The offer is signed. Ninety days later, joining day comes and the candidate doesn't. Anyone who has run lateral hiring in India has lived this at least once.
This guide covers the seven steps of the lateral hiring process, what each route costs, and where experienced candidates usually drop out. Hire22 is a lateral hiring platform built around those drop-off points.
Lateral hiring is recruiting an experienced professional from another company into a similar or more senior role. In India it usually means people with roughly 3 to 15 years of experience: a senior engineer from a competitor, a regional sales manager from an adjacent industry, a finance controller from a Big Four firm.
It is the opposite of campus hiring. One person, hired whenever the role opens, expected to deliver within weeks. That changes everything about how you find them.
Most of the time goes before the first interview and after the offer. The middle is the easy part.
"8 years of Java" attracts everyone with 8 years of Java. "Owns the payments service and leads four engineers" attracts the person you need. Add the CTC band and the notice period you can live with.
Most strong lateral candidates are employed and not applying. Search beyond your applicants: referrals, alumni, past silver medallists, and passive profiles.
A two-line message asking whether they are open to the role saves a 30-minute call with someone who is not. Ask about CTC expectation and notice period in the same message.
Experienced candidates usually have more than one process running. Block interview panels before you start sourcing, so a good candidate can finish every round within a few days.
Notice periods of 60 to 90 days are common for senior roles in India. Decide upfront whether you will buy out notice, and by how much, so the offer is not stuck in approval.
Ask early what would make them stay. A candidate who says "nothing" at interview stage is far less likely to take a counter-offer later.
Most lateral drop-offs happen between offer acceptance and joining. A weekly check-in from the hiring manager does more than any clause in the offer letter.
Fees are only part of it. The route that is slowest to a shortlist usually costs the most, because the notice-period clock hasn't started.
| Route | Typical cost | Speed to candidates | The catch |
|---|---|---|---|
| Placement consultant | 8.33% or more of annual CTC per hire (₹2,49,900 on a ₹30 lakh role) | First CVs in 1 to 3 weeks | You see only the shortlist the consultant chooses to send |
| Job portal and resume database | Annual licence per recruiter seat | Depends on how fast your team can search and call | Your recruiters do all the outreach and screening |
| Employee referrals | Referral bonus, set by you | Unpredictable | Strong candidates, but the pool is only as wide as your team’s network |
| Hire22 (AI recruiter) | From ₹2,999 + GST for 3 job postings; no success fee | Ranked shortlist in about 22 hours | Works best when the role has clear skill and experience benchmarks |
Three things sink lateral offers in India: a CTC expectation nobody checked early, a 90-day notice period that gives the current employer time to counter, and a candidate who was never that keen on moving in the first place.
Hire22 tackles the first and the third before you meet anyone. Each candidate is asked about the role first, and the JoinX Score weighs CTC fit and notice period alongside skills. The counter-offer is still yours to handle.
Hiring for a specific team? See how this works for in-house TA teams, for founders hiring senior engineers, or compare plans and pricing.
Questions HR teams ask about lateral hiring in India.
Hire22 works differently depending on who is hiring. Pick the page closest to your situation.
For recruiters at funded companies juggling 20 open roles and a hiring manager who wanted the shortlist yesterday.
Hire22 for TA teamsMove senior hiring off consultants without losing quality, and take numbers to your MD that justify it.
See the cost comparisonNo HR team? Get a ranked shortlist you can read in one sitting.
Hiring as a founderShortlists in 22 hours for Bangalore, Hyderabad and Pune teams, with dashboard data for global TA reviews.
Hire22 for enterpriseA sourcing layer that finds passive mid-senior candidates while your consultants stay with clients.
Hire22 for agenciesEligible early-stage startups can apply for the Hire22 for Startups programme.
Check eligibilityPost the role as a JobCoNCT and see a ranked list of interested, experienced candidates tomorrow. The Trial Package is ₹2,999 + GST for first-time employers: 3 job postings, 3 months.