A pattern we see often: a client briefs us on a senior role, expects to be interviewing within two weeks, and is surprised when the realistic timeline to offer is closer to eight. The expectation gap is genuine and frequent and worth writing down.

The numbers below are based on our 2025-26 placement data — 412 placements across the South East, weighted to the senior end of the market.

The realistic timeline

Week 1: Briefing and brief refinement.

A serious briefing conversation is 60-90 minutes — longer than most clients budget for. The first version of the brief is almost always wrong in some material way: the salary band is wrong, the responsibilities are misspecified, or the seniority is wrong by half a step. Good briefings produce a revised brief, not a confirmation of the original.

We will sometimes push back on a brief at this stage. This is not the recruiter being difficult; it’s the recruiter doing the work the engagement is paying for.

Weeks 2-3: Market mapping and approach.

For a senior role, our work in this phase is mostly outbound — not inbound advertising. We build a list of named individuals at named firms who plausibly fit the brief, then approach them in confidence. The strongest candidates are not on job boards and don’t respond to LinkedIn InMails. Reach is a function of the consultant’s network.

The number of strong candidates produced in this phase is typically 8-15 for a senior role. Of those, 4-6 will turn out to be genuinely interested after the initial conversation.

Weeks 3-5: Long-list to shortlist.

We have first conversations with the interested candidates, write our notes, and start the process of pruning the long-list to a shortlist of 3-5. For a senior role this involves at least one 60-minute conversation with each shortlist candidate.

The shortlist arrives with the client in week 4 or 5. Each candidate has been spoken to, briefed, and is genuinely interested.

Weeks 5-7: First interview round.

Each shortlist candidate has a first interview with the hiring manager and one other senior person. Two to three weeks is typical for fitting these into senior calendars. Clients who can compress this to a week meaningfully accelerate the process; clients who let it slip to four weeks often lose candidates.

Weeks 7-9: Final round and offer.

The strongest candidates go to a final interview — typically two further conversations and often a piece of work (a written response to a problem, a presentation, sometimes a meeting with the wider team). Offer is made in week 8 or 9. Acceptance, when it lands, lands fast.

Total: 8-10 weeks from initial brief to offer accepted. Plus typically a 3-month notice period before the candidate actually starts.

What compresses the timeline

  • A genuinely well-written brief that we don’t need to rewrite
  • Hiring-manager availability that’s flexible (the single biggest accelerator)
  • A clear decision-maker (multi-stakeholder hiring slows almost every process)
  • Pre-agreed compensation parameters, including bonus and benefits

What drags it out

  • Briefs that change materially mid-process
  • Interview slots that take three weeks to confirm
  • The “we want to see more candidates” instinct after a strong shortlist
  • Decision-by-committee where no one has accountability

If you’re starting a senior hire, we can walk through what to expect. The conversation is no obligation and frequently saves the firm months.