The median search closed in 51 days in 2013 to 2018. Since 2023 it takes 70. That is a 37 percent increase, with the longest delays at the top of the ladder, and most of the added time is not sourcing.
Time to hire is the metric hiring teams can still control, which is why it is the seventh finding in The Price of Talent 2026. The figures come from 1,304 Protis Global searches with a recorded kickoff and accepted-offer date, 2007 to October 2026.
By era: 58 days in 2007 to 2012, 51 in 2013 to 2018, 65 in 2019 to 2022, 70 in 2023 to 2026.
By level, 2019 to 2026: entry level 52 days, Manager 66, Senior Manager 66, Director 69, Senior Director 76, Vice President 74, EVP and SVP 80, C-level 113. A quarter of C-level searches run past 177 days.
The pipeline did not get thinner. The median search still presents five candidates, with the middle half of searches presenting three to seven. The added time sits between meetings: scheduling, alignment among decision makers, and the gap between the final interview and the offer. That gap is where finalists are lost.
The brands that closed fastest since 2023 shared three habits. Decision makers aligned on the profile before the search opened. Interview slots were blocked on calendars for the whole search. Feedback arrived within 48 hours of every meeting.
Plan a Director search at ten weeks from kickoff to signature and a C-level search at sixteen, then compress it with process, not pressure. A search that starts in October lands a leader in January. A search that starts in January misses the first quarter.
If the seat cannot wait, an interim or fractional leader covers it while the permanent search runs. One in six of those engagements becomes the permanent hire.
How long does an executive search take in CPG?
In Protis Global searches closed since 2023, the median is 70 days from kickoff to accepted offer. Director searches median 69 days, VP searches 74, and C-level searches 113, with a quarter of C-level searches running past 177 days.
Why is time to hire rising?
Not because of candidate supply. The median search still presents five candidates. The added time sits in scheduling and decision-making, particularly the gap between the final interview and the offer.
How can a company shorten time to hire?
Align decision makers before the search opens, block interview slots for the whole search, and give feedback within 48 hours of every meeting. Those three habits separated the fastest closes since 2023.
The full report, The Price of Talent 2026, is free to download at protisglobal.com/price-of-talent-2026. If you want the analysis run against your org chart, your offer, or your next search, talk to our team.