Every year, around the middle of September, the phone starts ringing a little more.
CEOs and managers, asking the same question: 'We need to hire for the autumn — how quickly can it happen?'
And every year, the answer is the same. Not quickly enough, even if you start now.
It is not an answer I enjoy giving. But it is an honest one. And honesty is the only thing I can offer.
Why does everyone start too late?
It is not laziness. It is not lack of interest. It is something more fundamental — recruitment feels abstract until the need becomes urgent.
As long as the seat is empty but nobody is shouting about it, something else will always take priority. The urgent beats the important. And recruitment ends up in the 'we'll get to it when we have time' category.
The problem is that there is never enough time. And recruitment takes the time it takes — regardless of how much of a hurry you are in.
What does it actually involve?
A well-run recruitment process looks roughly like this:
- Kravprofil och briefing – 1 vecka
- Search and initial screening — 2–3 weeks
- Interviews and assessment — 2 weeks
- Reference checks and decision — 1 week
- Negotiation and contract — 1 week
- Notice period at the candidate's current employer — 1–3 months
Add it up. Then factor in the summer — candidates are hard to reach, managers are on holiday, and decision-makers are away.
Want the right person in place by October? Start in June.
This is not about rushing — it is about planning
I am not trying to alarm you. I am trying to help you avoid the stress of starting too late.
A recruitment process that starts with enough time is one you can do properly. You have time to rule out the wrong candidates. You have time to carry out a thorough assessment. You have time to check references the way they deserve.
A recruitment process that starts too late is a compromise. And compromises in recruitment are costly — often far more so than whatever time you thought you were saving.
What you should do now
Ask yourself three questions today:
• Which roles need to be filled before Q4 begins?
• Have we defined what we are actually looking for — or are we hoping the right person will make themselves obvious?
• Do we have a recruitment process that genuinely finds the right person, or are we relying on gut feeling and CV reviews?
If you cannot answer all three with confidence, it is time to have that conversation now.
If you have thoughts, questions, or simply want to talk something through — feel free to get in touch. I am happy to have an initial conversation with no agenda.
Magdalena Hagström Ståhl
By M Consulting AB
Right person. Right place. Everything changes.