You send three good CVs. Then you wait. A week later the best candidate has taken another offer, and the client wants to know why you did not move faster.
Feedback delay is the most common reason placements fall over. Here is how to reduce it.
Agree the deadline before you send anything
At the start of the search, ask: how fast can you give feedback? Then say it back. "So I'll send CVs on Thursday and we'll speak by Monday."
A deadline you agreed is easy to refer to. A deadline you invented is nagging.
Make replying easy
Busy people put off things that take effort. So lower the effort.
- Send one short email per batch, not one per candidate
- Put the key facts in three lines at the top
- Ask a simple question: *"Interview, hold, or pass?"*
- Let them reply with one word
A client who can answer in ten seconds will answer. A client who has to write a paragraph will not.
Chase with something useful
"Just checking in" is the weakest message you can send. It adds nothing.
Try instead:
- "This candidate has another interview on Wednesday. Can we agree a slot before then?"
- "Two of the three are still available. I'd keep it that way if we can speak by Friday."
You are not nagging. You are giving a reason that is true.
Use more than one channel
If email gets no answer, try a short message or a call. Some people only read one channel. Once you know which one, use it.
A client portal also helps here. When a client can open a page and see their shortlist, click a button for interview or pass, and add a comment, you remove the email step entirely.
Know when to escalate
If a client is silent for more than a week, it is fair to ask someone else on their side. Be polite and factual: "I want to make sure we don't lose these candidates. Is there someone else who could help us move?"
Keep a record
Note the date you sent each batch and the date you chased. If a role goes cold, you can look back and see where the time went. Over a few months you will also see which clients are slow, and you can plan for that.
A client who is always slow may not be worth a role.