How to reduce bench time

Put a number on the bench

Teams act faster when bench time is a dollar figure, not a feeling. Use the bench cost calculator to see cash cost and margin not earned for each consultant.

• Loaded weekly pay plus weekly margin forgone is the cost of one more bench week.
• Share the figure in the weekly meeting for every consultant who has been unplaced.

Review aging on a fixed cadence

Group the bench by weeks unplaced and review the oldest first.

• Newly benched: confirm skills, work authorization, rate and location in writing.
• Several weeks in: change the approach, not only the volume.
• Long bench: decide on rate, relocation or retraining, with the consultant.

Widen the search the right way

Most consultants are searched under one title. Add adjacent titles and skills so more requirements are considered.

• List two or three adjacent titles for each consultant.
• Include remote and relocation-friendly roles if the consultant agrees.
• Re-run the search every day, because new requirements appear daily.

Submit faster and cleaner

A requirement that sits for a day is often gone. Speed from posting to a tailored submission is a real lever.

• Keep a base resume per consultant and tailor it to each requirement.
• Record every submission so no vendor receives the same consultant twice.
• Follow up on a schedule, and log the answer.

Decide when to flex

Rate, location and start date are the levers. Decide the floor with the consultant before you need it, so a good requirement is not lost while you ask.

• Write down a minimum rate and the locations the consultant will consider.
• Review the floor when the bench cost passes a limit your team sets.

Where MatchWire fits

MatchWire covers the search and preparation steps: a job feed refreshed every 30 minutes, rule-based matching you can inspect, AI-tailored resumes for matches a recruiter queues, and submission tracking. It does not decide rates or relocation for you.

Frequently asked questions