Many job seekers hesitate before replying to a prospective employer, believing that responding too quickly could make them appear overly eager or desperate. However, new research published in Management Science suggests that this common assumption may actually hurt their chances. After analysing millions of real-world hiring interactions alongside controlled experiments, researchers found no evidence that delaying a response improves hiring outcomes. Instead, employers consistently favoured candidates who replied sooner. “People have this intuition that playing hard to get is somehow useful,” said co-author On Amir, a professor at the UC San Diego Rady School of Management. “We find the opposite is true.”

The research combined data from 11.6 million interactions on Fiverr, an online marketplace connecting employers with freelancers, with several experiments involving more than 8,600 participants. The findings revealed a remarkably strong relationship between response speed and hiring success. A delay of just one hour was linked to a 46% drop in the likelihood of being hired, while waiting an entire day reduced hiring chances by roughly 90%. Even when employers could see other information, such as ratings, reviews, and the quality of a candidate’s message, faster responses still made a significant difference.

The experiments helped explain why reply speed matters so much. Participants consistently viewed people who responded quickly as warmer, more competent, and, most importantly, more likely to be responsive in future interactions. Rather than judging only the message itself, employers appeared to treat response time as a signal of what it would be like to work with that person over the long term. According to co-author Einav Hart of George Mason University, “Speed is a signal. People see a quick response as a sign that you’ll be attentive to their needs in the future, not just right now.”

Interestingly, the researchers also uncovered a gap between what people claimed they valued and how they actually made hiring decisions. When asked directly, many participants said receiving a response later the same day would be perfectly acceptable. Yet when selecting between candidates, they consistently chose those who replied much sooner. This suggests that response speed influences hiring decisions on a subconscious level, even if employers do not realise how heavily they weigh it.

The researchers caution, however, that the findings should not be interpreted as a simple rule to respond as quickly as possible. While speed sends a positive signal, it is only one part of the impression a candidate creates. “Speed matters because people use it as information,” Amir explained. “But there isn’t an equal sign between speed and responsiveness. Authenticity matters, too.” Employers also valued replies that felt thoughtful, personalised, and genuinely engaged with the conversation.

That distinction may become even more important as artificial intelligence makes instant responses easier than ever. Automated messages can eliminate delays, but they may also lack the personal touch that employers appreciate. In the experiments, participants became less favourable toward fast replies when they believed the responses had been generated automatically or by AI. The overall message from the research is clear: responding promptly can improve your chances of being hired, but the response should also be sincere, relevant, and demonstrate genuine interest rather than simply arriving first.

More information: Einav Hart et al, Speed Is a Signal: When Faster Replies Increase Hiring Likelihood, Management Science. DOI: 10.1287/mnsc.2024.06185

Journal information: Management Science Provided by University of California – San Diego