How should we address candidates’ shortening attention span?

A growing narrative suggests that human attention spans are shrinking. Much of the blame is often placed on digital technologies, social media, and the increasingly fast-paced nature of modern life. This trend, if true, could have significant implications for many industries, but particularly recruitment and talent acquisition, where assessing candidates’ skills, personality, and values is critical to ensure the right job fit, cultural alignment, and long-term success of the organisation. But are attention spans really getting shorter, and how will this impact recruitment processes? 

The Debate on Shortening Attention Spans 

The notion that attention spans are shrinking often stems from a much-debated Microsoft study published in 2015, which claimed that the average attention span had decreased from 12 seconds in 2000 to just 8 seconds, shorter than that of a goldfish. While, at the time, the study gained widespread attention, its findings have since been challenged by researchers who argue that human attention may not be getting shorter but rather adapting to an increasingly information-dense environment. 

For instance, Dr. Gemma Briggs, a cognitive psychologist, notes that attention spans are highly task-dependent. People are perfectly capable of maintaining focus on activities that engage them, like binge-watching TV shows or gaming for hours, but may struggle to focus on less stimulating tasks. In recruitment, this suggests that the challenge may not be diminishing attention spans but creating processes that truly engage candidates. 

60 percent of job seekers quit in the middle of filling out online job applications because they find them too time consuming or complex.

How Shorter Attention Spans (or Perceived Shorter Spans) Could Affect Talent Acquisition 

While assessing whether attention spans are shortening can be complex, one thing is certain: candidates are less patient with lengthy recruitment processes. According to a CareerBuilder survey, 60 percent of job seekers quit in the middle of filling out online job applications because they find them too time consuming or complex. To avoid missing talent, HR teams must adjust and create engaging and streamlined application processes.  

• Employer Branding: Companies that want to attract top talent should pay close attention to how they craft their employer brand and job descriptions, where concise and compelling messaging is essential. A recent survey from LinkedIn found that candidates tend to focus on details like salary, benefits, and specific job duties when reading job ads, while overlooking information about company culture and mission. This suggests that organisations should prioritise presenting the most valuable information upfront. Additionally, since candidates may skip over employer branding sections, organisations should focus on making the entire application process smooth, engaging, and interactive to leave a positive impression on all applicants. 
• Redesigning Assessments: Many companies use assessments to evaluate a candidate’s skills, personality, and values. If attention spans are indeed decreasing, companies may need to reconsider long, traditional tests. Instead, they should adopt shorter, more dynamic assessments that deliver accurate results in less time. Interactive assessments and bite-sized tasks, which engage candidates through dynamic and fun challenges, are already gaining popularity and, when designed with scientific rigour, have been proven to be just as accurate as the lengthier legacy tests. These methods help recruiters assess a candidate’s competencies without overwhelming them or requiring excessive time. 
• Candidate Engagement: In an environment where distractions are plentiful, talent attraction strategies will need to shift toward creating more engaging, streamlined processes. Lengthy application forms, unengaging job descriptions, and drawn-out assessments could lead to candidate drop-offs. For example, research from Glassdoor shows that job seekers tend to drop out of applications that take too long to complete, with candidates preferring processes that are mobile-optimized and easy to navigate. 
• Video Interviews and AI Tools: Video interviews, particularly asynchronous ones, are already being utilised more widely, partly because they are more flexible for candidates. However, they still require attention, and the format could be adapted to cater to shorter bursts of attention. Breaking interviews into smaller segments and allowing candidates to respond to short, concise questions might be more effective in engaging individuals who struggle to focus for extended periods. Additionally, AI-powered tools that analyse short video responses could help recruitment teams make quicker, data-driven decisions without exhausting candidates with lengthy interviews. 
• Microlearning for Onboarding and Upskilling: Much like lengthy application processes can drive candidates away, overly complex onboarding processes can have a negative impact on new hires. For this reason, microlearning is becoming a preferred method for training and upskilling. By delivering information in small, digestible chunks, organisations can ensure that new employees quickly absorb and retain key information without feeling overwhelmed.  

Navigating the Shift with Technology 

Whether attention spans are shortening or candidates’ patience for lengthy recruitment processes is dwindling, technology offers many solutions to ensure talent acquisition keeps up. AI and automation tools can be leveraged to streamline processes, such as automating initial screenings or using chatbots to provide instant responses to candidate inquiries. Tools like these speed up recruitment while making it more engaging for candidates, who often prefer instant, accessible feedback. 

Moreover, using data and analytics allows companies to optimise every step of their recruitment funnel. HR teams can track where candidates drop off during the process and identify areas where attention may wane, allowing them to tweak those stages to keep candidates engaged. 

Conclusion 

While the debate about whether attention spans are truly shortening continues, it’s clear that talent acquisition processes need to adapt to a world where distractions are everywhere, and candidate patience may be running thin. By embracing shorter, more engaging recruitment methods—such as interactive, blended assessments, —recruiters can ensure they continue to attract and assess top talent, even in a fast-paced digital age.