business travel and high-security requirements, just having a conversation becomes a major challenge.

No. 5: High-End Services (Average recruitment cycle: 52 days) 

Typical roles: Luxury Retail Operations, Cultural Tourism Project General Manager, Education Regional Principal

What ties this sector together: the roles are complex and they want people who are "perfect fits."

Take a regional principal position at an education group – you don't just need operational skills, you also have to understand academics, lead teaching teams, and get involved in enrollment. It's a tall order. Companies are also extremely picky about whether a candidate's "temperament matches" their culture.

We've actually had clients say things like: "I'm a bit concerned about his speaking pace and style." This kind of gut-level judgment tends to stretch out the selection process indefinitely.

Slow recruitment often isn't about "finding people" – it's about getting "the right people to actually show up for work." The reasons include, but aren't limited to:

·      Long resignation periods for candidates, especially pronounced during mid-year and year-end periods

·      Drawn-out multi-round interviews with poor internal coordination efficiency

·      High-perception roles with stringent cultural fit requirements

·      Overly cautious hiring practices where companies keep raising the bar without having backup options

If companies are genuinely desperate to fill roles, the key is planning six months ahead and building solid partnerships with professional headhunters.

After all, recruitment is ultimately something with a human touch.