Notice periods are the silent killer of tech hiring in Pakistan. A candidate accepts your offer, you celebrate, and then reality hits: they have a 60 or 90-day notice period. By the time they're available, your project timeline has shifted, the team has found workarounds, or worst case, you've lost confidence in the hire.
Here's the landscape: most Pakistani tech companies enforce 30 to 90-day notice periods. Large outsourcing firms and banks tend toward 60-90 days. Startups usually require 30 days but occasionally stretch to 60. Some companies include garden leave clauses that prevent candidates from starting elsewhere during the notice period.
For employers, the key is planning for this reality rather than being surprised by it. Start recruiting earlier than you think you need to. If your project kicks off in three months, start sourcing now. Build notice period expectations into your hiring timeline.
For candidates, transparency is essential. Disclose your notice period early in the interview process. Nothing damages trust faster than a candidate who reveals a 90-day notice period after the offer is extended.
The companies that handle this best offer flexibility. Some pay a buyout of the remaining notice period. Others allow the candidate to start part-time during their notice period. The smartest companies use the notice period productively — onboarding documentation, team introductions, and context-building can all happen before day one.