Lengthy Interview Processes Are Causing Delays. Can We Fix Them?
In today’s IP market, the competition for exceptional talent is fiercer than ever and the companies or departments that move with confidence and intention are consistently winning the best people.
When you find a great candidate active in the IP market today, whether that’s a high-calibre Patent Attorney, an experienced In-House Counsel, or a Paralegal who actually keeps the wheels turning, they aren’t sitting around waiting for us to make up our minds. They have options. Usually a few of them.
And yet, across the IP sector, we often see the same scenario play out over and over. A candidate gets excited after a great first meeting. Then… everything grinds to a halt.
Three weeks pass while we try to line up diaries for a second round. Then someone suggests a third panel “just to get consensus.” Then another week goes by while the feedback sits in someone’s inbox. By the time an offer is finally ready, the candidate has either taken another role, accepted a counter-offer, or simply lost interest.
None of this happens out of bad intention. We delay because we want to be thorough. We want to make sure the fit is right and avoid making a costly mistake. And for some roles we work on, where it is the first hire on the ground, this is not unreasonable.
But here is the reality: stretching out an interview process doesn’t make a decision safer. It can potentially make you lose good people.
What Actually Happens When a Process Runs Longer Than Expected
From where we sit, three things happen the moment a process starts taking too long and has not been properly communicated to the candidate from the outset:
- Momentum dies. Interviewing is exhausting. When candidates go weeks without hearing anything substantial, that initial buzz they felt about the role disappears. Indifference sets in.
- The market moves. Good IP professionals don’t stay hidden. If you take six weeks to get through four rounds, a competitor with a streamlined two-stage process will snap them up before you’ve even finished your panel reviews.
- It sends the wrong message. Candidates treat your hiring process as a mirror of how your business operates. If getting a mid-level hire approved requires multiple stakeholders need to align over an extended timeline ,they start wondering how hard it is to get everyday decisions made once they actually start working there.
How Do We Fix It?
Moving faster doesn’t mean taking wild guesses or lowering your bar. It just means being intentional before you go out to market.
Cap it at two main stages.
Unless you are hiring a global head of department, you rarely need more than two proper rounds. Stage one for background, core capability, and mutual fit. Stage two for technical depth, practical alignment, and meeting key team members. That’s it.
Divide up the interview.
If four people need to meet the candidate, don’t put them through four separate 1-on-1 calls asking about their CV. Put two people in each room, or give each person a specific topic to cover: one handles technical competence, another covers culture and strategy.
Set a 5-day rule between rounds.
Never let more than five business days pass without either holding the next meeting or giving clear, constructive feedback. Even a quick text or email saying “We’re pulling notes together, update coming Thursday” keeps candidate trust intact.
Agree on the offer BEFORE you start interviewing.
Don’t wait until round three to figure out if the partner group or HR will approve the salary ceiling or flexible working terms. Get alignment on the budget, title, and terms before you ever place the first call.
The Bottom Line
Respecting a candidate’s time is one of the strongest talent acquisition tools you have. In a tight market, agility beats perfection every single time. If you want the best talent in your team, make your process sharp, keep the momentum alive, and make the decision when you know it’s right.
