{"id":10333,"date":"2020-11-18T00:19:55","date_gmt":"2020-11-18T00:19:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/scouttalent.com\/?p=10333"},"modified":"2026-06-18T01:19:48","modified_gmt":"2026-06-18T01:19:48","slug":"why-applicant-to-hire-rate-is-a-crucial-recruitment-metric","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/scouttalent.com\/ca\/blog\/why-applicant-to-hire-rate-is-a-crucial-recruitment-metric\/","title":{"rendered":"Why \u201cApplicant To Hire Rate\u201d Is A Crucial Recruitment Metric"},"content":{"rendered":"

Are you confident you\u2019re tracking the right recruitment metrics in line with your organization\u2019s strategies and goals? HR and recruitment marketing software company PageUp shares why <\/em>Applicant to Hire Rate is a critical metrics to track<\/em><\/a>, and steps to take if you\u2019re receiving too many or too few applications.<\/em><\/p>\n

COVID-19 has changed the recruiting game. With lots of talent on the market right now, you\u2019d think finding people to fill roles would be easy. That\u2019s not always the case.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re receiving too many applications for open roles or too many of the wrong kind of applicants, this is a red flag. The good news is, there is a metric people often overlook that can address this problem.<\/p>\n

When we start the recruitment process, we have one end goal: to find and hire the right person for the role. To get there, we start with applications. But do you know how many applications you need to find one successful hire? If you\u2019re receiving too many, you\u2019re wasting time and effort sifting through unsuitable resumes. Too few, and you might not have the skills or talent you need for the role.<\/p>\n

To determine your hiring sweet-spot, let\u2019s look at one of the most crucial recruitment metrics: your Applicant to Hire Rate. That is, the Percentage Applicants to Hire.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Percentage Applicants to Hire<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Percentage applicants to hire is the total number of hires divided by the total number of applications for the role or position. Think of it as reverse engineering from the hire that you made \u2013 how many applications were required to find that person? You can calculate your percentage applicants to hire using the following formula:<\/p>\n

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The applicant-to-hire ratio is critical for organizations to understand now and as the COVID-19 pandemic evolves. The lower your applicant-to-hire rate, the fewer applicants you\u2019re saying \u2018yes\u2019 to. In these times, it\u2019s about quality, not quantity \u2013 how many applicants do you need to secure a hire? If you\u2019re taking high volumes of applicants through the recruitment process, you may not be able to provide a personalized, high-touch experience to all of them.<\/p>\n

Many organizations are not hiring right now. During an economic contraction, there are fewer roles being advertised and high job losses, stand-downs and furloughs.<\/p>\n

But what happens when you open up the recruitment cycle again? It\u2019s likely that any job opening will attract more applicants and your applicant-to-hire rate will increase.<\/p>\n

If your application volumes are high, your applicant to hire ratio will be lower. A low applicant to hire ratio is not something to be desired: it means you\u2019re putting lots of people through the screening process, but only hiring a small fraction of them.<\/p>\n

Ask yourself:<\/p>\n