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Weekly Newsletter Vol. 129 - February 18, 2026

Generating your Lead Story…

When Hiring Drags Into Another Year, Everyone Loses

There’s a trend in hiring right now that deserves a serious conversation.

Roles opened in 2025 are still active in 2026. Candidates who began interviewing last year are still “in process.” In some cases, they haven’t received a clear yes or no — just periodic check-ins, vague updates, or silence.

That’s not a strategy. That’s a breakdown in ownership.

At Recruitment Made Easy, we sit in the middle of these processes every day. We see the internal discussions, the budget conversations, the shifting priorities, and the stakeholder misalignment. We also see the other side — the candidate who rearranged their schedule for interviews, turned down other opportunities, or paused their search because they were told they were a “top contender.”

Hiring is emotional. It’s not just operational.

When a company extends a process across quarters — or worse, across calendar years — it sends a message. Not necessarily the message leadership intends, but one that candidates absolutely receive.

The Hidden Cost of Delayed Decisions

Companies often justify long hiring timelines as being “thorough” or “careful.” And to be fair, thoughtful hiring matters. A bad hire is expensive.

But indecision is expensive too.

When a role remains open for months:

Internal teams absorb extra workload. Productivity drops. High performers begin to question leadership urgency. Burnout increases quietly.

At the same time, the external market moves quickly. Strong candidates don’t sit still. They have options. The longer the process drags on, the more likely they are to accept another offer — often with a competitor.

By the time a company is finally “ready to move,” the best candidate has already moved on.

Now the search restarts.

And the cycle repeats.

What Candidates Experience

From the candidate’s perspective, long processes create uncertainty. They plan their lives around potential transitions. They delay vacations. They hesitate to commit elsewhere. They prepare for multiple rounds, presentations, assessments, and stakeholder meetings.

Then weeks pass.

Sometimes months.

And the communication slows down.

Even if the eventual decision is a no, candidates almost always appreciate clarity. What erodes trust is ambiguity. Reputation spreads faster than ever. Candidates talk. Recruiters talk. Networks talk. A slow, unclear hiring process doesn’t just affect one hire. It affects your employer brand long term.

What Strong Hiring Looks Like

Strong companies don’t necessarily move recklessly — but they do move decisively.

Before a role opens, alignment happens. Budget is confirmed. Decision-makers are identified. Interview stages are defined. Evaluation criteria are clear.

When interviews begin, momentum is protected. Feedback is gathered quickly. Communication is consistent. Final decisions are owned, not delayed. Even if the answer is no, it’s delivered respectfully and promptly.

That’s leadership.

And it signals confidence.

The Calendar-Year Test

There’s a simple litmus test.

If a role opened in 2025, it shouldn’t still be drifting into 2026.

If a candidate started interviewing in 2025, they should not still be in active interviews for that same position a year later.

There are exceptions, of course — reorganizations, acquisitions, true strategic pivots. But those should be rare, not routine.

When extended timelines become normal, something in the hiring process needs to be fixed.

Time Is the Most Valuable Currency

Hiring is one of the most important investments a company makes. But time is the most valuable currency both companies and candidates have.

Every prolonged process costs something:

Lost productivity, Lost talent, Lost trust, Lost momentum.

At Recruitment Made Easy, we believe recruitment is not just about filling roles. It’s about running a process that reflects the kind of company you claim to be.

Decisive. Respectful. Clear. Accountable.

Because in the end, great hiring isn’t just about who you choose.

It’s about how you choose them.

You can’t make this stuff up

_{(*Disclaimer: these are real experiences provided by RME's community of job seekers and hiring managers)}

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_{*We do not receive any compensation for these promoted products/services, nor for any offers or discounts listed. Rather, we provide a platform for recruiters, hiring managers, and companies to present opportunities to job seekers.}

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