How to Calculate Time to Fill
1
Set Your Start DateEnter the Requisition Approved Date - when the hiring decision was made. If unavailable, use the Job Posted Date.
2
Enter the Offer Accepted DateThe day the candidate formally accepts the job offer. TTF = Offer Accepted Date - Requisition Approved Date.
3
Add Stage Dates (Optional)Add interview and offer dates to see a visual stage-by-stage breakdown of where time was spent in your pipeline.
Core Formula
TTF (days) = Offer Accepted Date - Requisition Approved Date
TTH (days) = Offer Accepted Date - Candidate Entered Pipeline Date
Business Days: Count only Mon-Fri, excluding weekends and custom holidays.
Example: Req Approved = Jan 5, Offer Accepted = Feb 9
Calendar Days TTF = 35 days
Business Days TTF = 25 days (5 weeks × 5 days)
Time to Fill vs Time to Hire
Time to Fill measures the full recruiting cycle from requisition approval to offer acceptance - a measure of overall hiring process efficiency. Time to Hire measures from when the winning candidate first entered your pipeline to offer acceptance - a measure of candidate experience and decision speed. Both metrics are essential for a complete recruitment metrics dashboard.
Industry Time to Fill Benchmarks (2024-2025)
Average Time to Fill in days by industry and job level, based on published HR industry reports. Use the Benchmark tab to compare your own metrics against these figures.
Average Time to Fill in days by industry and job level, 2024-2025| Industry | Entry | Mid | Senior | Manager | Director | Executive |
|---|
| Technology | 28 | 36 | 45 | 52 | 62 | 78 |
| Healthcare | 32 | 40 | 48 | 55 | 65 | 82 |
| Finance | 30 | 38 | 46 | 54 | 64 | 80 |
| Retail | 18 | 24 | 32 | 40 | 50 | 65 |
| Manufacturing | 25 | 33 | 42 | 50 | 60 | 75 |
| Education | 35 | 45 | 55 | 65 | 75 | 90 |
| Government | 45 | 60 | 75 | 90 | 105 | 130 |
| Hospitality | 15 | 22 | 30 | 38 | 48 | 60 |
| Other / Global Avg | 27 | 36 | 44 | 52 | 62 | 78 |
ⓘ Values are approximate industry averages for reference only. Actual Time to Fill varies by company size, location, sourcing strategy, and role complexity.
Frequently Asked Questions - Time to Fill Calculator
What is Time to Fill?
Time to Fill is the number of days between when a job requisition is approved and when the candidate accepts the offer. It is a primary recruitment metric used by HR teams and talent acquisition specialists to measure overall hiring cycle efficiency. A lower Time to Fill means faster access to talent and reduced productivity gaps from open roles.
What is the difference between Time to Fill and Time to Hire?
Time to Fill measures from requisition approval to offer acceptance - it reflects the entire process including role definition, job posting, sourcing, and selection. Time to Hire measures from when the selected candidate first entered the pipeline to offer acceptance - it reflects only the candidate’s journey through your interview process. TTF is broader; TTH is a candidate experience measure.
How is Time to Fill calculated?
TTF = Offer Accepted Date − Requisition Approved Date. You can count in calendar days (simpler, used in most industry benchmarks) or business days (excludes weekends, better for internal SLA tracking). This calculator supports both modes, plus custom public holiday exclusions.
Should I use calendar days or business days?
Use business days for internal SLA reporting, since your team does not work weekends. Use calendar days when comparing against published industry benchmarks, as most external benchmarks use calendar days. If you are tracking both internally and externally, calculate both - this tool does it simultaneously.
What is a good Time to Fill benchmark?
Global averages range from 27 to 45 days for most roles. Technology mid-level roles average ~36 days; healthcare roles average ~40 days; government roles can exceed 75 days. Entry-level roles fill faster (15 - 35 days); executive roles take 60 - 130 days. The time to fill calculator benchmark tab shows your exact comparison against your industry and level.
Can I calculate Time to Fill for multiple roles at once?
Yes. Use the Bulk Calculation tab to enter multiple roles manually or import a CSV file with the format: job_title, department, requisition_date, offer_accepted_date. The tool computes average, median, min, max, and standard deviation TTF across all roles - ideal for quarterly hiring reports and TA team performance reviews.
Does this tool store my recruitment data?
No. All calculations run entirely in your browser - no data is sent to any server. The optional Save Preset and Save Bulk Dataset features use your browser’s localStorage only, stored locally on your device and never transmitted. SmallHRTools is privacy-first: no login, no tracking of recruitment data.
How can I reduce our Time to Fill?
Key strategies: (1) Pre-approve role requirements before posting to eliminate requisition lag. (2) Build a proactive talent pipeline for recurring roles. (3) Reduce unnecessary interview rounds. (4) Use structured interviews to speed evaluation and reduce rescheduling. (5) Set and enforce hiring manager SLAs for CV review and interview feedback. (6) Use your stage breakdown data (from this tool) to identify the slowest stage and target it specifically.